It's Almost Tuesday

Archive for March 2008

Police chief: Teen shoots four, kills self at Cleveland high school – CNN.com

Posted by: Forever on: March 31, 2008

from www.cnn.com posted with vodpod

Still Lost in N. Carolina

Posted by: Forever on: March 28, 2008

from blog.myspace.com posted with vodpod

Foster Care Survey

Posted by: Forever on: March 23, 2008

Foster Care – Social Services
Involvement Survey

We are asking for your help as a part of a survey we are conducting regarding foster care experiences in yours or your childrens lives.
Your response to this survey is totally voluntary and anonymous, but it would be very helpful if you do respond.

 

You may respond to the survey [...]

Bonding With Your Foster Child

Posted by: Forever on: March 23, 2008

Top 10 Five Minute Bonding Activities
From Carrie Craft,
Your Guide to Adoption / Foster Care.
These activities are not for every foster/adoptive parent or every foster/adoptive child. Only do what is comfortable for you and your foster/adopted child.
Keep in mind:

Child’s Age – Chronological and Emotional
Child’s History of Abuse and/or Neglect
Comfort Levels

Please note that I’m not promoting these [...]

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What Is CPS Doing To Our Kids?

Posted by: Forever on: March 23, 2008

Children are 11 times more likely to be abused in state care than they are in their own homes.

If foster homes aren’t safer than where the children came from, whats the point of any of it?
What is CPS doing to our kids??

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Tuesday to Tuesday

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It’s Almost Tuesday


It's Almost Tuesday is a fictional story based on true events of abuse within the Texas Foster Care System. The story is written as if told by an 8 year old foster child using his exact words whenever possible.

Study: Troubled homes are STILL better than foster care

Kids who stayed with their families were less likely to become juvenile delinquents or teen mothers and more likely to hold jobs as young adults than kids who were removed into foster care.


Arrested at least once:

�14% oif Kids Who Stayed with family: were arrested at least once rather than 44% of Kids Who Went to foster care!



33 % of Kids who stayed with their family Became teen mothers: but more than half (56%) of Kids Who Went to foster care became teen mothers!



33% of kids who stayed with their family held a job at least 3 months: as opposed to merely 20 % of the Kids Who Went to foster care!



Out of 500,000 children in U.S. foster care
Statistics show that foster children are more likely than other kids to drop out of school,
commit crimes,
abuse drugs
and become teen parents!



Teens aging out of foster care have spent nearly five years there That's twice the average length of time for all kids in the system.

Fewer than 3% earn college degrees.


Teens in foster care are less likely to finish high school and more likely to go to prison or become homeless.


How can the government tell us, with statistics like this, that this is protecting the kids?

CP$ KNOW$ THE GUILTY ONE$

Caseworker: We know your husband is guilty, you've got
to force him into admitting it.


Mother: How do you know he's guilty?


Caseworker: We know he's guilty because he says he's
innocent. Guilty people always say they're innocent.


Mother: What do innocent people say?


Caseworker: We're not in the business of guilty or
innocent. We're in the business of putting families
together.


Mother: So why not do that with us?


Caseworker: Because he won't admit his guilt.


(Source:) Wounded Innocents: The Real Victims of the War on Child Abuse (Paperback) by Richard Wexler

CLICK HERE to DOWNLOAD AUDIO FILE

of CPS Caught On Tape

A foster child carries a realistic looking cap gun in his pocket from the foster home to a visit; the children were given these guns and taught how to shoot them in target practice at a foster camp. At the time this child was only 8 years old; taking high doses of psychotropic medications.


Blog Note: If a parent carried the same toy gun into the same visit, that parent would definitely be arrested and probably lose their rights to visit their children.

Tuesday’s Poll

Do you believe that CPS serves the best interest of the children? Or the Government?

(polls)

Families Rights Should Be Protected

"Because the swing of every pendulum brings with it potential adverse consequences, it is important to emphasize that in the area of child abuse, as with the investigation and prosecution of all crimes, the state is constrained by the substantive and procedural guarantees of the Constitution.


The fact that the suspected crime may be heinous – whether it involves children or adults - does not provide cause for the state to ignore the rights of the accused or any other parties.



