The parents of a kindergarten boy, in rural Morgan County, Tennessee who was paddled eight times for allegedly throwing crayons and rocks in 2012 have filed a lawsuit.

The defendants in the $1.7 million lawsuit include the Sunbright Elementary School principal who disciplined the child, Elizabeth Boyd, along with the Morgan County director of schools and the Morgan County government.

The parents, Sandra Hall and Jason Williams, say their son, Lukas Williams, endured deep bruising and inflammation because of the spankings. He was five years old when the paddling occurred; according to Knoxville NBC affiliate WBIR.

Lukas allegedly became so traumatized by the experience that he did not want to return to school. His parent removed him from the public school and he is now being home schooled.

The principle was suspended because of the incident. A school district investigation concluded that Boyd's disciplinary tactics were excessive.

Meanwhile, debate continues over the effectiveness of corporal punishment. Is spanking a child for breaking school rules a useful or destructive practice? Parents and educators are sharply divided. Twenty-one states, including Tennessee, allow some form of corporal punishment while twenty-nine have banned the practice. But more importantly, is the practice effective?

The American Psychological Association declared the use of corporal punishment was ineffective and that discipline can be achieved without physical violence and with more positive means of behavioral modification. The APA declared that corporal punishment might create in the minds of young children that he or she is an "undesirable person" and that impression lowers self-esteem and may produce psychological damage that can appear later in life.