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posted by janrinok on Tuesday March 10 2015, @03:32AM   Printer-friendly
from the protection-or-interference? dept.

We previously reported on the parents in Maryland who were being investigated for neglect after letting their 10-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter make a one-mile walk home from a Silver Spring park on Georgia Avenue on a Saturday afternoon. Now the Washington Post that after a two-month investigation the Montgomery County Child Protective Services has found the parents responsible for “unsubstantiated” child neglect in a decision that has not fully resolved their clash with authorities over questions of parenting and children’s safety. "I think what CPS considered neglect, we felt was an essential part of growing up and maturing," said Alexander Meitiv. "We feel we're being bullied into a point of view about child-rearing that we strongly disagree with."

The finding of unsubstantiated child neglect means CPS will keep a file on the family for at least five years and leaves open the question of what would happen if the Meitiv children get reported again for walking without adult supervision. The parents say they will continue to allow their son, Rafi, 10, and daughter Dvora, 6, to play or walk together, and won’t be swayed by the CPS finding. “We don’t feel it was appropriate for an investigation to start, much less conclude that we are responsible for some form of child neglect,” says Danielle Meitiv, who said she and her husband plan to appeal and worry about being investigated again by CPS. “What will happen next time? We don’t know if we will get caught in this Kafkaesque loop again.” Asked how authorities would respond if the children were reported again for walking unsupervised, Paula Tolson, spokeswoman for the Maryland Department of Human Resources, said CPS would become involved if a complaint was made about the safety of the children. In such cases, “if we get a call from law enforcement or from a citizen, we are required to investigate. Our goal is the safety of children, always.”

 
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  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by redneckmother on Tuesday March 10 2015, @04:29AM

    by redneckmother (3597) on Tuesday March 10 2015, @04:29AM (#155256)

    When I was younger ( 8 through 14 years), my school system didn't allow anyone who lived within 1.5 miles of the school to ride a bus - we had to arrange a ride from a neighbor, or (as I did), WALK.

    I used to get REALLY pissed off, as I watched a -mostly empty- school bus pass me ~100 yards from my house each afternoon.

    I was carrying ~ 30 pounds of books, my musical instrument, and (sometimes) a heavy coat that was necessary in the mornings.

    Bitter much? No, not me...

    Someone "allows" their child to walk for a bit? JeezUsPleaseUs - get a F***ing grip!

    --
    Mas cerveza por favor.
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  • (Score: 5, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 10 2015, @04:59AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 10 2015, @04:59AM (#155271)

    I believe people dug that this is still the policy in the district where these people have now been cited for neglect. That is: It's in direct contradiction with the local school board requirements.