The California Democratic Committee pass resolution to ban spanking this August, 2019!

Ending Physical/Corporal Punishment of Children

RESOLUTION NUMBER 19-05.112

WHEREAS there is overwhelming evidence that spanking is harmful to children and families as it increases aggression and violence long term, impacts normal brain development, and is ineffective in teaching responsibility and self-control, and the rationale for spanking is the same that was accepted for men hitting women in recent history; and 

WHEREAS there is consensus among international and national human rights advocates that spanking violates children’s human rights, and at least seven human rights treaties include physical violence against children under the guise of discipline; the United Nations has said unequivocally that corporal punishment is a form of violence against children, and 54 countries around the world—a majority—have already banned all physical punishment, and California leads the nation on progress for our most vulnerable populations, as well as for respecting science; and

 WHEREAS the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, American Association of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, and dozens of other organizations have advocated banning all physical punishment, and researchers have concluded that spanking is a form of violence against children that should no longer be a part of American childrearing;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the California Democratic Party is opposed to any physical/corporal punishment in any educational, detention, childcare facility or institution, or any other setting; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the California Democratic Party supports a ban on all physical/corporal punishment of any person of any age in any setting and supports strong educational programs, parenting classes, evidence-supported early intervention programs during pregnancy and well-child visits, and other programs and policies that reduce spanking.

For more information on the argument supporting a spanking ban, read Amy Bacharach's article, "It's Time to Ban Spanking."

Robbyn Peters Bennett, founder of StopSpanking and board member of the US Alliance to End the Hitting of Children responds to the fear of criminalizing African American families.