See page 8 here for why I chose that title. The review in Houston began ahead of scheduled after three abused children — Emma Thompson, 4, of Spring; David Tijerina, 3, of Conroe; and Katy infant Amber Maccurdy — died this year of abuse after all had been reported to CPS as possible child abuse victims. As usual, the Houston Chronicle soft peddled the story for the government with "some caseworkers failed to follow procedures consistently" and simply printed CPS' excuses for itself. "The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, which oversees the CPS division, announced a number of steps to correct the problems..." Well, now, how nice except that's how we got here and to these 3 deaths to start with!
Essentially, the report blames many of these problems on the current attempts to keep families together instead of just snatching kids up and putting them in fosterage and "group homes" (the nice name for orphanages) for extended periods as had previously been done. You see, that didn't work so well as many of the children ended up in worse places than those they were removed from and several died just like happened last year except it was at the hands of strangers. Frankly, I won't even guess which of those types of deaths would be worse as they are ALL wrong. Of course, we here in Texas will still do it that way if the children are 400 and members of a minority religion. Just ask the FLDS group in west Texas! But we don't want to teach birth control in public schools and we like to ignore the growing number of babies having babies without the support of even an odd religious community. I guess we can't do much about those children when we're spending our tax dollars persecuting, er, uh, prosecuting some 5 FLDS members and paying off all the expenses that went with the seizure and care of the 400+ children.
Texas is not alone. California has been found to underpay for foster care by at least 20%. I wonder what 20% of the children's needs aren't being met; housing, food, medical care, clothing?
I so understand the desire to see all children cared for perfectly but it seems we do no better in taking them than leaving them and, if that's so, then the state's or public's "wants" should indeed take second place to the fundamental rights of the parents and the families.
I watched "Lost Children" on 48 Hours Mystery. The title should have been "Stolen Children". At least one of these Samoan children was taken from a mother although the father did not consent and had been actively involved in the child's life throughout. The American adoptive parents didn't find out for years but, in the "best interests" of the child, well time makes right, too late daddy, we want to keep the child. Another Samaritan at work I see. The owners and employees of the adoption agency were charged with over 130 federal felony counts which were plea bargained down to a handful of misdemeanors and they were sentenced to probation. The prosecutor cited this was also in the "best interests of the children". WHAT? Dude, do your freaking job and put them to trial and behind bars! Mr. Prosecutor, you are one lazy ass, jkdlasfoasdurwioeghkdsfakjldfhskflh~!!!!! One adoptive family did the right thing and promptly returned a child to her birth family. It cost them greatly but THEY are the Good Samaritans. Kudos to them!
There are those who would put dogs and cats and other pets into something similar to the jumblefrack system we use for children. Seriously? I wouldn't wish it on the children, let alone animals who are better served as property. Tossing them into a mess like this one will only have them being passed around and even euthanized in larger numbers and at greater speed.
And surely, with all our current humans in need, with all the commitments we've made for future tax dollars, ramping up animal control and seizures and care should not be anywhere close to the top of our priorities!