Why is a small Christian school in New Zealand in the news? Because its principal distributed a manual on how to properly smack one's child:
Carey College gave guidelines to parents outlining how to smack their children on the buttocks with their hand or a rod in what it calls an expression of love - responsible parenting in the child's best interests. The pamphlet was sent out after steps were taken in parliament last month to ban smacking in New Zealand.The Children's Commissioner Cindy Kiro says it is irresponsible and misguided for a school to send out the pamphlet. But, Carey College principal Michael Drake says the school has always supported parents right to smack their children and has sent the information to parents in response to the anti-smacking bill.
I assume that their smacking is our spanking (it just sounds funnier their way). Do I think the pamphlet is silly? Well, if the pamphlet is chock-full of parenting advice - including how to control your kids without smacking - then the whole thing doesn't seem quite so silly. The whole anti-smacking thing is a topic du jour in New Zealand; the bill would repeal the section of the Crimes Act that allows parents to claim "reasonable force" if they are charged with assualt. It's a nice thought, but it's hard to understand just how the bill would have any force behind it without physical evidence or witnesses, and it's easy to understand how the bill could be used to erode parental rights and responsibilities.
The pamphlet that was distributed is in direct opposition to the bill:
Principal Michael Drake says it aims to help people understand smacking is completely different from abuse. He says the school wants to encourage a proper evaluation of the anti-smacking bill currently before Parliament. He says the bill does not have the support of ordinary New Zealand parents, who practice smacking and do so in a loving and safe way.However, the advice has raised the hackles of those seeking to outlaw the practice. Green MP Sue Bradford, who is behind the anti-smacking bill in Parliament, has described the pamphlet as outrageous and slightly perverse.
Michael Drake says the school has always supported parents' rights to smack and he is amazed a politician, in a democracy, is criticising the school simply because it disagrees with her. He says what is needed is open debate on the topic, without emotive name-calling.
Good luck with that. Methinks this is a topic so emotionally charged for some that the debate is almost guaranteed to include accusations that those who oppose the bill are all abusive parents.
Posted by kswygert at August 24, 2005 12:04 PM