Almost everyone has heard and commented about Assemblywoman Sally Lieber’s bill to ban spanking – but as a new father I couldn’t resist weighing in.
First disclosure: my mother spanked me a few times as a child – and for those who have heard stories of my childhood, it’s good thing she did.
Second disclosure: I am a new father of twin girls and I cannot imagine spanking either one of my daughters. But I surely do not need a Legislator to tell me how to raise my children.
Let’s be clear: there is no excuse for and no punishment strong enough for abusing a child – but there is a bright line between abuse and a swat on the behind. (Another disclosure: for years I volunteered for FamiliesFirst – a non-profit foster care agency that dealt with severely abused children.)
Lieber’s bill does nothing to address the problems of child abuse or child exploitation – it’s more pomp and fluff to make a do-nothing legislature feel like it’s doing something.
Perhaps Leiber can explain why she supported legislation that allows landlords to rent apartments to sex offenders without informing families who live in the same building. Or why her colleagues continue to block bills to increase penalties for criminals.
Instead of Leiber’s Kumbahyah legislation – which is designed more to grab headlines than to actually protect children – the Legislature should bring back Chuck Poochigian’s bill (SB 864) to increase jail time for sexually violent predators.
Apparently Sally — who does not have children – is more interested in policing parents than keeping violent perverts away from our children.
Perhaps the Legislature needs a good swat.
