Parents Defend Use Of Spanking After Losing Court Appeal

Application of a couple, who applied to become foster parents, was denied after they revealed to the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families that they do discipline their kids through physical punishment. Likewise, the court denied the couple's request after the couple openly admitted that they discipline their children by spanking them "on the buttocks, using hands."

Gregory and Melanie Magazu first applied to become foster parents in 2012, but their request was denied after they admitted that they believe in corporal punishment. The couple who are already parents to two daughters and a newborn son appealed the matter, but the Supreme Judicial Court ruled in favor of DCF and the decision was then recently served.

According to the legal documents filed, the Magazus said that the spanking practice is just a "small part of their parenting style" and they only used it when it's necessary. They also said that they only do it inside the bedroom to avoid humiliating their children. And in an attempt to win judge's approval, they also promised that they won't use such discipline practice to their foster children and would privately discipline their biological kids, as reported by Telegram & Gazette.

The couple said they began practicing the discipline seven years ago, after they became born again and believed that the practice was encouraged by the bible, citing the biblical proverb, "Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him."

However, the court pointed out that the children placed in foster care mostly came from abusive family and disciplining them physically could only be harmful for them as it would only further traumatize foster kids. But despite the court's ruling, the couple told the publication that they will still use the corporal punishment among their children and "will likely not appeal their case to the U.S. Supreme Court."