Duct tape is a wonderful product that has a thousand and one uses. I'm guessing this isn't one of the recommended ones:
Tippecanoe Schools has dismissed a veteran teacher who reportedly duct-taped a student's mouth shut.
In a letter to the School Board dated Dec. 19, Superintendent Scott Hanback recommended ending Battle Ground Middle School teacher Pamela Dahnke's contract. The School Board voted Wednesday to cancel her contract.
[. . .]
"On September 30, 2008, Ms. Dahnke placed duct tape over a student's mouth during class in an effort to correct his excess talking," the letter states. "Placing duct tape over a student's mouth for approximately half the class period (15-20 minutes) and allowing that student to leave the class with tape on his mouth demonstrates behavior which cannot be tolerated. It is good and just cause for contract termination."
"Excess talking" sounds like a polite way to say "a loudmouth who wouldn't shut up," to the point where it disrupted class and made it difficult to teach. Gov. Mitch Daniels and his new attorney general have vowed to support teachers who use reasonable means to enforce discipline. Would this qualify for their support or not, I wonder?