Otherwise, serious injustices may result. "


Syl.Pt.3,WALLIS v. SPENCER, 202 F.3d 1126(9th Cir. 2000)




Tuesday’s Topics

Quotes From Foster Children

Mother meant the whole world to me and there wasn’t anything I could do to get her back. It was like I had lost everything. Lucie, Age 19

I felt so bad for my mom and I constantly felt like it was my fault because I couldn’t do anything to stop it.
PoemGirl, Age 17

I felt so disappointed and heartbroken. I hated my life.
Brittany, Age 13

How does it feel to be a Foster Child? It’s like being in a great world of your own. MARK, Age 12

I felt very sad and I knew I could not do anything about it. I had to get over it. I know how it feels to be pushed around. I have been there.Einstein, Age 11

The placements did not work because in my heart I felt alone but in my mind I felt grown….The only problem in the home was me. There I was almost thirteen and hated the world. I could not trust anyone. I didn’t want to trust anyone. How could I trust someone? I had to
protect myself from hurt. The only way I could do that was to guard my heart….I messed up four homes because of this. Flower Girl, Age 18

I think that when you become an adult it’s just like a toddler you’re a caterpillar, and when you’re a kid you’re a cocoon and finally you become an adult which would be a butterfly. Jesse, Age 9

We should all make our foster care family a possibility.
MeMe, Age 17

The best advice I have from one foster child to another is that you never give up….Never think that you are worthless. Jane, Age 10

Tuesday to Tuesday

Tomorrow’s Healthy Adults Come From Today’S Teachings


Site Meter

Institute for Youth Development is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that promotes a comprehensive risk avoidance message to youth.


4Parents.gov is a guide to help you and your teen discuss important, yet difficult, issues about healthy choices, sex and relationships.

The NAEA
exists to serve, support and represent individuals and organizations in the practice of abstinence-centered education.

Abstinence Works provides recent news, articles, and studies validating the efficacy of abstinence education.

The Abstinence Clearinghouse is a privately funded 501(c)3 non-profit, non-partisan international educational organization. The Clearinghouse was founded to provide a central location where character, relationship, and abstinence programs, curricula, speakers, and materials could be accessed. The Clearinghouse serves agencies on a national, state and local level, as well as international organizations.


The Medical Institute for Sexual Health is an organization that has a tremendous heart for the health and well-being of all. It is committed to teaching people how to make good choices and adopt healthy behaviors that enable them to achieve their highest potential.

Bookmark and Share


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CPS’ Death of 5 Year Old

The Logan Marr Case






The death of a 5 year old in CPS' care.

RSS Dallas Opinions on ElDorado:FLDS Kids

  • The values of secession? December 17, 2009
    First, let me just get this out there: I find the idea of secession to be lunacy in this day and age. And Rick Perry's secession-tinged hints early this year were absurd. Now, that being said, I was fascinated by this feature in The Chronicle of Higher education on Donald W. Livingston, a professor of philosophy at Emory University. He's an expert […]
  • Obama's Christian realism December 16, 2009
    David Brooks had a good explainer about President Obama's Christian realism in the NYT yesterday. Texas Faith panelists are also debating this subject over here, where they are looking at the themes the president discussed in his Nobel Prize speech last week. Join in. --William McKenzie/Editorial Columnist
  • Obama may want to take back these words December 16, 2009
    With some polls showing people are now more worried about the deficit than about expanding health care, I bet President Obama would -- upon further review, as they say in the NFL -- like to take back these words, which the NYT reports he said in a meeting this week with Democratic senators on health care: "This is why people run for public office, to be […]
  • Become a fan of Texan of the Year on Facebook December 16, 2009
    Just click here. On Facebook, you can add links, photos, videos or comments about our selections so far, and take part in discussion boards on each of the finalists. FB.init("fca96d9d3b1135b09ef95f3e5d65d552");Dallas Morning News Texan of the Year on Facebook --Michael Landauer/Editor
  • Is Mesquite dress code out of line? December 16, 2009
    Every week, we poll the members of the editorial board on a timely and divisive topic. This week, the question is: Is the Mesquite school district out of line to force a 4-year-old out of class because his hair is too long? Are the rules out of line? Here are their responses: --Nicole Stockdale/Editor

Foster Care – Go On!

