Daily Talker: New Spanking Guidelines

Massachusetts' highest court for the first time established legal guidelines for the use of physical punishment by parents, saying it's permissible to discipline a child by spanking so long as "reasonable" force is used and the child is not harmed.

The Supreme Judicial Court issued the framework while reversing the assault and battery conviction of a Brockton man who had been seen by police spanking his daughter near a bus station.

"I think all parents use it once or twice in their children's lives," said Marceooa Ottaway, who says she avoids spanking as much as possible.

"I don't want children to be violent to other people, I want to be a good strong role model," she said.

The justices say spanking is permissible and not a criminal act as long as it is "reasonable" for discipline.

What do you think about the state's legal guidelines established for spanking?

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