Cali. wants spanking to be illegal. Blind_IO last seen cursing parents, wallowing.

[No Boss]

California has nothing better to do

CBS 5 / KCBS) SAN FRANCISCO Do parents have the right to spank their children? It is a controversial issue, and while a Bay Area lawmaker wants it addressed in Sacramento -- a majority of those surveyed for a new CBS 5 poll expressed opposition to a spanking ban.

In California, it's currently against the law for anyone but parents to spank a child. A proposed new law would make it illegal for them, too, if the child is 3 years old or younger.

Assemblywoman Sally Lieber (D-Mountain View) wants the practice of swatting a child on the behind outlawed and is in the process of drafting a bill to do so.

A poll of 500 Bay Area adults conducted for CBS 5 by Survey USA on Thursday found 57% would oppose such a bill, while only 23% would support it. The poll, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4%, showed 11% undecided.

Parents at the playgroup at Parent's Place in San Francisco, non-profit Jewish family child and parents service group, said they don't believe in spanking young children, but they said outlawing it worries them.

Joanna Jhanda as a one year old girl, said she understands the need for a law, but it troubles her: "There are certainly cases of extreme abuse,and those need to be addressed. I don't know if this law would help those children."

Victoria Wylie has a four month old and she's worried about where the law draws the line. She said, "If someone sees me doing something.. what they would consider spanking.. and it's not, I'm a little uncomfortable I'd be under investigation."

The proposed law would make spanking a child under 3 misdemeanor child abuse, an extenstion of current corporal punishment laws.

Violators could spend a year in jail, and pay up to $1000 in fines. Enforcement is unclear.

San Francisco assistant district attorney Paul Henderson prosecutes child abuse cases, and he welcomes a no spanking law.

"If you're going to spank your child, you need to know the limit," said Henderson, "and you need to know that doing it in a way that's cruel or traumatic causes injury, and that you could be prosecuted."

At the parenting classes at Parent's Place, spanking is considered the wrong discipline. Lee Ann Slaton leads discipline classes there. She said, "It teaches a child, if you're bigger you can hit. Violence begets violence.. and they're not learning."

An anti-spanking law in California would be the country's first. Supporters claim the U.S. is far behind some other nations in this issue. According to Lieber, fifteen countries worldwide have outlawed spanking of children, and under international law, it's considered a human rights abuse.

Critics maintain a spanking ban is an intrusion on the family, while supporters call it protecting a defenseless child.

[Blind_Io]

Yeah, yeah, laugh it up Farkboy. I got myself a TotalFark sponsorship this week because of some stuff I posted in the discussion threads. So I'm going to be laughing all the way to the boobies links.

But this is bullshit.

[Cobol74]

Personally, I NEVER EVER hit any of my children. Should a law be passed to prevent it? Do not think so, imagine the Police taking Mom or Dad away for spanking their child, Ugh!

[BlaRo]

I love California. It's home to some of the strangest shit on Earth.

California should be its own planet.

[the Interceptor]

Originally Posted by BlaRo

California should be its own planet.

Maybe they'll soon outlaw not being from California and move the state to the moon.


















j/k

[jetsetter]

Originally Posted by BlaRo

I love California. It's home to some of the strangest shit on Earth.

California should be its own planet.

We don't have the exit clause like Texas.

[epp_b]

Maybe they'll soon outlaw not being from California and move the state to the moon.

Please?

[nomix]

I'm not sure about the juridical jib-jab, but is there not a UN convention about children's rights, that prohibit such punishment? Well, I don't believe the US of A has agreed to it anyway, you are executing guys who killed as minors, right?

Well, anyway, it's a very stupid and patethic way of bringing up a child. There are plenty of research that show children that got "abused" in childhood, ends up to become child abusers of a serious type, more often that those who weren't.

[Viper007Bond]

Originally Posted by Cobol74

Personally, I NEVER EVER hit any of my children. Should a law be passed to prevent it? Do not think so, imagine the Police taking Mom or Dad away for spanking their child, Ugh!

, 'cept the "my children" part 'cause I don't have kids.

