Since this is legally assault. The child could turn around and kill the teacher. Something those 30k a year teachers should consider before taking the risk.
Few things:
1) It wouldn't "legally be assault" because assault is a crime whereas this is explicitly legal, so that's fucking wrong Hitting someone is never legal. It doesn't matter the age. Texas passed an illegal law. It's hilarious to think about it, but by the same measure, that means the kid could grab the metre stick and smash it over the teachers head in self defense. In most civilized parts of the world. Parents aren't even allowed to spank their children.
2) You're generally not allowed to kill somebody in self defense over a minor assault, so that's also wrong. You shouldn't try to, but if you are being attacked, you are allowed to defend yourself. What that results in will usually be forgiven.
3) The people administering the punishment aren't the teachers themselves, so you have the trifecta of being completely wrong. Oh? Funny cause the topic title says Texas has approved PADDLING for Teachers to PUNISH Kids this coming year!!! And the poll says Do you trust teachers to paddle children? so forgive me for not ignoring the 2 massive obvious pointers that it's the teachers doing it.
Oh, plus their teachers likely make more than $30k/year and a lot of child are neither big enough nor strong enough to kill their teachers. Plus, even if they fought back, the kids would just get an ass-whooping at home because the parents sign off on this which means that they're okay with physical discipline themselves.