From: sbishop@desire.wright.edu
Newsgroups: alt.child-support
Subject: Re: Child support problems
Date: 11 Dec 92 16:38:44 GMT
Organization: Wright State University

In article <1992Dec11.122312.25937@ll.mit.edu>, yasu@ll.mit.edu (Alan Yasutovich) writes:
> In article <1992Dec10.220724.6171@desire.wright.edu> sbishop@desire.wright.edu writes:
>>In article <1992Dec10.182855.11429@tellab5.tellabs.com>, chrz@tellabs.com (Peter Chrzanowski) writes:
>>>> When Mike first moved in with us, I wrote a very nice letter to his father.
>>>> I hoped to establish some kind of friendly contact with him so that Mike
>>>> could re-establish a relationship with him.  I gave copies of the letter
>>>> to Mike's case worker for her approval before I sent it.  I got VERY
>>>> nasty letters back from both Mike's father and step-mother.  I then
>>>> got out of the loop, I didn't see any future in trying any more.  
>>> 
>>> 
>>> When 'our' foster son came to live with us, his father was in prison.
>>> I told the foster son that I'd help him keep in touch with his father
>>> if he wished (drive him there & back; maintain availability and
>>> privacy of phone and mail, etc.) but that it was up to him and his
>>> father as to whether they wished to have a relationship.
>>> 
>>> In fact, I did later meet his father, but I think it was best that he
>>> rather than I initiated this meeting since (IMO) the situation was one 
>>> in which he'd inevitably feel resentful.  
>>
>>Our situation has now gone into a more weird mode.  Mike's father has now
>>filed in court to 'terminate his parential rights and child support payments'.
>>He obviously has not consulted a lawyer (military personnel have access
>>to free legal advice) since this is impossible.  Also, he is getting
>>transferred back to the states sometime soon.  I have copies of the letters
>>he sent to the court, on November 17th he wrote and requested a hearing
>>to obtain custody, on November 28th he wrote and asked for termination
>>of parential rights.  This guy is not operating with a full deck.
> 
> 
> 	This may be true.  But therein lies the inequity of the
> 	system and lack of understanding on your part.
> 
> 	If a *mother* is proved to be unfit, she can abandon
> 	her child(ren) at any time.  They are wards of the state.
> 	No one FORCES her to be a mother.  no one FORCES her
> 	to pay child support.  Can the same be said for this man?
> 	If he is not playing with a full deck and wants out,
> 	why is that any different than an unfit mother?
> 

In THIS state, she can and will be assessed for child support, the same
as any man.  See the Child Support Worksheet I posted.  In Mike's case,
his mother is mentally ill and on welfare.  If she were not, she would
have been assessed a portion of the child support, the same as his father.

Sue

> 
>>I've been doing volunteer work for a while with troubled teens.  When
>>I think of the messes some of these kids get themselves into by running
>>away from a bad parent, living on the streets, sleeping in abandoned
>>cars, selling their bodies to support themselves or to buy drugs......
>>well, foster homes placements are literally heaven for them.  But the
>>shortage of foster homes for teens is really critical.  I know of one
>>girl for whom I tried desperately to find a placement.  Finally the
>>county put her into the custody of an older half-sister.  The sister
>>turned out to be abusive, locked her for 18 hours in a freezing attic
>>in November!  The girl is currently in a County Home, runs away from
>>the home about once a week. Last time she ran away she shaved all her
>>hair off......  I worry about her, I don't know if she is going to survive
>>to grow up.
>>
>>Sue
> 
> 
> 	And here you documet the fact that many of these kids
> 	actually RUN AWAY!!!!  Let them.  I'm not saying it's right
> 	or good but:
> 
> 	a) Mother doesn't want kids:  State says OK.
> 	b) Kids don't want parents:  State says OK
> 	c) Father doesn't want kids:  State says, "dream on!"
> 
> 	Is a situation with a father "not playing with a full
> 	deck" superior to no father at all?
> -- 
> 	Alan Yasutovich
> 	"inquiring  (and nosey) minds WANT TO KNOW!!!"
> 	I can remember when "safe sex" meant having a padded headboard!!
> 	Tick Tock.....Tick Tock......Tick Tock .....Tick Tock......