Chastisement excuse ‘a gross anomaly’

The Welsh children’s commissioner repeated calls last week for the
removal of the defence of reasonable chastisement.

Speaking at a lecture organised by the British Institute of Human
Rights in London, Peter Clarke said: “Children are the only group
in society that can be beaten if the defence of ‘reasonable
chastisement’ is used and this is a gross anomaly and I want it
closed.”

He said the experience of Sweden and Norway showed the move would
not place pressure on the courts.

Clarke also called for the state of school toilets to be improved
as they were “frankly appalling”. Schools should concentrate on
basic human rights issues not SATs results, he said.