rollin:
The only issue in the civil suit will be damages. I say it's worth about $5,000 for medical and pain and suffering, but about $100,000 punitive.
In many cases the principals and the teachers have what is called Qualified Immunity. This means they can't be sued for paddling a child black and blue (believe it or not).
A child went home with a swollen bottom that was black and blue. The woman asked the police officer who came to her home (this is after she argued the point with the school), what would happen if she did this at home. She was told the child would have been taken from the home and put in foster care until the court could decide what to do.
Another woman went to court with the same problem. Her lawyer was reprimanded in open court, and she was fined $5,000 for taking up the courts time.
This is why CP has to be taken very seriously in schools. I've seen cases where many times it was the minorities that were punished the most in this manner. Very sad.