[Firecat]

Originally Posted by nomix

I'm not sure about the juridical jib-jab, but is there not a UN convention about children's rights, that prohibit such punishment? Well, I don't believe the US of A has agreed to it anyway, you are executing guys who killed as minors, right?

Not any more.

[nomix]

Well, at least that's good.

Now all you've got left is the death penalty.

[gtrietsc]

Originally Posted by jetsetter

We don't have the exit clause like Texas.

We don't have an exit clause - urban legend. See the end of this article:

http://www.snopes.com/history/american/texas.asp

Also, I found California's updated flag...

[jetsetter]

Originally Posted by nomix

Now all you've got left is the death penalty.

Here is hoping that it is never abolished. I see abolishing it as a step back.

[chaos386]

Originally Posted by BlaRo

California should be its own planet.

No, it should break off from the continental US and go hang with Hawaii.


Alaska can come too.

[Blind_Io]

Originally Posted by nomix

I'm not sure about the juridical jib-jab, but is there not a UN convention about children's rights, that prohibit such punishment? Well, I don't believe the US of A has agreed to it anyway, you are executing guys who killed as minors, right?

Well, anyway, it's a very stupid and patethic way of bringing up a child. There are plenty of research that show children that got "abused" in childhood, ends up to become child abusers of a serious type, more often that those who weren't.

Abuse != Spanking.

Spanking is not done to harm the child and causes no damage. It is used for behavior modification and only as a last result. The child is told that a spanking will occur if the behavior is repeated. Used properly, spanking is an effective and safe method for behavior modification. Abuse is done with the intent to harm the child or in anger.

Please learn what you are talking about before you spout off. Also, please cite your sources on this "spanking is harmful" assertion. I have access to most psychological articles through my school's database and would like to examine these studies.

[mgkdk]

Originally Posted by Cobol74

Personally, I NEVER EVER hit any of my children.

Neither would I when/if I get any.

Originally Posted by Cobol74

Should a law be passed to prevent it? Do not think so, imagine the Police taking Mom or Dad away for spanking their child, Ugh!

Such a law exist in Denmark, think it's about 10 years old now.

[espadaMK]

Which is more harmful to a child, a quick slap on the back side or putting a parent in prison for a year then when they come out with a criminal record for child abuse, they will not get a job and that child will be raised in poverty or even taken into care.

I was slapped as a child when I was badly behaved. Not every time just when my behaviour was really bad. Did I grow up to be violent to anyone? No! The reality is just twenty years ago, slapping children was the norm.

[nomix]

Originally Posted by jetsetter

Here is hoping that it is never abolished. I see abolishing it as a step back.

Yes, actually making murder illegal, is a step back.

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

Abuse != Spanking.

That's why I wrote "abuse".

The point is, that spanking, and all sorts of physical way of inflicting pain of any sort, seems to increase the chance that the child will use violence as a grown up. That's what scientists say.

As to the names of the studies, I have to say, that I don't go around remembering every source I've ever seen, but there is plenty of agreement that any sort of violence inflicted during childhood has an effect. Men, I can get the message out without hitting/slapping/spanking/other. If you NEEEEEED to use physical punishment, I see that as a problem. (Subjective oppinion)

Originally Posted by mgkdk

Such a law exist in Denmark, think it's about 10 years old now.

Add Norway.

Originally Posted by espadaMK

Which is more harmful to a child, a quick slap on the back side or putting a parent in prison for a year then when they come out with a criminal record for child abuse, they will not get a job and that child will be raised in poverty or even taken into care.

Why do the parent need to do it in the first place?

I was slapped as a child when I was badly behaved. Not every time just when my behaviour was really bad. Did I grow up to be violent to anyone? No! The reality is just twenty years ago, slapping children was the norm.

Yes, it was here too. 40 years ago, in the south, segregation was the norm. It wasn't right.

[jetsetter]

Yes, actually making murder illegal, is a step back.

It ain't murder, it is punishment and for the families of the victims, closure.

And I doubt spanking is really that damaging to a child. Just look at what the last generation has accomplished.

[Momentum57]

I like spanking and i like my lady friends to call me daddy. Would I fall under this law?