Law Requires Penalty for Impolite Students

Louisiana pupils who fail to address their teachers with courtesy titles will be disciplined under a state law taking effect when classes start this fall, but many school officials have yet to decide on punishment. Believed to be the first in the nation mandating respectful conversation, the law requires students in kindergarten through fifth grade to address teachers and other school employees as “ma’am” or “sir,” or to use such titles as Mr. or Ms. Each of the state’s 66 public school systems is supposed to decide how to punish impolite students. New Orleans schools are looking into policy changes but haven’t settled on anything, a spokesman said.