Court overturns father's grounding of 12-year-old

[Woodmonkey]

They are removed from society in those ivory towers they inhabit.

[leobold1]

I can see the courts getting involved in some family issues (the FDLS compound in Texas this last few months is a prime example, as well as child abuse/incest), but if a parent isn't allowed to raise their children, what's the point of having them?

[Chrisj]

We are constantly being told children need boundaries and discipline but when the authorities go beyond what most fair minded people would consider to be the line between parental responsibilities and those of the state things have gone too far. Yes children need protection from abusive parents, but parents need to know the state will not interfere where decent parents are trying to prepare their children to act responsibly and within the accepted norms set by society. What message has this case given to children, that they can act with impunity, can disobey their parents and some mad as coot judge will tell them that it was wrong that they were punished. And what will happen when they grow up and decide to rob a store, steal a car or just kill someone for the hell of it. If the legal system can't show a little common sense then they should be expected to be held responsible for the result of their actions.

[Woodmonkey]

If the legal system can't show a little common sense then they should be expected to be held responsible for the result of their actions.

They won't be though. They never are.

[SherryGrace]

there is nothing else to say...this makes absolutely no sense

[Scrappy]

Originally Posted by Woodmonkey

A Canadian court has lifted a 12-year-old girl's grounding, overturning her father's punishment for disobeying his orders to stay off the Internet, his lawyer said Wednesday.

The girl had taken her father to Quebec Superior Court after he refused to allow her to go on a school trip for chatting on websites he tried to block, and then posting "inappropriate" pictures of herself online using a friend's computer.

The father's lawyer Kim Beaudoin said the disciplinary measures were for the girl's "own protection" and is appealing the ruling.

"She's a child," Beaudoin told AFP. "At her age, children test their limits and it's up to their parents to set boundaries."

"I started an appeal of the decision today to reestablish parental authority, and to ensure that this case doesn't set a precedent," she said. Otherwise, said Beaudoin, "parents are going to be walking on egg shells from now on."

"I think most children respect their parents and would never go so far as to take them to court, but it's clear that some would and we have to ask ourselves how far this will go."

According to court documents, the girl's Internet transgression was just the latest in a string of broken house rules. Even so, Justice Suzanne Tessier found her punishment too severe.

Beaudoin noted the girl used a court-appointed lawyer in her parents' 10-year custody dispute to launch her landmark case against dear old dad.

The Source

why didn't dear old dad just whip the **** out of her? what the hell? I knew Canadians were good comics, but this is just plain silly. Now I'll read all the comments.

[Scrappy]

Originally Posted by leobold1

I can see the courts getting involved in some family issues (the FDLS compound in Texas this last few months is a prime example, as well as child abuse/incest), but if a parent isn't allowed to raise their children, what's the point of having them?

Originally Posted by Chrisj

We are constantly being told children need boundaries and discipline but when the authorities go beyond what most fair minded people would consider to be the line between parental responsibilities and those of the state things have gone too far. Yes children need protection from abusive parents, but parents need to know the state will not interfere where decent parents are trying to prepare their children to act responsibly and within the accepted norms set by society. What message has this case given to children, that they can act with impunity, can disobey their parents and some mad as coot judge will tell them that it was wrong that they were punished. And what will happen when they grow up and decide to rob a store, steal a car or just kill someone for the hell of it. If the legal system can't show a little common sense then they should be expected to be held responsible for the result of their actions.

I'll go back to page one after this post, but keying off a statement by