TOPEKA, Kan. — Would you let your child’s teacher spank your son or daughter at school? A new bill introduced in the Kansas Legislature would let them — with your permission.
Wichita lawmaker Gail Finney is trying to better define spanking. She argues that too many parents are getting in trouble with the law whenever their spanking leaves redness or bruising, so she is trying to better define what kind of spanking is allowed — and what kind isn’t.
The bill would allow a parent to spank their child up to 10 times with an open palm over a clothed rear end. She wants to restore some parental rights to punish their child however they see fit, although hitting with a fist, using a belt or switch to spank would still be illegal.
In addition, the bill would allow teachers and school officials to spank a child as long as the child’s parents allow it. Law enforcement, however, doesn’t agree with the bill. They argue that they don’t charge parents for spanking — only when it crosses over to abuse, and they fear the bill will prevent them from pursuing parents who abuse their children. Also, some parents don’t believe in spanking — they disagree with physical punishment altogether and don’t think that the state should endorse it in any form.
The bill has been sent to the Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice for review, but it has not yet been put on the calendar for debate.
