Late Start
Chapter 2
It was "Open House" day at the new high school Luke was about to be attending. In addition to getting a tour of the building an an overview of academics and extracurriculars, Luke also had an appointment with the Principal, Mr. Hargrave. Luke had ADHD and hadn't done well in middle school. This meant that he would be one of the few students to get a one-on-one discussion with the Principal about how to better navigate the rigors of high school.
His mother was with him. They walked into the Principal's office where they were greeted by the smiling middle aged man. He had them sit down in two chairs in front of his desk.
"Luke seems like the kind of young man I myself was at his age," said Mr. Hargrave. "I also have ADHD. And like Luke, I also struggled academically despite being gifted."
"Gifted?" asked his mother. Mr. Hargrave nodded and smiled. "Luke's grades may not be the best, but it looks like he consistently scores well above his peers in standardized testing. The problem is that his type of brain just doesn't do well in the type of academic environment that works for most students."
"So what kind of environment would work for him?" asked Luke's mom. Mr. Hargrave shook his head sadly. "Unfortunately, not one that you will find anywhere in this district. And even if you go to a private school, Luke will have to eventually join the real world and work for a company and take on adult responsibilities. All of that will be challenges that he will need the discipline to overcome."
"I'm glad you see potential in him," said Luke's mom. "I only hope I can help him get there. Do you have any suggestions?"
Mr. Hargrave nodded. "There is only so much we can do. In order to develop self-discipline, he first needs external discipline from you."
"Like spanking?" asked his mom. "I tried that recently." Luke wanted to die from embarrassment right then and there. He could have sworn his mom had spoken so loudly that all the cool kids in the entire school had heard her.
Mr. Hargrave chuckled awkwardly. "Possibly, or other alternatives exist as well. Regardless of your methods, the important thing is consistency. I would argue that consistency with discipline is actually more important than the exact manner of discipline."
"Is spanking still a good option for boys his age?" asked Luke's mom, as if she hadn't embarrassed him enough.
Mr. Hargrave shrugged. "That's not for me to say. But it's a method of discipline we actually use here at school. He reached down behind his desk and retrieved a large wooden paddle that he set down on top of his desk. It was about 20 inches long, 4 inches wide, and a half inch thick. The handle was wrapped with athletic tape.
"You spank students with that thing?" asked Luke's mom. Her eyes were wide with shock. "That looks monstrous."
Mr. Hargrave pointed to the folder she had in her hand. "The paperwork you were given at orientation includes a corporal punishment consent form. Basically, Luke will never be paddled without your consent. You can choose to opt out if you wish."
"Is it safe to use something like that though?" asked Luke's mother. Mr. Hargrave smiled. "That's what I grew up getting in school, as did generations before me. I can tell from your accent that you have roots up North. This is more of a Southern practice, but millions of kids have been paddled in school around here over the years. As for it being safe, there will likely be bruising as a result. That's an intended effect and not necessarily a cause for alarm. It just means he gets a little reminder every time he sits down."
"Mom, please don't agree to this!" Luke pleaded. His mother gave him a sharp look. "I'm the mother and this is my decision, not yours."
She pointed at the paddle. "Let's say I wanted to get one just like that for use at home. Where could I get one?"
Mr. Hargrave pointed to a small marking on the lowest part of the handle, just below the athletic tape grip. "It's from a company called School Spanking Solutions. You can order these online, but if you visit their brick-and-mortar store in town, they can teach you how to use it effectively."
Luke's mom smiled and patted Luke's leg. "I guess you will soon have a good incentive to stay on top of your schoolwork."
"I must say I admire you," said Mr. Hargrave. "A lot of single mothers are afraid to provide their teenage sons with good old-fashioned discipline. I'm glad to see that you care enough to do so."
Luke's mom blushed. "Thank you. I try my best." Luke felt totally defeated. That compliment from Mr. Hargrave had sealed his fate. His butt was totally done for."
The rest of the "Open House" day was uneventful. Later that night, when they were home, Luke and his mother were going over all the paperwork they had received. Eventually, they came to the "Corporal Punishment Consent" form.
"Hand me that pen," said his mother. Luke groaned and handed a pen to her, knowing she was about to sacrifice his butt. She quickly circled something and signed it before handing it back to Luke. He was stunned by what he saw.
"Wait, you're opting me OUT of corporal punishment?" asked Luke. "As in, I'm not going to be paddled at school?"
His mom smiled. "That's right. I'm still willing to give this spanking thing a try, but I'm not going to let some school employees do that to you. If anyone is going to tear your butt up, it's going to be me."
"So what about your questions to Mr. Hargrave about the paddle?" asked Luke. His mom chuckled. "Oh, that's still happening. I'm going to buy a paddle tomorrow. Whether or not it gets used will depend on you."