Atownship located in a farming community was composed mostly of persons belonging to a specific religious sect. to instill proper respect for authority in children, which was a central tenet of the sect, and to maintain order in the classroom, the local school board allowed teachers to inflict corporal punishment. such punishment was inflicted on a fourth grader in a township school immediately after his teacher saw him pulling a girl's hair. neither he nor his parents belonged to the religious sect. when the boy's parents learned of the incident, they hired an attorney. rather than suing the teacher for battery as permitted under state law, the attorney brought an action against the teacher under a federal statute providing a cause of action for damages against any government employee who deprives a person of his constitutional rights. should the court find the policy allowing corporal punishment to be constitutional? a no, because the punishment policy violates the first amendment establishment clause. b no, because the boy was denied any kind of hearing, in violation of his right to procedural due process under the fourteenth amendment. c yes, because under the doctrine of parens patriae states may impose any punishment they see fit. d yes, because the punishment was not grossly disproportionate under the eighth and fourteenth amendments.