Paul Jacob writes a set of columns about various issues. Yestereday Paul reporteds on an incident in Canada that had me wondering what was the judge thinking - Parental Authority: Grounded:
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A daughter sues her father for grounding her. A court agrees that the punishment was too severe. The court overrules father, overturns punishment. What?
This is happening in Canada. So it’s not anything we in the States need worry about. Yet.
I didn’t quite believe this story at first. But it’s true. The unnamed 12-year-old was forbidden to go on a field trip because she disobeyed rules about her use of the Internet. She chatted on websites that her father had tried to block. And she posted pictures of herself that he regarded as inappropriate. He says this is simply her latest misconduct.
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(Update I - 11 July 08)
Paul Jacob gave me permission to include the rest of his column:
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Justice Suzanne Tessier of the Quebec Superior Court acts as if grounding your child were tantamount to child abuse. And how dare Dad be concerned about online predators and such!
The lawyer for the father, Kim Beaudoin, says it’s the job of parents to set boundaries. Er, yes. Of course it’s the job of parents to raise their own children, not the state’s job. Or does Judge Tessier believe that a bureaucrat should be installed in every home, lugging a hefty manual stipulating exactly when a parent may send Timmy to his room?
Should a judge who would make such a ludicrous, totalitarian decision even be allowed to remain on the bench? At the very least, Tessier should be spanked. And no TV for the rest of the week.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
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Spunky made the point that teachers function as "surrogate parents." It looks like judges believe they should also be parents. Won't anyone let the parents be in charge?
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Technorati tags: parenting, government
3 comments:
What I want to know is how a 12-year-old is able to legally sue an adult, let alone her parent. Is there no requirement that she be at least 18, or can any child sue their parent? If she sues and wins, who pays the court costs? If she sued and loses, who pays the court costs? How much money did she need up front? I don't know anything about the legal process of things in Canada, so I'm left with quite a few questions here.
Those are good questions. I don't know.
I'm still bothered that the judge overruled the father. Bad, bad idea.
Check out http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000000/00000021.asp .
This is the direction our country is headed.
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