NPR: Open Thread: Court Smacks Texas over Sect's Kids

Open Thread: Court Smacks Texas over Sect's Kids

Awhile back, we opened a thread about Texas taking more than 450 kids from a polygamous sect and putting them in foster care all over the state. Valentina wrote, "Can anything by done to help these children and mothers to stay together?"

The answer is in: yes. On Thursday, the Texas Supreme Court ruled the state had no right to take 139 of the kids; the ruling is expected to extend to all of the children. The court said Child Protective Services failed to demonstrate any immediate danger to the youth.

It's your thread, people. You know what to do with it.

Laura Conaway

8:20 AM ET | 05-30-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

It's still gross...

Sent by Marc Naimark | 11:48 AM ET | 05-30-2008

I think this is a bad decision. Yes, TX was too hasty in removal. But there is evidence of SOME (of course not all) children being abused. So it would still be a good idea to take each child's case individually, instead of returning them all... as there is obviously DEFINITELY at least five minor girls impregnated by older men.

Two wrongs don't make a right. Let's take it case by case. Go as quickly as possible, but returning them all is a bigger mistake. I mean, it's not as if there is no suspicion of abuse. There still is, so returning all of the kids, even if only 5 of them are going to suffer abuse when they get back, is an injustice.

At the very least, even if they are all returned, I hope investigations will continue on an individual basis once they return to the ranch. The YFZ shouldn't be able to turn out CPS. The role of CPS is to investigate suspected abusive situations. I think it's ridiculous to say that there is no suspicion here. These kids have got a lot of broken bones and there are some teenagers who are pregnant with old men's babies. Suspicion still exists and just because TX did not handle the situation appropriately does not mean these pedophiles should be able to avoid any further investigation.

Sent by Holly | 1:15 PM ET | 05-30-2008

Still wondering what the public reaction would have been if this were about a compound occupied by some Muslim sect with the same sort of beliefs...

Sent by Marc Naimark | 4:52 AM ET | 05-31-2008

Texas was wrong they have are being returned, but they are not Free this was all based on a hoax call. Before the call came child services was not worried about the kids. Now after they were found wrong they will still be harassing the parents and children. I hope they sue the state and each individual case worker, Yes they can do the immunity only goes so far. C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop\New Folder\CALABRETTA v FLOYD.mht ... C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop\New Folder\aclu kids warentless removel.mht ... If you believe they were right because their has been molestation in the past by church leaders, then what is the excues for not taking every catholic child. Their parents know that the catholic church rapes babies and it is kept in the church. They also know if there is an issue with a priest he is just moved to a new group of kids. Yet catholic parents still take their children to church and they still teach their children that the priest is a man of god who they can go to and he is to be respected. This is a persuasive pattern of molestation. Every large group is going to have a child molester that does not mean every child is going to be molested. It dose not mean every parent will hand their child over. The big question here is how many of the kids were abused in foster care.

Sent by janedoe | 6:40 PM ET | 06-02-2008

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