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Ms Lesley O'Brien
Director
Australian Classification Board
Locked Bag 3,
HAYMARKET, NSW, 1240

Dear Ms O'Brien,

We, the undersigned, believe the current classification of M (Mature) for the publication "To Train Up a Child" (classification number 252392) made on 16 March 2012 is unsatisfactory, and request that The Classification Review Board review that classification to one of RC (Refused Classification).

Our concern is that this book promotes child abuse as it contains instruction and justification for beating children as young as 4 months old with implements.

We believe that the danger that the content of this publication presents to the Australian People - and our Children in particular - is further compounded by the fact that it is published by a religious organisation, and that it is held out to be instruction in a method of parenting which is founded upon Biblical principles.

The authors - Michael and Debi Pearl teach that their method isn't technically a method at all, but the Biblical model seen in reality; evidenced as working in their own practice:

"You may have strong feelings that prevent you from spanking your child, but it is ignorance to claim that love is your motive.  The God who made little children, and therefore knows what is best for them, has provided them parents to employ the rod in training up their children.  To refrain from doing so, based on a claim of love, is an indictment against God himself.  Your actions declare that either God does not desire what is best for your child, or you know better than him" - (pg 38)

The authors teach that parents using this method should homeschool their children - which further increases the potential for abuse and the inability for the community to detect it.

"Never even consider sending your children to private Christian schools, much less the public automaton factories." - (pg 101)

"Reasonable" corporal punishment is not what is recommended by this parenting manual.  The authors make quite plain their opinion that spanking with an open hand is not sufficient to discipline a child, and that it is always preferable to use an implement or alternative method of physical abuse.  Following are examples from throughout the book:

On pulling the hair of a breastfeeding baby:

"One particularly painful experience of nursing mothers is the biting baby.  My wife did not waste time finding a cure.  When the baby bit, she pulled hair (an alternative has to be sought for bald-headed babies)." - (pg 7)

On caning their own four-month-old daughter:

"At four months she was too unknowing to be punished for disobedience.  But for her own good, we attempted to train her not to climb the stairs by coordinating the voice command of 'No' with little spats on the bare legs.  The switch was a twelve-inch long, one-eighth-inch diameter sprig from a willow tree." - (pg 9)

On caning babies who cannot sleep and are crying:

"But what of the grouch who would rather complain than sleep?  Get tough.  Be firm with him.  Never put him down and then allow him to get up.  If, after putting him down, you remember he just woke up, do not reward his complaining by allowing him to get up.  For the sake of consistency in training, you must follow through.  He may not be able to sleep, but he can be trained to lie there quietly.  He will very quickly come to know that any time he is laid down there is no alternative but to stay put. To get up is to be on the firing line and get switched back down." - (pg 60)

On whipping a seven-month-old for screaming:

"A seven-month-old boy had, upon failing to get his way, stiffened, clenched his fists, bared his toothless gums and called down damnation upon the whole place.  At a time like that, the angry expression on a baby's face can resemble that of one instigating a riot.  The young mother, wanting to do the right thing, stood there in helpless consternation, apologetically shrugged her shoulders and said, 'What can I do?'  My incredulous nine-year-old whipped back, 'Switch him.'  The mother responded, 'I can't, he's too little.'  With the wisdom of a veteran who had been on the little end of the switch, my daughter answered, 'If he is old enough to pitch a fit, he is old enough to be spanked.'" - (pg 79)

On page 65 co-author Debi Pearl whips the bare legs of a fifteen-month-old she is babysitting, ten separate times, for not playing with something she tells him to play with:

"After about ten acts of stubborn defiance, followed by ten switchings, he surrendered his will to one higher than himself.  In rolling the wheel, he did what every accountable human being must do - he humbled himself before the 'highest' and admitted that his interests are not paramount.  After one begruged roll, my wife turned to other chores." - (pg 65)

On whipping a three-year-old until he is "totally broken":

"She then administers about ten slow, patient licks on his bare legs.  He cries in pain.  If he continues to show defiance by jerking around and defending himself, or by expressing anger, then she will wait a moment and again lecture him and again spank him.  When it is obvious he is totally broken, she will hand him the rag and very calmly say, 'Johnny, clean up your mess.'  He should very contritely wipe up the water."

On page 46, the Pearls say that if a child does obey before being whipped, whip them anyway.  And "if you have to sit on him to spank him, then do not hesitate.  And hold him there until he has surrendered.  Prove that you are bigger, tougher."  "Defeat him totally."  On page 47 they recommend their various whips, including "a belt or larger tree branch" to hit children with.

To Train Up a Child is a manual of progressive violence against children.  Not only are there no stopgaps to prevent child abuse, the book is a mandate to use implements to inflict increasingly intense pain in the face of continued disobedience.  The part about not causing injury is vague and open to interpretation, but the part about never backing down or shirking your parental duty to spank harder and harder is crystal clear.  The Pearls' teachings will lead, inescapably, to extremely strong-willed kids being abused and sometimes murdered by fundamentalist parents who are determined to "break" those children.

To date in the United States, this book has been found to be a factor contributing to the deaths of no less than 3 children - four-year-old Sean Paddock in 2006, seven-year-old Lydia Schatz in 2010, and thirteen-year-old Hanna Williams in 2011.

We cite these examples as evidence and other background material to be taken into account by The Classification Board in reaching its decision.  We respectfully request that the classification for this publication be changed to "RC (Refused Classification)" so as to ensure it is not available for sale in Australia.

Sincerely,

The Signatories of this Petition

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE RIGHT NOW:

1. Copy the note below and paste it into the Classification Board's Enquiry Form 

2. Copy the longer letter above and send it to your local federal member of parliament

3. Copy the longer letter above and send it to the Australian Classification Board

Director,
Australian Classification Board
Locked Bag 3,
Haymarket, NSW, 1240

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