CHILDERSBURG, Ala. – A Childersburg father is fuming after his son was paddled at school for writing “Trump” on the blackboard.

Troy Stephenson told Al.com his eighth-grade son at Childersburg Middle School was paddled by Principal Chad Bynum after the 14-year-old wrote “Trump” on a classroom blackboard despite instructions not to discuss politics outside of history class.

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“I don’t think you ought to be punished for writing the president’s name,” Stephenson said. “Yeah, I’m pretty mad.”

School officials deny the punishment was associated with the student’s apparent support of President-elect Donald Trump, but rather his decision to disregard the no-politics rule.

“Students were told on yesterday because of the sensitivity of the matter, not to discuss the election unless it was in history class. They were told any discussion would result in an office referral,” according to a Talladega County Schools Discipline Referral Form sent home with the student.

“(The student) decided to write ‘Trump’ on my board this morning, disregarding others that were in the classroom. This resulted in some upset students. I informed the student that the name (it could have been the other candidate) wasn’t the issue. But it was the nature of everything behind it.”

Stephenson isn’t buying it. He said students were given homework and other assignments for weeks leading up to Trump’s historic victory over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, but were banned from discussing the results.

“You piqued their interest, and then when the candidate you wanted to win didn’t win, you want it hush-hush,” Stephenson said. “That’s what it looks like to me.”

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By comparison, schools across the country encouraged students to sing the praises of President Barack Obama. In one infamous YouTube video, a class of young students at B. Bernice Young Elementary School in Burlington Township, New Jersey chanted in unison with guidance from their teachers: “mmm mmm mmm Barack Hussein Obama, mmm mmm mmm Barack Hussein Obama; He said you must be fair today, equal work for equal pay, mmm mmm mmm Barack Hussein Obama, mmm mmm mmm Barack Hussein Obama; He said we must take a chance to make sure everyone gets a chance, mmm mmm mmm Barack Hussein Obama, mmm mmm mmm Barack Hussein Obama …”

In Childersburg, it took only one word – Trump – for Stephenson’s son to meet Bynum’s paddle. Al.com notes that Alabama is one of 15 states the specifically allows for corporal punishment in schools.

Stephenson said school officials contacted him once his son was in the office and gave him an ultimatum: either the paddle or a day of in-school suspension.

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“I said I didn’t think (he) should be punished at all,” Stephenson told the news site. “They said it caused a disruption.”

Stephenson said he informed school officials his wife was on the way to the school to discuss the situation.

“I told them ‘I don’t want you to do anything,’” he said.

By the time his wife arrived, it was too late.

Stephenson told his son not to discuss politics at school while the family’s lawyer, Scott Morro, continues to pursue the issue with district officials.

“Basically what they’ve done is five them a gag order. That’s against the First Amendment, and I just don’t understand,” Stephenson told Al.com. “It just seems drastic to me.”

Morro agrees.

“The Presidential Election has been discussed for months in class. The election results and their ramification should have been discussed as well. What a perfect time to teach,” Morro said.

“Instead, the students were banned from discussing it. The student shouldn’t ignore rules or instruction but those same rules and instruction shouldn’t stifle free speech,” he continued. “They have equated writing Trump on a blackboard to yelling fire in a crowded theatre. Corporal punishment, without the parents’ permission in this case, is unreasonable.

“We are still gathering evidence and will determine what action to take in the future. The family hopes that by bringing this incident to the forefront that the Talladega School Board will think before they act.”