Teacher Given Probation In Jackson Paddling

A Jackson County teacher has been placed on one-year probation after a spanking incident last year.

Teacher Jackson Patterson received probation, a requirement to complete an anger management class and the obligation to pay court costs. Former assistant principal Tena Lynn entered a pre-trial diversion. If court costs are paid and good and lawful behavior is maintained for one year, then the court case will not be prosecuted any further. Jackson County District Attorney Jason Lawson said he believes the punishment to be fair.

“In any type of case where there is an alleged assault or injury to a person a lot of times those turn on the pictures of the injuries that the person received,” Lawson said. “Certainly the grand jury reviewed those pictures before they decided to issue a charge and in light of all of the facts and circumstances and the positions of both sides I believe it was a fair resolution for everyone involved.”

Lawson said the case was investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and presented to the Jackson County Grand Jury. The incident happened last October at Dodson Branch School. The student was taken to a medical facility after the spanking incident.

Lawson said the case was important as many people believe in corporal punishment. Lawson said he hopes the school system can move forward and learn from the incident.

“I hope that teachers will continue as they have in the past to use good judgment about what inappropriate form of discipline is in every single situation,” Lawson said. “So they have been doing that and I hope that they continue to do that.”

Lawson said he grew up in a household that believed in corporal punishment. But, Lawson said corporal punishment can be bad in certain situations.

“Any time a charge is brought out I don’t want that to be a statement that corporal punishment by itself is inappropriate,” Lawson said. “Corporal Punishment can be excessive and in any sort of situation where corporal punishment is inflicted I think that you have to look at the injuries and the facts of the entire case and based on everything that’s out there make the decision about whether in this particular circumstance if it was excessive or if it was appropriate.”