Lawsuit Can't Cover All Kids in Long-Term Foster Care
Update, March 23, 11:45 a.m.:
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the national child advocacy group Children's Rights cannot file its class-action suit on behalf of all 12,000 youth in Texas' permanent managing conservatorship, otherwise known as long-term foster care. The suit was originally filed on behalf of nine children, and attorneys later filed a motion to expand it.
"We are pleased with the 5th Circuit's decision, as we never believed that the test for class certification was met," said Patrick Crimmins, a spokesman with the Department of Family and Protective Services ...
Comments (10)
Angel Johnson-Nelson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
How can people help these kids? I'd like to volunteer and help.
Judy Burns via Texas Tribune on Facebook
This suit is being filed right at a time when the budget crisis threatens to make things much worse. Proposed cuts would not help move children in foster care toward permanent homes.
Rudy Gonzales
The Texas agency charged with overseeing Texas Children have had their budgets cut or never increased because theses children cannot vote. The Texas legislature binds the hands that feed and help Foster Care children. This is what happens when there is a one party rule as there is in Texas. Foster children need just as much care and have a right as citizens and wards of the state. The well-to-do have all the privileges and perks they can buy in Austin while those without can do without. Career politicians in Austin must be voted out consistently to allow fresh ideas to come forth and germinate. Texas and America has been in decline due to billion dollar corporation subsidies while the richest 1% own 34% of total US wealth. America is in decline due to 100 of 1% of the population average 27 Million dollars per household per year while the top 2% get tax breaks at the expense of the US taxpayer. The rich get richer at the expense of the lower 98% due to efforts of the Republican party.
Liz Austin Peterson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Angel, You might think about becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate. Research shows children with an advocate are more likely to find a permanent home than children without one. Visit www.becomeacasa.org to learn more and find a program in your area.
BiffTannen
All from a state who apparently cares more about unborn fetuses than living children. Once you're out of the womb, you're on your own.
nccpr
While it may have come as a surprise to some in the state, readers of my organization’s Child Welfare Blog have known for nearly a year that the next target for a McLawsuit from the group that so arrogantly calls itself Children’s Rights would be Texas.
The Texas child welfare system is every bit as bad as CR says it is in its Complaint. Indeed, we cited many of the same problems in our own report on Texas child welfare in 2005. And of course Texas needs to spend more on child welfare, but it also needs to spend smarter. The dismal track record of CR across the country shows that won’t happen. Their lawsuits rarely make systems better and sometimes make them worse.
Fighting the lawsuit won’t help either. The key is negotiating a far better settlement than the kind CR wants. Details on all of this are on our Child Welfare Blog here: http://bit.ly/fCWPe1
Richard Wexler
Executive Director
National Coalition for Child Protection Reform
www.nccpr.org
Susan Peters
http://www.govabuse.org/index.html
http://youtu.be/BdoS-JStH3k
Check this out people are getting tired it is time to take back our country and children back
Kim Batchelor via Texas Tribune on Facebook
There is something wrong with the Fifth Circuit. I read their ruling on the Santaria case yesterday and thought it was really poorly decided.
Audrey Fisher via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Isn't that an Ethics Violation? This is yet another of the IOKIYAR and it sucks.
Elizabeth DeMaar
Until we the people start spending more time educating everyone on child development early on in life like at high school level no amount of money will make things better for our children. Parents need to be educated before they become parents and then helped after with refresher courses through out the child's life. What job is more important than raising children? And we have no requirements for parents to continue their education for care of children. Nurses are required to get continuing education hours every two years, teachers are required to get continuing education hours. Many professional careers require it to continue working in that field. Just think what a difference it would make if parents were required to have some basic child development education and the state could pay for it and then it wouldn't have to pay so much for abused, neglected and miss cared for children. Lets stop the merry-go-round so the children can be happy once again!