The news is everywhere, it seems, that a child in Ohio was removed from his mother and placed in foster care because the authorities believed that the third grade child was too fat, or to be specific, "dangerously obese" at over 200 pounds and his mother was not doing enough to prevent it.
This sets a very dangerous precedent and needs to be addressed. The emotional trauma expericenced by both parent and child when separated by the government will be a lifetime scar on the psyches of both for the rest of their lives. But this must be ok, right?, since one cannot actually "see" an emotional scar.
An article in the Los Angeles Times about the Ohio case discusses an August 2000 case in New Mexico in which a three year old girl was removed from her mother for two months because of her weight. Both mother and daughter still seem traumatized by the event more than 11 years later. And, it turns out the kid was later diagnosed with a medical problem that was the main cause of her excess weight. It was not because her mother was incompetent.
Those responsible for taking the child in Ohio argued that "it was approved by a judge" and was in the best interest of the child. Was it really, now? Everyone has seen the video of how a judge in Texas making decisions on the "best interests" of children handled his own daughter - he beat her "into submission" with a belt. Interestingly, no charges were brought against him because the statute of limitations had expired.
The government agency responsible for the removal of the child in Ohio claims that they had been working with the family for 20 MONTHS before removing the child. If these people, all working on the public dime, can put that much time into the problem with no positive results, are they really the people who should be making the decision as to the best interests of the child? Not only NO, but Hell NO!
Those who have had to undergo foster care might just point to an article about rampant abuse of children in state care. The article "A Critical Look at Foster Care: How Widespread a Problem?" paints a less than rosy picture of what life can be like for many of those in foster care. Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse are MANY times more likely to be imposed on children in foster care than those who are still with their parents.
The fact of the matter is that ONE THIRD of all American adults are now considered to be medically obese with a BMI over 30, and another third of the adults are overweight. Yes, it is true, 2 out of 3 adults in America are heavier than they should be for premium health. It is a copout to say that heavy kids are "at risk" for becoming heavy adults. EVERYONE in America is at risk for becoming overweight. It's the American way.
No one is saying that there is no need for a foster care system or departments of child welfare. These things are needed but this is just reaching too far. What's next? Remove kids from the parents because either the kids smoke or the parents smoke? Or maybe because the parents did not read enough to the kids? When does it stop? This case is a Pandora's Box that should not be opened, for the potential abuses it holds are many.
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