Remember Sean Paddock, 2001-2006
Posted by TulipGirl | Under Christianity and the Church, Pearls / TTUAC / NGJ, Theology for Girls Friday Feb 26, 2010Four years ago today Sean Paddock died.
A 4-year-old child, Sean Paddock, was killed by his adoptive mother. The child was suffocated from being wrapped tightly in blankets to keep him in bed, so tightly that he couldn’t fill his lungs to breathe. His body was covered with “layers of thin, long bruises — old and new — stretch[ing] from Sean’s bottom to his shoulder blade.”
Sean’s adopted mother relied upon two-foot lengths of plumbing supply line and parenting books by Michael and Debi Pearl to keep her children in line.
God have mercy.
At the time of Sean’s abuse and death, there was an outcry about these harmful teaching — though primarily limited to the homeschool movement both Christian and secular. Perhaps some parents were educated and dissuaded from applying the Pearls’ teaching. But the warnings were not loud enough for everyone to hear.
Now. . . now another little child has suffered and died at the hand of her parents. Lydia Schatz, just seven years old, died a few weeks ago. Again, Michael and Debi Pearl and their book “To Train Up a Child” were an obvious influence.
February will always be a month for me to remember. I believe we all need to mourn these little ones and warn other parents.
““Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.”"
What a tragic situation.
May God have mercy, indeed. May their sweet faces never be erased from our minds.
Thank you again, TG, for ALL you have done through the years to advocate and educate.
Amen. I will remember.
Slavemasters used to justify their treatment of African Americans because of supposed sanction from the bible.
I have started a petition to ban the physical assault of children:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/america39s-behind–ban-the-physical-assault-of-children
The toxic teachings of the Pearls need to be discredited before yet another child dies. But unless this happens first within the broader Christian community in general, and Christian homeschoolers in particular, the Pearls will continue to ignore what the rest of the world says about them, because they will be safe to continue as usual.
I think too many Christians who are troubled by certain aspects of the Pearls’ teachings keep silent because they don’t want to cause strife within the body of Christ. But when children start turning up dead at the hands of parents who followed the Pearls’ advice to the letter, something has to be done.
I am so glad to see TulipGirl and some other Christian bloggers taking on No Greater Joy!
I don’t agree with a lot of what the Pearls teach, but they obviously didn’t mean for parents to strike SO HARD or bind SO TIGHT! Maybe the parents thought they were following the advice to the letter; they obviously lacked common sense on child safety. A spanking can be safely administered as described by the Pearls; these instances are clearly situations of unfit parents who don’t understand basic anatomy.
Although I do not condone the teachings in question, we need to be careful about passing judgement. We should, however, spread word about COMMON SENSE.
i am sean’s oldest sibling and miss him so much, and wish i could have done something, but the pearls teachings were taken way to far by my mother( lynn i don’t consider her my mom) and just hope sean’s death helps prevent other children from having to go through the same thing!!
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