Controversial Canadian Church loses right to beat children

Note: This church is independent and not affiliated with the Church of God congregations.

October 16, 2002
By Rick Ross

Judge Eleanor Schnall ruled definitively on October 10th regarding the controversial "spanking case" in St. Thomas, Ontario Canada. The judge ruled that Child and Family Services did not act improperly when they removed seven children from their homes to protect them from parental beatings.

This was a victory for the Child and Family Services of St. Thomas and Elgin County agency, who removed the children and placed them in foster care last July for protection. The children spent three weeks in foster care.

The parents are members of an extreme fringe church called "Church of God Restoration" in Aylmer, which was founded and is still led by David Layne an American, who lives in California. The "Church of God Restoration" has no connection to the Church of God denomination and is instead an independent cluster of small churches controlled by Layne.

The parents involved in this case have been prohibited from continuing with the severe corporal punishment, which is taught and encouraged by their church.

The parents remain bound by a court order with strict guidelines that prohibit further beatings and are required to allow child welfare workers to inspect their children if requested.

During court proceedings before Judge Schnall the mother admitted using a belt, clothes hanger and the metal end of a fly swatter to beat her children.

Notes: This article was based in part upon "Judge backs CAS seizure of spanked children St. Thomas parents used the scriptures to defend discipline" By Christie Blatchford, National Post October 12, 2002