The perennial debate over physically disciplining children was revived this week when a Texas woman went before a judge for spanking her daughter, who was nearly two years old at the time.
KZTV reports that in December, Rosalina Gonzales was arrested after the girl’s paternal grandmother noticed she had red marks on her behind. Gonzales didn’t use an object or leave bruises. The grandmother, who has custody of the Gonzales’ three children, took the girl to the local hospital.
Gonzales took a plea agreement, and in exchange for pleading guilty to hitting her daughter, she was sentenced to five years of probation, parenting classes, and a one-time $50 payment to the Children’s Advocacy Center. Judge Jose Longoria also informed Gonzales that the school of thought on corporal punishment has shifted in the past few generations:
“You don’t spank children today, in the old days, maybe we got spanked, but there was a different quarrel. You don’t spank children. You understand?”
Naturally, this has sparked some online outrage about whether or not the state should be telling parents how they can discipline their children. It seems that under Texas law a light swat on the butt is okay, but a CPS spokesman said it becomes illegal when the spanking injures the child. What do you say, readers? Was the girl too young? Is it ever okay to lay a hand on your child? I was the recipient of an occasional swat on the behind back when mild spanking was still socially acceptable, but now I’m very against hitting my theoretical children. Though, I can’t say I’m angry at my mom for slapping her 15-year-old daughter when she hurled a certain “C” word at her.