Father charged for disciplining child, out of bounds
Compton Herald publisher and editor Jarrette Fellows, Jr. explores whether there can be a happy medium when disciplining a child
The father was not out of bounds for disciplining daughter, the errant child was; chastening the parent is wrong
ROCK HILL, S.C. — A Rock Hill, South Carolina father is facing charges after allegedly striking his teen daughter with a belt for violating curfew, according to the Charlotte Observer.
Sekari Feely, 36, was charged with assault after Rock Hill police responded to reports of a man with a gun.
Sonny Feely is the teen’s grandfather who lives in the home. Sonny told NBC Charlotte that his granddaughter showed up at their home around 2 a.m., past curfew, with her boyfriend and a couple friends. Sonny says she had previously “mouthed off” to her father, 36-year-old Sekari Arrie Feely, on the phone saying, “I’ll do what I want to do.”
The report says that the teen and her boyfriend say she was knocked to the ground with a belt strike from her father and was struck again.
Sonny admits that his son hit the teen with a belt twice. He says the teen was not hurt. The grandfather also noted that his son is a single father and has had custody of his daughter for five years now.
The bible teaches in Proverbs 13:24, “He that spareth his rod hateth his son [daughter]: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.”
In other words, to forego discipline spoils the child.
Besides, to all the bleeding hearts who rail about the “barbarism” of striking misbehaved children, I guess it’s okay for cops to beat the hell out of them or Taser them to neurological impairment, or worst yet, shoot them to death.
There has to be a happy medium, here. Parents should be able to discipline their children within limits. Of course, bludgeoning a child is beyond limits; punching them is beyond limits; striking them in the head or face with a belt buckle is beyond limits — but a slash or two across the “seat” with a leather belt or strap should be acceptable.
Maybe Sekari Feely waited too late to command the respect of his teenage daughter.
But, teens who mouth off to their parents at home, is a harbinger of tragedy to come in encounters with rogue cops with authority to lower the boom.
What do you say?