Governmental Interference in Parenting

United States
May 14, 2010 2:48pm CST
I'm a juvenile officer. I was in court earlier today for a case and before my case was heard, I listened in as a woman was being crucified on the stand because she's a Jehovah's Witness and that particular religion shuns most modern medicine treatment. The child who was about 16 was sick, but rather than bring him in, she prayed for him to get better. He didn't and a neighbor called DHS and mama got arrested for child abuse and the kid got taken into custody. My thoughts: My husband and I have a 2 year old daughter. We have decided against vaccinating our daughter. We both feel that the vaccines pose more problems and complications than the diseases they prevent. When was the last time we had a case of polio or an outbreak of the mumps? We're pumping our kids full of toxins for no reason. My husband is an APN, so we've done our homework. Some of the pediatric doctors/nurses are in agreement with us on this - some aren't. Whatever. So, seeing as how my DH and I are anti vaccine, what's to say someone reports me for not vaccinating my daughter, then reports me and my DD gets taken away by state custody and given the vaccines we're witholding? When is too much? When does the government have a right to interfere? I personally think the government overstepped their boundaries with the woman and the child. The child had a case of mono. No biggie - I've had it before. Many times, financial obligations prevent people from going. If you can't pay your bills, the hospital sues and you lose everything. Should someone get their child taken away because they can't afford it? Should someone be forced to undergo treatment even though their religion or beliefs prohibit it? My husband and I are Catholic and Catholics do not believe in birth control. I don't want to be a woman with 30 kids, so yes, we use birth control. I'm on the shot. I know some religions like Christian Scientists and Jehovah's Witnesses don't believe in medical intervention and they believe God will heal should God deem it necessary. I guess as a mother, I'm torn. I don't see how anyone could just blatantly let their child die from non treatment. I can also understand someone's faith being so strong that they belive truly God will heal, and maybe sometimes God does heal. It's one thing to remove a child from an abusive situation or neglect, but part of me sees neglect, but the part of me that is anti-vaccine sees the mother as making a choice she believed in. What do you think? Should the government have stepped in and taken that kid? Should the mother face jail time? Should the kid be forced to take a treament he doesn't want?
1 response
@cicisnana (772)
• United States
14 May 10
I am so sorry but you are definitely not going to like what I have to say. But not because I'm against what you're saying but because of what has happened to my family. My daughter in law has a 2 year old little girl, my step granddaughter. Before she married my son she was living with her parents and they did not get along at all. The father was abusive and the law was called one night. The government took her little girl from her. At this time the little girl was almost 2 but not quite. Any how, my daughter in law followed all of the cabinets rules and obliged them in every way that they wanted, however, she is still fighting to get the girl back home, but for now has lost custody to the little girls father. The reason?? My daughter in law had looked into all the pro's and con's of vaccinations and decided they were too risky, especially now in the day and age when those diseases are no longer around. Because she chose not to vaccinate her little girl she was "neglectful" in the eyes of the court, and is having to fight a long, hard battle to get her baby home.
• United States
17 May 10
I have nothing against what you said. I do find it stupid she lost custody because she neglected to vaccinate.