LETTER: Protecting children
I am once again appalled at reading the story of yet another child sacrificed by Child Protective Services (“A Recipe for Disaster,” Sunday). It’s hard to think of it in any other way when looking at the numerous times CPS failed to intervene before little Aaron Jones lost his life. I was struck by one phrase in the article, a quote from the county spokesman who said, “The county’s goal is to keep families together whenever possible.”
I have heard that before, ad nauseam, by government bureaucrats. Shouldn’t the goal of “Child Protective Services” to be to keep children alive and healthy? It seems that, like the public education system, every government program is geared to protect the rights of adults rather than the rights of the most vulnerable (parents vs. children, teachers vs. children). Even the hearing master blamed “state law” for giving this boy to his father, a convicted child abuser. Apparently, even a judge passes the buck when it’s uncomfortable.
For the sake of humanity, can’t we shift the focus of our laws and institutions to taking care of children? They’re the only ones involved in these cases who have no choices and cannot protect themselves.