Gary Gunckel, an Oklahoma principal accused of using a wooden paddle to spank two elementary school students, has been charged with child abuse and placed on administrative leave. (Pittsburgh County Sheriff's Office/AP)
A principal in McAlester, Oklahoma, has been charged after two elementary students were left with welts and bruises following an alleged spanking with a wooden paddle.
Indianola Public Schools Principal Gary Gunckel, 50, was charged last week with two counts of child abuse by injury in relation to the alleged paddling, which reportedly occurred in September, according to a probable cause affidavit reviewed by local newspaper McAlester News-Capital.
Gunckel has also been placed on administrative leave "while the legal process determines the outcomes," according to a statement from Indianola Public Schools.
MARYLAND MAN DEFACES CHICK-FIL-A, SYNAGOGUE WITH GRAFFITI PERTAINING TO RELIGIOUS VIEWS, POLICE SAY
Gunckel allegedly used “unreasonable force” when paddling the two male students, ages 10 and 11, according to the newspaper. Their identities have not been revealed.
The charges come after a mother of one of the boys contacted Cody Vaughn, a deputy with the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, with concerns over the “bruising and whelps on her son’s buttocks,” the newspaper reported.
While the mother reportedly gave Gunckel permission to “swat” her son with a paddle as a punishment for being involved in an argument with the other boy, she contacted the sheriff’s office because she felt the bruising indicated Gunckel had used “excessive” force.
The mother also claimed the mother of the other boy contacted her to say her son was also bruised, according to the affidavit.
PROSTITUTE HIRED BY OFF-DUTY NEW YORK COP ENDS UP STEALING HIS CAR, GUN, REPORTS SAY
Gunckel allegedly apologized later on "for busting the boys" and said he spanked the elementary students the same way he spanked high school students. He reportedly told the parent he was sorry that her son bruises easily. She said he explained to the boy that it was "supposed to hurt so that he would remember not to do what he was doing anymore," the affidavit stated.
"Although federal law prohibits any school district from disclosing specific information related to an individual child’s discipline or their student records, Mr. Gunckel followed district policy," Superintendent Adam Newman said in the Indianola Public Schools' statement.
"While the district has a policy in place that outlines the student discipline, including the types of discipline methods available for administrators to utilize, the administration will seek out input from our community and parents, to determine their thoughts and opinions on whether or not we will move to change the discipline policy," Newman said in the statement.
He declined to comment further on the accusations against Gunckel when contacted by Fox News on Wednesday.
A preliminary hearing conference is scheduled for Oct. 12.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
True Crime
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.
