Caught this story on Drudge

[badrose]

Woman Who Spanked Her Children With Belt After She Caught Them Stealing Gets Arrested And Sets Off Firestorm Of Debate

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2016/06/24/woman-who-spanked-her-children-with-belt-after-she-caught-them-stealing-gets-arrested-and-sets-off-firestorm-of-debate/

I got the belt a few times (probably less than 5 as I catch on quick ;) ) It wasn't traumatic and I never doubted my dad's love. Mom used a switch. I wasn't mean, just had poor judgement and that changed earlier than it would have without the discipline. No regrets or bad memories. Kinda like Earnest T Bass.

[Darrell KSR]

The woman did more than whip them. The story conveniently omitted that not only did she whip them with a belt, she beat them with an RCA electrical cord until they were left bleeding.

The Baton Rouge D.A.'s office commended parents for disciplining their children, but said they would be reviewing the severity of the discipline.

Makes for a great outrage story, but I suspect none of us would be for someone whipping a 10-year old with an RCA cord and leave him bleeding.

Here's what was omitted from the media report above:

"According to an arrest report, deputies said Spears was arrested because she also used an RCA cord to whip the children and whipped them until they bled."

"In a statement, District Attorney Hillier Moore said, "We need more parents who discipline their children. Surely you would expect a parent to discipline a child who is burglarizing other people's homes as this could be a deadly encounter."

He went on to say his office would be reviewing the severity Spears used to discipline her children."

She may skate the charge of child cruelty, but I have a real problem with an adult, even a mom, hitting a child with electrical cord.

[badrose]

You're absolutely right, D. Holy Cow! Odd that the press (in this case) didn't go that way. :Christz_pillepalle:

[Darrell KSR]

You're absolutely right, D. Holy Cow! Odd that the press (in this case) didn't go that way. :Christz_pillepalle:
It makes for a better story. You, me, and most of us are outraged at a parent going to jail for disciplining their child. The media story worked.

Having said that, maybe it sounds worse than it is. An arrest warrant is just an allegation. But I surely don't blame the police here.

Will be interesting to see what the DA's office does with it.

[CitizenBBN]

It isn't ideal and shouldn't be encouraged but if my mother caught me stealing like that I guarantee is have been whipped till I bled or its reasonable equivalent as would a lot of kids in that day and time.

[kingcat]

Using electrical wire to beat the blood out of a child is at the very least borderline 1st degree child cruelty.

Had anyone done that to me as a child my parents would have been up on murder charges. :)

At least worthy of arrest and trial I think we all agree.

[CitizenBBN]

Using electrical wire to beat the blood out of a child is at the very least borderline 1st degree child cruelty.

Had anyone done that to me as a child my parents would have been up on murder charges. :)

At least worthy of arrest and trial I think we all agree.

Did you ever commit B&E? her kids apparently did.

I can't even imagine the other plane of Hades from which my mother would come if I'd done that. I'm not saying it's OK for a parent to lose control when spanking a child, but I totally get how one could in that circumstance.

I'm not defending it, but i'm not hanging her out to dry either. Single mom of six trying to raise her kids the right way, and 3 of them go and burglarize another home? I can see a parent absolutely losing it. Not OK, but I wont' put all 6 kids into the system over it either given no injuries worse than what I suffered on a day on the farm.

I got a few pretty good whippings as a kid and there is NO ONE on this earth more in my corner than the person who did it, and I know of numerous friends who got flat blistered till they weren't sitting down any time soon. There need to be limits, and I'm not condoning whipping to that degree, but I would be lying if i said I didn't see it growing up from parents who were otherwise exemplary and great parents.

[kingcat]

That's why they arrest someone for such things and have a trial. To determine the situation by using any mitigating factors.
Such tendencies if they pre-existed could even be the underlying problem causing an inherent proclivity to do bad things. One never knows on the surface.

My dad would have probably testified for the prosecution if I was convicted of B&E. But not have beaten the blood out of me with a wire.

Although he could hurt me more with a stern gaze anyway.