Fact Check: Did Donald Trump sign executive order legalizing corporal punishment in schools?

WASHINGTON, DC: Since President Donald Trump took office again in January 2025, he has signed several executive orders, and most of them have raised eyebrows, such as one that attempts to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.

On April 23, Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order titled 'Reinstating Common Sense School Discipline Policies'. Following this, rumors circulated online claiming that the order permits corporal punishment in schools. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.

Claim: Donald Trump legalized corporal punishment in schools

Many social media users started spreading rumors that Donald Trump's order permits teachers to discipline their students through physical punishment.

A video went viral on TikTok that claimed, "Today Trump issued Executive Order allowing Teachers to physically 'discipline' students." The clip has garnered more than 70,000 likes till now.

Meanwhile, an X user also shared a clip of Trump signing the executive order and captioned it, "Trump signs an EO to make it easier for teachers to beat children."

Similarly, another X user posted, "SHOULD TEACHERS BE ABLE TO SPANK YOUR KIDS? Yesterday Trump signed an executive order to make it easier for teachers to "discipline" students in school. Your thoughts?"

False: Donald Trump's EO does not allow teachers to use physical force on students

The claims made in the online posts are false, as Donald Trump's executive order does not explicitly address teachers using physical force to punish students, according to Snopes.

Moreover, his EO requests new federal guidance to revoke previous policies aimed at reducing racial disparities in school discipline.

Notably, corporal punishment is still legal across many states, and it is unclear whether Trump's directive might accelerate that disparity, per the fact-checking outlet.

Furthermore, Trump does not have the legal authority to permit corporal punishment in US schools without an act of Congress, Snopes reported.

Donald Trump's executive order on school discipline

Donald Trump's executive order on school discipline is focused on prohibiting racial equity policies in guidance issued by the federal government on school discipline, as stated in the second paragraph of the EO.

It states, "Section 1. Purpose and Policy. The Federal Government will no longer tolerate known risks to children's safety and well-being in the classroom that result from the application of school discipline based on discriminatory and unlawful 'equity' ideology."

Moreover, the EO calls for revoking previous guidance from the administrations of former presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama to reduce racial disparities in school discipline.

A 2014 letter sent by Obama's Department of Education and Department of Justice warned schools that they may be violating civil rights law if they discipline minority students at higher rates, per Snopes. 

Interestingly, the 2014 letter is not a law in itself, but it is a guidance on how the federal government interprets the law.

Moreover, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 already prohibits racial discrimination in public schools, per the outlet.

Meanwhile, Trump's first administration revoked the Obama-era guidance, but Biden's administration released updated advice similar to the 2014 letter, although education advocates said it didn't go as far.