Child abuse, discipline to be addressed

SCHAWANA - There will be a public seminar at the church here on Sunday, Dec. 23, to deal with the issues of child discipline and child abuse.

"We've had a big problem," Pastor Alfredo Gutierrez said. "We needed to get outside help."

The outside help will come from Gisbert Gonsalez, an officer with the Okanogan County Sheriff's Department. He will speak at 5:30 p.m. about drug abuse and domestic violence.

More importantly, he will focus on the difference between child discipline and child abuse. That has been a challenge for adult residents of Schawana, most of whom are from Mexico.

"They're used to spanking as form of discipline," Gutierrez said. "Here they spank their kids and get turned in for child abuse. The kids have gotten used to that and hold it over their parents. The parents don't know what to do. So they let the kids run free. That's not good."

Gutierrez hopes Gonsalez can help parents learn methods of discipline within the rules that will work before it's too late. The church is located at 20446 A St.

- Staff report