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Italian Court: It's OK to Threaten Kids With Kick in the Pants

Man told nephew to scram or get the boot

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 11, 2009 1:17 PM CDT
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(Newser) – There’s nothing wrong with telling teens they’ll get kicked in the pants for misbehaving—at least not in Italy, the country’s high court ruled today. A mom had accused her son’s uncle of abuse for issuing the warning, calling it a serious threat. But the court held that “the statement cannot be deemed abusive, given the type of language used by the new generation," Italy’s ANSA reports.

The uncle’s comment “was only meant to censure, albeit rudely, the behavior” of the nephew and his friends, the court said, and the words were “incapable of sparking real fear.” The kids had been loitering when the uncle told them to go home, lest they get kicked.

A man threatened to kick his nephew in the pants if he didn't beat it.
A man threatened to kick his nephew in the pants if he didn't beat it.   (Shutterstock)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
alicia
Aug 13, 2009 3:27 AM CDT
The schools, and doctors want to put kids on pills like ritalin. When in most cases alls they need is a kick in the but. I am against percription drugs all togehter, in most cases they hurt more then they help.
jagerhans
Aug 12, 2009 11:21 AM CDT
i'm italian and i don't find nothing wrong with one or more kicks in the ass if the kids just won't stay quiet. this may sound weird but when i was six , being beaten at school by the teacher, (and optionally at home too by parents) to the point of having signs on the face or being forced on your knees for hours until they hurt like hell, or stick blows on the fingers, were commonplace in the southern part of Italy. what i find REALLY REALLY scary was not all the beating i got, it's ritalin. THAT is the kind of mad treatment that spoils youngsters permanently.
cochiserocks
Aug 11, 2009 11:49 AM CDT
Poor kid - the mum has obviously got a problem with her brother and is using her child as her weapon of choice. This story is more about bad parenting than the Italian attitude toward physical punishment of minors.

 
Italy • abuse • court • threats • pants

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