California Codes

Cal. Education Code § 49001 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026

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(a)For the purposes of this section, “corporal punishment” means the willful infliction of, or willfully causing the infliction of, physical pain on a pupil. An amount of force that is reasonable and necessary for a person employed by or engaged in a public school to quell a disturbance threatening physical injury to persons or damage to property, for purposes of self-defense, or to obtain possession of weapons or other dangerous objects within the control of the pupil, is not and shall not be construed to be corporal punishment within the meaning and intent of this section. Physical pain or discomfort caused by athletic competition or other such recreational activity, voluntarily engaged in by the pupil, is not and shall not be construed to be corporal punishment within the meaning and intent of this section.

(b)No person employed by or engaged in a public school shall inflict, or cause to be inflicted corporal punishment upon a pupil. Every resolution, bylaw, rule, ordinance, or other act or authority permitting or authorizing the infliction of corporal punishment upon a pupil attending a public school is void and unenforceable.

(c)For purposes of this section, “public school” includes a school operated by a school district or a county office of education, a charter school, a nonpublic, nonsectarian school, and a state special school for the blind or the deaf.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 8 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1977–2021 · leading case: Ingraham v. Wright, 430 U.S. 651 (1977).

Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment

Ingraham v. Wright, 430 U.S. 651 (1977). · cites it 4× “Rev. Stat. § 161.205 (1) (1975). [21] See Proehl, supra, at 726, and n.”

Corales v. Bennett, 567 F.3d 554 (9th Cir. 2009). “” Cal. Educ. Code § 49001 (a). Bennett did not inflict, nor attempt to inflict, any physical pain on any of the students.”

Slayton v. Pomona Unified Sch. Dist., 161 Cal. App. 3d 538 (Cal. Ct. App. 1984). · cites it 2× “Education Code section 49001, by not administering corporal punishment to a student without the prior written approval of the student’s parent or guardian.”

Clausing v. San Francisco Unified Sch. Dist., 221 Cal. App. 3d 1224 (Cal. Ct. App. 1990). “” Education Code section 49001 provides: “(a) For the purposes of this section ‘corporal punishment’ means the willful infliction of, or willfully causing the infliction of, physical pain on a pupil.”

Garcia Ex Rel. Marin v. Clovis Unified Sch. Dist., 627 F. Supp. 2d 1187 (E.D. Cal. 2009). “Garcia alleges that this conduct constituted corporal punishment in violation of California Education Code § 49001. See Complaint at ¶ 18.”

Alleyne v. New York State Educ. Dep't, 691 F. Supp. 2d 322 (N.D.N.Y. 2010). “, Cal. Educ.Code §§ 49001, 56520(a)(3); 05-071 Me.”

Langley v. Guiding Hands Sch., Inc. (E.D. Cal. 2021). “79 at 19 (citing Cal. Educ. Code §§ 49001 , 56520, 56521, 56521.”

Corales v. Bennett (9th Cir. 2009). “” Cal. Educ. Code § 49001 (a). Bennett did not inflict, nor attempt to inflict, any physical pain on any of the stu- dents.”

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