CNN and other news outlets recently covered a story about Michael Pearl. Pearl wrote a book To Train Up a Child, which uses old testament verses to support the use of corporal punishment of children. A number of Pearl’s readers have recently been charged with murder when their children died from abuse. A transcript of Anderson Cooper interviewing Pearl is available here. There is a decent article about the interview here.
Last week, the daughter of a Texas judge released a video online (taken in 2004) in which the disabled daughter is beaten by her father and mother repeatedly. The daughter has cerebral palsy and the beating was the result of her downloading music and playing video games online against her parents’ wishes. To make things more ironic, the Judge tried cases of child abuse in his courtroom. Law enforcement is investigating the incident, but it is unclear whether or not he will face charges (due to statute of limitations issues and the corporal punishment of children defense). Even if he is not charged criminally, the Texas Bar should investigate and pursue professional discipline for a judge acting improperly and reducing faith in the judiciary. The CNN article is available here. Another article here.
We may have outlawed slavery and advanced women’s rights (somewhat) but we don’t do enough to protect our children.
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