Florida Principal Won’t Face Charges After Spanking Incident

A Florida elementary school principal will not face prosecution after a video surfaced showing her spanking a 6-year-old student in front of the child’s mother, officials announced Friday.

The State Attorney’s Office for Hendry County said that corporal punishment is legal in Florida, and evidence showed the mother granted explicit, in-person permission for the discipline at Central Elementary School in Clewiston.

According to investigators, the school contacted the child’s mother on April 13 after the first grader damaged computer equipment. The mother reportedly admitted the girl had been destructive at home as well and said she was afraid to discipline her. She then asked if a staff member could administer the spanking. School policy required the mother to give consent in person and be present, which she agreed to.

A video, secretly recorded by the mother and later given to law enforcement, shows the principal and a staff member positioning the girl while the principal delivers three spanks. The principal explains the punishment and instructs the child to apologize. The mother is heard thanking the principal and does not object at any point.

The next day, however, the mother reported the incident to the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office, claiming she misunderstood due to a language barrier. The staff member said their earlier phone conversation was in Spanish, but the mother later declined to give a sworn statement.

Prosecutors noted that edited clips shared with media created an incomplete and potentially misleading narrative. Without evidence contradicting the mother’s clear consent in the full video, prosecutors declined to file charges.

Hendry County school officials said they cannot comment on whether administrative action will be taken against the principal due to an ongoing internal investigation.