Fern5827
July 10th 03, 06:04 PM
Subject: Swiss Court: Parents Can Strike children
From: "stargazer"
Date: 7/10/2003 12:37 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id: >
Swiss Court: Parents Can Strike Children
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) - Parents have only a limited right to smack
their children to punish or educate them, Switzerland's highest court ruled
Wednesday.
The Swiss supreme court said an occasional smack is acceptable but anything
more would constitute a criminal offense.
The court was ruling on an appeal from the father of two children ages 9 and
11 who lodged a criminal complaint against his estranged wife's new partner.
He claimed the man had smacked and kicked the children on 10 occasions and
had taken to pulling their ears.
Authorities in the western Vaud canton (state) refused to consider the case.
They said the man, who had lived with the children's mother for three years,
had the right to discipline the children. Wednesday's ruling means the case
will be reopened.
In their ruling, the supreme court judges said parents and others acting in
a parental capacity had the right to smack a child occasionally ``following
inappropriate behavior and with the aim of educating the child.'' But if the
punishment is repeated or regular, that could not be justified.
In hitting the children 10 times, the man went beyond what was acceptable.
Furthermore, the kicks given to the children represented ``degrading
treatment'' and could not be justified in terms of a duty to educate a
child, the judges said.
A number of European countries, especially Nordic ones, have made it a
criminal offense to smack children. Other countries have tightened their
rules, including outlawing corporal punishment by teachers.
Switzerland in the past has considered introducing laws on parental behavior
but no such law has been passed. Corporal punishment is banned in Swiss
schools.
From: "stargazer"
Date: 7/10/2003 12:37 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id: >
Swiss Court: Parents Can Strike Children
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) - Parents have only a limited right to smack
their children to punish or educate them, Switzerland's highest court ruled
Wednesday.
The Swiss supreme court said an occasional smack is acceptable but anything
more would constitute a criminal offense.
The court was ruling on an appeal from the father of two children ages 9 and
11 who lodged a criminal complaint against his estranged wife's new partner.
He claimed the man had smacked and kicked the children on 10 occasions and
had taken to pulling their ears.
Authorities in the western Vaud canton (state) refused to consider the case.
They said the man, who had lived with the children's mother for three years,
had the right to discipline the children. Wednesday's ruling means the case
will be reopened.
In their ruling, the supreme court judges said parents and others acting in
a parental capacity had the right to smack a child occasionally ``following
inappropriate behavior and with the aim of educating the child.'' But if the
punishment is repeated or regular, that could not be justified.
In hitting the children 10 times, the man went beyond what was acceptable.
Furthermore, the kicks given to the children represented ``degrading
treatment'' and could not be justified in terms of a duty to educate a
child, the judges said.
A number of European countries, especially Nordic ones, have made it a
criminal offense to smack children. Other countries have tightened their
rules, including outlawing corporal punishment by teachers.
Switzerland in the past has considered introducing laws on parental behavior
but no such law has been passed. Corporal punishment is banned in Swiss
schools.