The Loudon County school system is investigating allegations of excessive force by a middle school principal after complaints from parents who say their 11-year-old boy was spanked.

Loudon Schools superintendent Edward Headlee said he met with Fort Loudon Middle School principal Steven Williams this morning to discuss the allegations.

Headlee said the boy's grandmother had given permission for the principal to paddle the child rather than be disciplined with a two-day suspension from school. Paddling is allowed under the policy of the Loudon County School Board, said Headlee, as long as a witness is present during the paddling. The school resource officer was present during the paddling, Headlee added.

Loudon Police Chief James "Bear" Webb said the boy's grandmother filed a police report Friday alleging that Williams used excessive force when he struck the child twice on the buttocks with a paddle. Webb said the issue was in the hands of the district attorney general's office.

The child's grandmother said she took the boy to a Loudon pediatrician who made a medical report and took pictures of the child's bruises. The report and photos were taken to Headlee's office, she said.

Headlee said the central office will continue to investigate the matter and that no determinations have yet been made about the appropriateness of Williams' paddling the boy. The person in charge of investigating such matters was out of the office at a meeting today, he added.

Update 10/29/2009: The Loudon County school district still allows corporal punishment.