I guess in Florida it's OK to beat your 16 year old daughter with a Power Cord?

[trumad]

They lost their house. They lost their car. For more than a year, they lost their children. But the former principal of Hallandale High School and his wife, a teacher, will not be losing their freedom.

Broward prosecutors dropped aggravated child abuse charges on Friday against Darren Jones, 44, and his wife, Serena, 43, just days before jury selection was scheduled to begin in the first of their trials.

Jones and his wife each faced a maximum of life in prison if found guilty of beating their 16-year-old daughter in 2011. Instead, the former Cooper City couple were celebrating the end of a two-year legal ordeal that cost them their jobs with the Broward County School District.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/fort-lauderdale/fl-hallandale-high-principal-cleared-20130315,0,5196310.story

What happened:
<snip>
Darren Jones, 42, reportedly admitted to hitting his daughter because he was trying to discipline her. He is accused of using a power cord to hit his 16 year old daughter on her arms, legs, back and hands on January 9th. His daughter has since been removed from the family’s home in Cooper City.

<snip>
“This is a family matter, a parenting matter. This is not child abuse. This is nothing more than a situation involving an out of control teenage daughter and a loving caring father who is desperately trying to get his daughter back on the right track,” Jones’ attorney Eric Schwartzreich told CBS4. “There is a difference between child abuse and disciplining an out-of-control teenage girl. This is a case of discipline,” said Schwartzreich.

“It’s easy to Monday morning quarterback and for something tragic to happen and people say where was the father, where was the mother. This is a case of disclipline.

According to report by Child Protective Services Jones’ 16-year old daughter had visible bruising on her arms, legs and back.
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2011/01/16/hallandale-principal-charged-with-abuse/

[Alenne]

1. How is this not abuse?

If this man had beat his dog with a power cord, would they call it discipline. Anytime your "discipline" leaves a bruise it is abuse.

[Niceguy1]

2. you would

Be surprised by the total number of cases that don't result in charges

It is overly simplistic to say that that is ok in Florida

[trumad]

3. Agree...

but being a Floridian, I can't help but diss my goofy ass state.

[Niceguy1]

4. it is the same in

Every state. Nobody has the resources for deal with every crime..even assaults sometimes aren't moved forward in the system.

[avebury]

5. I hope for the girl's sake, she is not returned to

her parents. I would be concerned that they would take their anger of losing their jobs and the last two years out on the girl.

[NaturalHigh]

6. Here's something scary.

"Jones said he was fired from his job with the school district, while his wife was suspended without pay. Both will now petition to get their jobs back and request pay for the time they missed."

Why would anyone consider letting people like this around other children? They're very lucky not to be doing ten years or so behind bars. I personally wouldn't hire them to shovel manure, though I assume they would be comfortable in its company.