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CPS Takes Action On Corporal Punishment

2 Investigation Uncovered Beatings Of High School Athletes

CHICAGO (CBS) ― CBS 2 Investigator Dave Savini exposed illegal corporal punishment in public schools, and the report is getting results that will help prevent children in our schools from being beaten.

The 2 Investigators uncovered the story about athletes beaten at Chicago's prestigious Simeon Career Academy. Now more big name schools are under fire as more students come forward to report abuse.

In an exclusive interview, the head of Chicago Public Schools expressed his outrage.

"We are going to fire anyone who we find that does this," CPS CEO Arne Duncan said in reaction to security camera footage the 2 Investigators exposed of a Simeon coach beating athletes with a 4-foot paddle.

Bruce Zayas stuffed a shirt in his mouth to fight the pain.

"I had a paddle mark across my butt," he said.

The 2 Investigators have learned at least five Chicago public schools are now under investigation for beating athletes including Wendell Phillips High School and John Marshall High School, home of numerous state championship teams.

"Because of your story some other students are talking," Duncan said.

And that includes Akeem Nathaniel.

"They should be fired," he said. "They shouldn't be coaching."

Nathaniel says a Marshall High School basketball coach repeatedly hit him and other players with a 3-foot long wooden paddle.

"I saw student players getting hit with the paddle eight times straight," Nathaniel said.

The 2 Investigators obtained confidential records written by a Chicago Public Schools investigator. They detail complaints about four other basketball players being hit with a paddle by a Marshall basketball coach.

One says he got "3 licks" for missing an assignment.

"If a student got in trouble in class the teacher would tell the coach and the coach would paddle the player in practice," Nathaniel said.

Calvin Davis, head of the Chicago Public Schools Sports Administration, said a number of situations are being looked into.

"The hardest part for me is the fact that coaches are not realizing that this is no longer allowed," Davis said.

Davis spoke to the Athletic Board of Principals Monday about the corporal punishment investigation and says he admires Zayas' courage for coming forward, leading to the city-wide investigation.

In Zayas' case, the coach who struck him for missing volleyball serves, Fred McClinton, resigned.

"This one's personal for me," Duncan said. "I've been there. I was paddled and I remember like it was yesterday."

Duncan promises terminations for anyone else found beating students.

"It disgusts me and it's the kind of thing we can't have any tolerance for," Duncan said.

Duncan and Davis are urging anyone who knows about paddling or abuse to come forward.

Paddles have been confiscated from schools and it is unclear just how many coaches may have been using this form of discipline that has been illegal since 1994.

The 2 Investigators also would like to know of other incidents. Click here to send us your story.

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