At what point does corporal punishment of children become abuse? That question has been on the minds of many Americans since Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson was arrested and charged with a crime for hitting his 4-year-old son with a switch.
Because most of us have had personal experience with the issue, opinions vary. Some say that a swat or two on the backside makes a point and can help keep a child safe. Others argue that violence begets violence, and striking children only teaches them that hitting is acceptable.
The Peterson case has ignited a national discussion about the use of corporal punishment. Peterson, 29, has acknowledged using a switch to discipline his son, but says he didn't intend to harm the boy. He also stated that he was disciplined in a similar way by his father when growing up in Texas. After the news media and public reacted strongly to photos of the boy's injuries, even Peterson acknowledged that his discipline went further than he intended, according to his attorney.
Hitting hard enough to leave multiple wounds on a 4-year-old is assault and child abuse in our book. A Texas grand jury found probable cause to move forward with charges.
The American Academy of Pediatrics rejects spanking under any circumstance. And a recent study from Tulane University provides strong evidence that spanking causes children to act out more over time.
Still, polls show that about 70 percent of Americans don't object to spanking. There are some racial, regional and religious differences in the rates of tolerance, but generally the practice is seen as acceptable. That needs to change.
More parents should consider the convoluted logic involved in justifying hitting a child. Peterson allegedly hit his son because the 4-year-old hit or pushed another one of his children. So what sense does it make to beat a kid to teach him not to beat others? Why use physical force to punish a kid for using physical force?
"My parents spanked me and I turned out all right" is time-warped thinking. Times have changed, and slowly so have cultural attitudes. In previous decades, it was glamorous to smoke, no one wore seat belts and segregation was legal. Today, societal norms are different.
Hitting kids should be relegated to the same scrapheap of history. The strong reaction to the Peterson allegations should move society toward zero tolerance for striking children.
Editorial on 09/23/2014