Washington Parents for Safe Child Care and Stu Jacobson Jaclyn Frank's 2 websites 18 month old Charlotte Wetzel's website O.K. Boys Ranch Website Fight CPS 6 month old Nathan Slater History of Public Education and How it Ties into Gov't Who's Minding Day Care -Seattle P-I 2002 King 5 News Nov 2004 State Slow to Act to Protect Children National website about window blind injuries and deaths Universal Preschool Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert Child Deaths while in the Custody of State Governments 2006 Adam Walsh Act and Protecting Children
18 month old Charlotte Wetzel died June 1998.
Washington Parents for Safe Child Care and President Stu Jacobson has been advocating for the health, safety and well-being of children in licensed childcare and educating government leaders to take proper action on behalf of parents and their children for over fifteen years. Check out WA Parents website:
http://www.parentsforsafechildcare.org
After Jaclyn died in licensed child care on December 1, 2005 Jaclyn's family inspite of their grief moved forward quickly to stand up to help other families. In February 2007 the Jaclyn Frank bill was submitted to the legislature to prohibit window cord blinds from being used in licensed child care. Check out the Jaclyn Frank website:
http://www.siteskins.net/jaclynfrank/
http://www.jaclynfrank.org/
18 month Charlotte died June of 1998 assaulted by her day care provider who is currently serving a 20 year sentence.
http://www.charlottewetzel.org/index.htm
An involved and caring Washington State citizen, Louis Bloom, on his own time downloaded a tremendous amount of documents that revealed and spotlighted the workings and failures of Washington State government via DSHS. This was the group home licensed by the state of Washington where many boys endured conditions that reminded me of Abu Graib prison in Iraq. The "managerial" mindset that led to failures to investiage, to act in that case over many years time is similar to what I witnessed in the "managing" of the child care licensing agency.
http://lbloom.net/okbr.html
Fight CPS is a website that looks at the operations--and the failures---failures of child protective services (CPS) nationwide. These are the same government agencies that remove children from their homes.
What I came to see as a CPS investigator is that I never knocked on the doors of upper middle class or rich people. Marilyn Van de Bur Atler, the 1956 Miss America who came from a rich family hypothesizes that abuse is worse in the homes of the rich. Money can be powerful.
I rarely asked the police to put a child into protective custody. Most people I saw were trying to do the best they can. They perhaps could use some support, but not take their children. Most cases where I had to place a child, the police had already been involved and taken custody of the children.
In ten years only one person ever asked to see my I.D. This told me that a tremendous number of United States citizens felt powerless. Check out John Taylor Gatto's website below to get some answers as to where that powerlessness feeling originated from.
There is a whole other study that needs to be done regarding adoption. A few years ago a congratulatory email went out to all social workers for their good job in terminating parental rights efficiently. For each of the efficient termination of parental rights, it brought to DSHS a bonus of $4000.00 from the federal government.
In the 2007 Washington State legislative session a bill was introduced to allow restoration of parental rights on those children the state wasn't able to adopt out. Something to ponder.
http://www.fightcps.com/oldsite/library.htm
A Child Remembered:
Nathan Slater
Day care operator pleads not guilty
EVERETT, April 11 EVERETT, April 11 2000 - The operator of a Mill Creek in-home day-care center has pleaded not guilty to first-degree manslaughter in the death of a 6-month-old boy.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY Superior Court Judge Ronald L. Castleberry set bail Monday at $25,000 for Sheri T. Reiser, 39, in the death of little Nathan Slater. Trial was set for May 19. Under state sentencing guidelines, she could face 6½ to 8½ years in prison.
This story was written by MSNBC and King 5 News. To read more click here.
Related Stories
Day-care center closed after baby boy dies
Arrest expected in death of 6-month-old
After son's death at day care, mother calls for tougher licensing standards
John Taylor Gatto, a New York Teacher of the Year award winner's book "The Underground History of American Education" is a must read.
Gatto uses the history of our educational system to open our eyes and minds to our history in general. It reminds us that we need to consider the greater context whenever we find ourselves approaching child care, or child protection issues in a narrowly-focused, compartmentalized fashion. Gatto shows us the larger picture, so that our own research and critical thinking can stay on target.
http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/
Check out a the Seattle P-I's 2002 investigations into day care in King County.
http://www.parentsforsafechildcare.org/Related%20Issues/Articles/Whos_minding_day_care.asp
http://www.parentsforsafechildcare.org/Related%20Issues/Articles/Childtimes_long_road.asp
Check out King 5 News investigator Susannah Frame's story on the state being slow to act and shut down day cares with repeat and serious violations.
http://www.king5.com/localnews/investigators/stories/NW_111604INKdaycaresJK.634d05e8.html
Take a look at this website including what can happen to child as old as four years old with window blinds.
http://www.pfwbs.org/#
Here you will find information on the other aspect of what is going on in Washington State where now they want your children younger and younger.
Check out this website of Diane Flynn Keith to see information on California's "Thrive by Five". California called theirs "California's First Five".
http://www.universalpreschool.com/articles/reiner_and_preschool_pressures.asp
Even---perhaps especially--when I am dealing with a subject as serious and distressing as child death and injury, I find that humor helps. I intend to take some lessons from these two guys and inject some humor into my own website to highlight, for example, the difference between truthfulness and "truthiness."
Remember it was Washingtonians that got Stephen, Jr to come back home to the United States to his "papa"! The San Francisco zoo named a baby Eagle after Colbert, "Stephen, Jr". It has a tracking monitor so they can locate where it flies. Stephen Jr had flown up to Canada. Colbert asked for the citizens of Bellingham to go to the border and call Stephen Jr. to come home. A group of Washingtonians went up to the Peace Arch at Blaine with signs asking Stephen, Jr to come home to his "papa". He came back to the United States! At last report Stephen, Jr was in southwest Washington by the Columiba River.
http://www.colbertnation.com/
Check out the Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_daily_show/videos/headlines/index.jhtml
Check this out:
http://caica.org/NEWS%20Deaths%20List%20of%20Names%20-names%20omitted.htm
http://www.sequoyahcountysheriff.org/adamwalshact.htm
Make your
own website