Erin Lucas suppressed the urge to march today’s chronically misbehaving student to the front of the room and paddle him in front of the entire class. Eddie Larson was frequently a disruptive force in her class, making it very challenging to keep the eighth-grade math class on-track. She had chastised him several times but her patience had run out. The threat of corporal punishment was always a factor in this school but the paddle that she had prominently hung did not seem to have much influence on students like Eddie.

Perhaps it was that although she did not object to the notion of using the paddle, she had yet to apply it to anybody’s backside. The wood shop teacher, Mr Sawyer, had presented it to Erin on her first day. All teachers at the school had their own version of that paddle, many used them routinely and a majority displayed them conspicuously as a reminder of the outcome of getting on the teacher bad-side.

For Erin, sight of the paddle reminded her of her own tumultuous relationship with discipline during her youth. She had attended an all girls private school and most teachers were quick to apply paddle or cane to a young lady’s bare bottom at the slightest provocation. She had her backside scorched on many occasions and credited the strict approach to her finding way forward to being a productive, responsible adult.

Today, students were taking turns working through word problems at the white board. Eddie would break the focus of the class with a randomly-timed fart noise. She had warned him three times and felt like he was deliberately pushing the limits. The class erupted when he emitted a long squeaky noise. “Mr Larson,” she called.

“Yes, Miss Lucas,” he replied with a defiant tone.

“Please drop by my office after school. I need to test your ability to count,” she answered.

‘Oooooooo,’ the class responded in unison. The remark about counting almost certainly meant Eddie was due a paddling. It was standard procedure at the school to have the recipient count their swats and if they strayed from the instruction position, the swat didn’t count or, in very severe cases, the paddling might reset the count to zero.

Erin was satisfied that the remark quieted not only Eddie but any other disruptions for the rest of class.

A few minutes after the final bell rang, Eddie knocked on Erin’s office door. She escorted him in and instructed him to sit while she scolded him about his recent actions. “You disruptive behavior today was the last straw. I feel like I have no choice but to punish you.”

“No. Please, Miss Lucas. Not the paddle,” Eddie sobbed. Erin was unprepared for the tears and almost reconsidered the punishment she’d been intending to administer.

“I’m sorry, Eddie, but today you pushed it too far. You’re due ten swats and further delay will only add to the count.” She watched the realization that his protests were rejected sink in and then continued. “Stand up and face my desk. Drop your pants and bend over the desk. Forearms on the desk. If you stray from this position, the swat will not count.”

Eddie faced the desk and dropped his jeans, leaving his underwear in-place, and then bent over. “I’m sure you know that at this school all paddings on a bare bottom.” She set the paddle on the desk and tugged his boxers so mid-thigh. She then realized his hesitance at lowering his underwear - a stiffening erection. She pretended not to notice the hard-on and tapped the paddle against his bare cheeks, “Count these swats.”

Eddie cried out with the first swat, “One!” and by six was blubbering almost incoherently. The ten swats left his butt well-bruised and Erin was satisfied that the message had been fully delivered. She allowed him to catch his breath and then instructed, “You can pull up your pants,” she noted and hung the paddle on its hook. “Keep in mind those were only moderately hard swats,” the said fibbing slightly as she had swung nearly at full strength. “If we have to repeat this it will be harder and longer.“

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied taking the tissue from the box she offered.

Later she was replaying the episode in her head with mixed feelings. On one hand, if the paddling help curb classroom disruptions, that was a good outcome. Alternatively, she realized that she kind of liked the role of disciplinarian. Her new boyfriend had some annoying habits and pondered whether she should put him over her knee and given him a sound spanking.