by Crystal, age 13


Have you ever said mom, dad I love you?
Have you ever hugged them goodbye?
Well have you ever sat in a room and cried?
Well I can’t everyday say I love you mom, or
dad I can’t say goodbye!
Sometimes when I visit my dad and I have to be supervised!
How would you feel to live in a different home every couple of months?
You can’t stay in one place...
You always feel like you are replaced!
People saying they don’t want you there...
People lying so they won’t hurt your feelings!
People watching your every footstep while you sit there crying.
They can’t hold you like your parents.
I have to say I’m strong when I move there.
So I can GO ON

How would you feel to lift your head and see someone everyday that is not your mom and dad?
Would you cry, would you worry?
Or would you fly or would you scurry?
Sometimes you have to let go.
Sometimes you have to turn away.
Sometimes you let the tears drop,
And let them flow anyway.
There is more hurt to this than you will ever feel!
To see your mother die on mother’s day...
I have to GO ON is all you can say

Top of the Day

TEXAS FOSTER KIDS – STILL FORGOTTEN



”I saw filthy living conditions, make-shift outhouses, unsanitary food storage, in so-called outdoor camps where children must sleep in sleeping bags - no walls, no fans, no heat - for months and months and in many cases, year after year.

That’s not care. That’s cruelty.



That’s not educating.

That’s endangering” Carol Strayhorn on Texas Foster Care System in 2004

National Center For Missing and Exploited Kids








RSS Special Thanks to Legally Kidnapped

  • Anybody want a kid? December 17, 2009
    Then just go on over to Adoption: A Path of the Heart and get yo-self one. Price list included in link.
    LK
  • Man who killed foster son to be sentenced December 17, 2009
    Man who killed foster son to be sentenced A Hamblen County foster father convicted in the death of his foster son will be sentenced today in Hawkins County. You can watch the sentencing hearing live on VolunteerTV.com.
    LK
  • Termination of Parental Rights (removing Children From Families) December 17, 2009
    Termination of Parental Rights (removing Children From Families)A Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) is a legal action that terminates all of a parents rights to make decisions for a child or to care for that child.
    LK
  • Drunk 4-Year-Old Steals Christmas Presents December 17, 2009
    Drunk 4-Year-Old Steals Christmas Presents... it was an honest mistake," she said. Wright did meet with child protective services today who told her she will get to keep custody of Hayden.Note: Shit happens. It's just one of those things.
    LK
  • 11:35 a.m.: Foster mother sentenced December 17, 2009
    11:35 a.m.: Foster mother sentencedThe foster parent of a 21-month-old child who died in her care earlier this year was sentenced to nine years behind bars Thursday morning.Bonnie Pattinson, 31, of Newton Falls, pleaded guilty in October to a reduced charge of involuntary manslaughter.Pattinson was originally charged with murder in the April death of Tiffany […]
    LK
  • Hundreds of AZ foster children in danger of being homeless December 17, 2009
    Hundreds of AZ foster children in danger of being homelessTen-thousand and counting. That's the growing number of children and youth currently in Arizona's foster care system.
    LK
  • De-Criminalizing Children December 17, 2009
    De-Criminalizing Children As many as 150,000 children are sent to adult jails in this country every year — often in connection with nonviolent offenses or arrests that do not lead to conviction. That places them at risk of being raped or battered and increases the chance they will end up as career criminals.
    LK
  • TeenScreen - Controversial and Unscientific December 17, 2009
    National Public Radio: "This is a program that has some very vocal critics. They say Teenscreen usurps parental authority, sends kids to therapy who might not need it and they say the program encourages families to put adolescents on antidepressant drugs."THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLEJanuary 22, 2007Local public schools have resisted TeenScreen. San […]
    LK
  • Who is really responsible for Randy's death? December 17, 2009
    Who is really responsible for Randy's death? So Randy Beaver's dad Vincent is suing the state over his son's death. He apparently feels they were negligent when they placed him in foster care with a young female relative.
    LK
  • Jamaica policeman charged with sexually assaulting teenage foster girl December 17, 2009
    Jamaica policeman charged with sexually assaulting teenage foster girl Police in Jamaica have suspended an officer charged with sexually assaulting a teenage foster girl.
    LK

RSS CPS – A System Out of Control

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