Working Mom Arrested for Letting Her 9-Year-Old Play Alone at Park

[Valmy]

Of course, the difference is that you're rich and white, and this woman is black and poor. Ergo, any decision she made is automatically suspect.

Granted we are not rich but we were put under serious scrutiny and had a full investigation launched against us when David tested positive for...GASP...PAIN KILLERS when he was born.  Anyway we were investigated and had to go take all these drug tests.  It was ridiculous.  But I worked with the Child Protective Services for years and I was used to this crap.  I got all the records purged and everything but it was absurd.  Thank God I knew people who worked there.  But THE PAINKILLERS WERE FROM THE BIRTH YOU FREAKING IDIOTS.  And of course they never talked to anybody in the hospital or our doctor or anything.  We were obviously guilty so off we went.

They were always adversarial as hell and everything feels like a witch hunt.  To them adults who care for children are the enemy.  Taking kids away from their parents or guardians and placed in the foster system should be the last resort.  Instead it is like: how can we trust these civilians out there raising kids?  We need to save them and get them all under state care.  But that is Texas for you.  There are not many business regulations or city zoning laws...but private citizens are usually presumed to be criminals.

So glad to see this sort of asshattery getting out there in the press.

[garbon]

Later on in the conversation, Skenazy boils it down to this. "There's been this huge cultural shift. We now live in a society where most people believe a child can not be out of your sight for one second, where people think children need constant, total adult supervision. This shift is not rooted in fact. It's not rooted in any true change. It's imaginary. It's rooted in irrational fear."

This.

Cultural shifts don't have to be rooted in fact - the culture makes its own reality as to what is and is not acceptable, based on social prejudices. Culture makes its own "reality".

Yep.

[Valmy]

Using Child Protective Services to enforce cultural values on families is directly counter to their purpose though.  We want families to be able to raise kids as they see fit.  We just want to step in when their welfare is endangered.

[alfred russel]

I would like to return to the social ways of the past, but it isn't gonna happen, any more than smoking in elevators, or riding as a kid down the highway in the back of my dad's pickup. 

riding down the highway in the back of a pickup might not be okay anytime soon, but I think there is hope at least the law will liberalize.

I share everyone's outrage about the story as presented, but I think there is a good chance the cops acted reasonably here. Suppose this woman was leaving her kid at the park while working after dark in a sketchy part of town. Maybe there were warnings and discussions about this sort of stuff in her history. That seems worth exploring before jumping in with the explanations of racism and classism.

[CountDeMoney]

Using Child Protective Services to enforce cultural values on families is directly counter to their purpose though.  We want families to be able to raise kids as they see fit.  We just want to step in when their welfare is endangered.

No child is safe in a park, now that Siegy's stateside.

[Ideologue]

I am afraid all parents in my neighourhood would have had their kids taken away for letting their kids play outside all day without any supervision during summer.  Our only rule was be back for supper.  That was one rule you never broke.

Of course, the difference is that you're rich and white, and this woman is black and poor. Ergo, any decision she made is automatically suspect.

I get your point.  But one quibble.

Although white, my parents were poor.

Were they as poor as Malthus?

[derspiess]

Granted we are not rich but we were put under serious scrutiny and had a full investigation launched against us when David tested positive for...GASP...PAIN KILLERS when he was born.  Anyway we were investigated and had to go take all these drug tests.  It was ridiculous.  But I worked with the Child Protective Services for years and I was used to this crap.  I got all the records purged and everything but it was absurd.  Thank God I knew people who worked there.  But THE PAINKILLERS WERE FROM THE BIRTH YOU FREAKING IDIOTS.  And of course they never talked to anybody in the hospital or our doctor or anything.  We were obviously guilty so off we went.

They were always adversarial as hell and everything feels like a witch hunt.  To them adults who care for children are the enemy.  Taking kids away from their parents or guardians and placed in the foster system should be the last resort.  Instead it is like: how can we trust these civilians out there raising kids?  We need to save them and get them all under state care.  But that is Texas for you.  There are not many business regulations or city zoning laws...but private citizens are usually presumed to be criminals.

So glad to see this sort of asshattery getting out there in the press.

That's insane.  The last thing you need in all the stress and emotion of the moment is some dumbass accusation like that.  Wonder how often they botch that kind of thing.

Luckily our only eyebrow-raising moment was when they asked us if we wanted Tommy circumcised and Maria couldn't understand what the nurse was saying.  We hadl already decided to do it (take that, Germany), so I told the nurse to go ahead and do it before she had a chance to repeat herself.  She threw me a nasty look and explained to the wife in almost baby words what she was asking.  At the same time I was telling the wife in Spanish, which I guess looked like I was trying to pull one over on her.  Finally I just shut up and waited for her to say yes.

[garbon]

I am afraid all parents in my neighourhood would have had their kids taken away for letting their kids play outside all day without any supervision during summer.  Our only rule was be back for supper.  That was one rule you never broke.

Of course, the difference is that you're rich and white, and this woman is black and poor. Ergo, any decision she made is automatically suspect.

I get your point.  But one quibble.

Although white, my parents were poor.

Were they as poor as Malthus?

Do remember that CC was the one who scoffed the most at Malt's claim of poverty.

[CountDeMoney]

already decided to do it (take that, Germany),

Lulz, suck it, creepy sweater snakes.  Fireman's helmets FTW.

[Ideologue]

Were they as poor as Malthus?

Do remember that CC was the one who scoffed the most at Malt's claim of poverty.

Lots of us scoffed at that, because it was hilarious.

[Ideologue]

already decided to do it (take that, Germany),

Lulz, suck it, creepy sweater snakes.  Fireman's helmets FTW.

Wrong.

[crazy canuck]

Were they as poor as Malthus?

Lets not pick on the poor rich kid again 

[CountDeMoney]

already decided to do it (take that, Germany),

Lulz, suck it, creepy sweater snakes.  Fireman's helmets FTW.

Wrong.

Your dick is as dirty as your shirts.  Ewww.

[Malthus]

Were they as poor as Malthus?

Do remember that CC was the one who scoffed the most at Malt's claim of poverty.

Lots of us scoffed at that, because it was hilarious.

Yes, nothing more hilarious than having once been down and out, and having worked one's way out of that. 

[Malthus]

Were they as poor as Malthus?

Lets not pick on the poor rich kid again 

Oh please do. Because it was so hilarious the last dozen times you went on about it.