Corpun file 14427

East London Daily Dispatch, 28 October 2004

Letters to the Editor ...

Room for spanking

THE African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) is shocked by so-called "experts" calling for a ban on "corporal correction" which the Sunday Times reported on in its "SA's child-beating shock" article.

The ACDP believes parents have a God-given responsibility to raise and train their children.

We believe there should be a separation of powers between the state and the parents in the home.

The state should not have jurisdiction within the home.

While we totally oppose extreme cases of punishment, which amounts to abuse, we believe there is room for "spanking", which should be meted out by parents on children who are defiant or rebellious.

The so-called experts, who say corporal correction must be banned, do not offer parents any effective alternatives.

The ACDP objects to the sensationalism of the word "corporal punishment" and rejects the attempt by some to equate it with abuse.

While the ACDP rejects all forms of abuse, we maintain not all forms of discipline in the home are abusive. It is easy to differentiate between children raised with discipline in the home and those who have been raised without.

Children need guidance and they need to be taught what is right from what is wrong by their parents. Government should not tamper with that responsibility. - Rev Kenneth Meshoe, ACDP president