Autistic child removed from home due to mothers religion

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Wow, this really makes me mad. Completely unacceptable.

This is an absolutely disgraceful story and the local government responsible here are displaying some appalling bigotry and this may well very negatively affect the child for absolutely no reason. I hope this issue is resolved firmly in the mother's firmly forthwith and that when (not if) she gets her children back she flees the area as soon as possible. People like this are dangerous.

Its horrible to take any child from a parent for this type of reason. The child was not being harmed in any way and that is clear bigotry! Taking an Autistic child away from a parent can destroy the child. Being Autistic I attached myself only to my Mother, I could not stand to leave her, even to go to school. They had to pry me off of her and if they took me away from her and my home, my haven, I dont even want to imagine what would have happened to me. This makes me cry, its a bit like the Ayn case in BC. An Autistic child taken from her home and placed in a mental hospital and put on heavy medication. Its wrong and these people need to learn as DW says, what is RIGHT and GOOD for the CHILD not someone else's beliefs. In the United States there is "supposed to be" religious freedom! They are using the laundry and saying the house was dirty as an excuse.

Olive Oil Mom, I have some friends who follow Wicca, and I'm guessing the Wiccan community has resources for this sort of thing; there are all sorts of intolerant nuts out there. Is there a way your friend can reach out to that community for support?

Here's a website that may be useful: http://www.wiccantogether.com/group/EndReligiousHate

That's why, if you are different in any way, you damn good and well make it disappear.

Especially if you have kids.

How many times I've had people tell me I cannot possibly be a fit parent because of AS-- without knowing me, without seeing my home, without meeting my kids! Imagine if I was fool enough to tell them I'm Pagan too!

I wish her luck. I'll light a candle and say a prayer.

It would be nice if it was different, but-- closets, man. They're not just for brooms and clothing. They're the safest place to live if you're anything other than perfectly "normal".

This was the first thing I thought when I read the post. I'm having a hard time believing this could even happen in this day and age.

It's possible she doesn't have the money to move, or maybe she never faced any discrimination before. Maybe she's rooted to the area where she grew up, or needs to stay there for employment. It's tough to say without more information.

I think this sort of thing can be damaging to any kid regardless of autism.

This whole thing has got to be illegal and I think it deserves national media attention, though that might not be the best thing for mother and kids right now...

I find it hard to believe how this can be legal

Indeed. Making it even more important that she gets out of there if at all possible. They won't like being caught with their trousers down.

This is Larry Cornett. I coordinate the Earth Religions Legal Assistance Network. We often help people with problems like the the one you are describing. As a new member, I can't post any websites or e-mail addressess. Please have the <name removed for privacy reasons> or a close contact phone me at (216) 583-0007.

There is also the Lady Liberty League, a Pagan (Wiccan) organization that fights for religious rights. They're responsible for getting the Pentacle(religious symbol) allowed on Veteran Graves and have recently smoothed out issues with an 11-year-old boy being harassed by teachers for his religion (I think it was in South Carolina, don't quite remember). They are a bit high-profile, as a part of their ongoing religious rights movement, but they will swoop in like a bunch of avenging angels.

Go to wwwDOTcirclesanctuaryDOTorg/liberty/ , it explains the organization a bit and has a link for a Help Request application.

Might the lass be better off going for a secular but powerful help organisation instead?

Olive Oil Mom,

Please update us if there is anything in the news. My heart goes out to this family. How horrible to live in with such intolerance!

Isn't the Wiccan religion the similar to the religion Europeans practiced before being forced into christianity by the roman catholics. I guess christians still like to harrass them. I hope she sues everyone who had a hand in any way at messing with this child. The NT's do not understand how much even a little change of environment can effects us. Not to mention having to be around all those strangers in child services and whatever foster home they dump the kid in. The kid certainly has been put in a more stressfull environment then what he had at home. For that they should be ashmed of themselves for being biggots towards different religions and of course how to properly deal with the autistic. If they can do this to Wiccans I wonder how these people will deal with Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Jews since they are different from christians.

as a major is psychology, the DSM (diagnostic and statistical manual...the diagnostic authority for mental heath workers) says that if a mentality or behavior is part of a religious belief it is not a psychological condition.
In fact, it is illegal. So for them to base removing her kids from the home because of a "delusion she is a witch" is clearly spoken against in the DSM.
She can take that to her lawyer in case he didn't know the DSM.

She NEEDS to take this to the big city media, even national media, avoid fox and local though....it is very important that she do that because they can swallow her in the system and she will never get her kids back without exposure.
Wicca was recognized by the US supreme court as a religion during the 90's or early 2000's I believe, but I know it has been recognized as a legitimate religion.

BTW...you can also sue the DFACS for child endangerment such as removing an autistic child out of them home and subjecting him to psychological truama for baseless reasons.

Also she can contact the ACLU or Southern Poverty Law Center. But go to the media first....they like clear cut, high profile cases.
If she does get accepted by either one of them, then the chances she will get her kids back will not only be high, but alot quicker than with a private lawyer.
Either one of them can make quick work of that case.

Also tell her to go to www.change.org to start a worldwide petition.

Also go on you tube....bang as many drums as you can, as loud as you can.

hope that helps,

Jojo

How did you know their names??

Last edited by OliveOilMom on 17 Jan 2012, 4:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.