(Newser) – A small town in Texas is reviving an old disciplinary technique: hitting students with paddles. Temple lifted its ban on the practice last May. Without paddling, "there were no consequences for kids," says the head of the school board, who adds that high school students have become much better behaved—though only one student has been paddled so far. Some locals applaud the move: "There are times when maybe a good crack might not be a bad idea," one man tells the Washington Post.

Wait, isn't that illegal? Nope, not in Texas. Corporal punishment is actually legal in 20 states. Many critics, including the ACLU, say hitting kids isn't right. Some lawmakers agree. "The federal government has outlawed physical punishment in prisons, I think the time has come that we should do it in schools," says Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, who is pushing for a ban. (Read more corporal punishment stories.)

