Mexico Supreme Court rules corporal punishment is not a valid tool for education

The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) has affirmed that the right of parents to educate and set boundaries for their children does not include the use of corporal punishment. According to Estefanía Campos García, president of the Barra de Abogadas ‘Lic. María Sandoval de Zarco’, physical violence cannot be justified as a tool for discipline, as parental authority is limited by the dignity and integrity of children and adolescents.

This legal stance is supported by the General Law on the Rights of Children and Adolescents, which prohibits humiliating or corporal punishment as a method of correction. The ruling emphasizes that a behavior does not cease to be violence simply because it is performed with the intention of educating or correcting.

Regarding recent videos circulating on social media in Tijuana, Campos García noted that competent authorities must investigate the full context to determine necessary protection measures and legal responsibilities, adhering to the principle of the best interests of the child.