Arizona successfully kidnaps Shoar kids from Nevada after Judge terminates parental rights

[MindWars]

There's also medical kidnapping that happens all the time. How ppl can't connect these dots is beyond me. The state owns the kids from their daily school travels, to the doctors everyone is watch you watch your kid(s) and that Fed. idiots have given states the authority to be just that " Authority.

 

[MindWars]

ALEX JONES INFOWARS ON CPS AND OTHER SERIOUS ISSUES


There are dozens more of videos where CPS is corrupt as they come.

 

[RodISHI]

There is a group of women in Australia battling medical kidnap of children too. They have it worse there than here in some instances along with the fact that they treat the Aborigines children terribly. One doctor documented that for many years I'll see if i can find that.

 

[MindWars]

Use logical thinking here, do we seriously think they are going to term getting a bonus in plain flat out words no they will use round about language the average IQ won't catch or pick up on.

View attachment 129174


When CPS Kidnaps Children for Money

In addition to political topics, The New American also publishes articles about economics (from a free-enterprise perspective of course!), culture, and history. It is published by American Opinion Publishing, a wholly owned subsidiary of The John Birch Society.

FFS---the John Birch Society?

Most of the articles i posted was more for general information more than directed at this Az. case in Particular.
Kind of like I mentioned earlier they aren't going to come out and say oh hey grab a kid and you get a bonus.

It's knowing how to catch them which many have been caught doing just that. I'm scrolling through your comments now. Finally had the time.

 

[Disir]

I'm not sure on that 'wouldn't accept help', from the interviews I heard they were pleading for help.

The state should have said............let's figure out a way to get a home for you and your children that is stable without a leaky roof. Let's figure out a way that this home has running water and electricity. Let's figure out a way that your family is not without food all day while you are at day labor earning money for food until you get back on your feet. Let's get your kids back into school until you can afford to get the stuff to actually home school your kids. Let's get your kids medical care. It doesn't have to be forever and shouldn't be but......just until you get back on your feet.

The dad was a fitter or a plumber and mom was a stay at home full time mother. I just listed some of the details above^

In 2001 the Stratton Family were struggling to recover from economic problems caused by the theft of the earth moving equipment which was the main capital for Jack Stratton's contracting business.
The Stratton Family

Somewhere in all of the articles there was something about (I thought I read) that he had to close up shop after the theft and took to day labor to make ends meet.

Spoiler

n the kitchen, a large tub caught water dripping from the ceiling. The tub of water had debris floating in it. The plumbing facilities were in disrepair. No beds or mattresses were found throughout the home. Only two working kerosene heaters were seen in the home, despite the cold outside temperature as evidenced by the sleet and freezing rain earlier that day. The [County DSS] workers found almost no food in the home. Although the father-appellant told the workers that mother-appellant had been home schooling the children, the workers found no records or educational materials to support that claim. Appellants stated that none of the children had ever attended public school.

Also: According to these petitions, the Strattons were unwilling to take the necessary steps to regain custody of their children.14 The termination petitions alleged that the Strattons had repeatedly failed to comply with the court-ordered family reunification plan by, inter alia, failing to obtain adequate housing, failing to supply evidence of their employment, and refusing to cooperate with a court-ordered parenting capacity evaluation.

 

[Disir]

Use logical thinking here, do we seriously think they are going to term getting a bonus in plain flat out words no they will use round about language the average IQ won't catch or pick up on.

View attachment 129174


When CPS Kidnaps Children for Money

In addition to political topics, The New American also publishes articles about economics (from a free-enterprise perspective of course!), culture, and history. It is published by American Opinion Publishing, a wholly owned subsidiary of The John Birch Society.

FFS---the John Birch Society?

Most of the articles i posted was more for general information more than directed at this Az. case in Particular.
Kind of like I mentioned earlier they aren't going to come out and say oh hey grab a kid and you get a bonus.

It's knowing how to catch them which many have been caught doing just that. I'm scrolling through your comments now. Finally had the time.

CPS cannot keep people because they don't make enough money and they don't get overtime. There is no bonus. You don't get cookies, toasters, a blender or a few grand. Those people work extremely long hours in a job that deals with pain and misery sometimes multiple times a day. There is an extremely high turnover rate.

 

[Preacher]

Use logical thinking here, do we seriously think they are going to term getting a bonus in plain flat out words no they will use round about language the average IQ won't catch or pick up on.

View attachment 129174


When CPS Kidnaps Children for Money

In addition to political topics, The New American also publishes articles about economics (from a free-enterprise perspective of course!), culture, and history. It is published by American Opinion Publishing, a wholly owned subsidiary of The John Birch Society.

FFS---the John Birch Society?

Most of the articles i posted was more for general information more than directed at this Az. case in Particular.
Kind of like I mentioned earlier they aren't going to come out and say oh hey grab a kid and you get a bonus.

It's knowing how to catch them which many have been caught doing just that. I'm scrolling through your comments now. Finally had the time.

CPS cannot keep people because they don't make enough money and they don't get overtime. There is no bonus. You don't get cookies, toasters, a blender or a few grand. Those people work extremely long hours in a job that deals with pain and misery sometimes multiple times a day. There is an extremely high turnover rate.

Well I am sure kidnapping children for profit for a living really wears down a normal person after so long. The really sick ones enjoy it.

 

[Disir]

Jeff and Tabitha Shoars eagerly awaited the day when they would hear the final verdict from Maricopa County Superior Court in Arizona. They firmly believed that the judge, who was presented with all the evidence in the case, would ultimately rule that their children should be returned home to their custody. Just before 8 am on Wednesday morning, May 24, they learned the horrible news: their children are not coming home and their parental rights have been terminated.

Arizona Successfully Kidnaps Shoar Kids from Nevada After Judge Terminates Parental Rights
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

This happens all the time msm always reports as usual always on the Gov. side of the claims they make against parents. When most people have no idea how CPS is often paid a bonus for taking peoples kids.
People always believe these authoritarian freaks because why they are the Gov. and the Gov. never plays any game to hurt people. They are out there to protect. My fkn ass wake up . People lose their kids for dumb, dumb reasons.

Soon as I saw how many kids they had I had a feeling that's EXACTLY why they were targeted. Too poor to afford a REAL lawyer and that many kids and the ENTIRE system works TOGETHER to kidnap the children for profit. They should have defended their home when they came to kidnap the kids ACROSS state lines which was illegal. This should be easily overturned in appeals court because they had no case against them in Arizona as it had been dismissed AND they had moved to another state who had cleared them. Arizona had no jurisdiction.

Just found this. The case went on for several years. Arizona finally dismissed the case after 600 days. when those children grow up they should sue Arizona's judges for depriving them and any abuse they suffered at the hands of their captors.

Children Kidnapped by State of Arizona Finally Returned to Parents After 600 Days

The paperwork has two different cause numbers. This is where it gets tricky by state. Some states use one cause number for each child. Some use one cause number for the type of case and all the kids.

 

[RodISHI]

I'm not sure on that 'wouldn't accept help', from the interviews I heard they were pleading for help.

The state should have said............let's figure out a way to get a home for you and your children that is stable without a leaky roof. Let's figure out a way that this home has running water and electricity. Let's figure out a way that your family is not without food all day while you are at day labor earning money for food until you get back on your feet. Let's get your kids back into school until you can afford to get the stuff to actually home school your kids. Let's get your kids medical care. It doesn't have to be forever and shouldn't be but......just until you get back on your feet.

The dad was a fitter or a plumber and mom was a stay at home full time mother. I just listed some of the details above^

In 2001 the Stratton Family were struggling to recover from economic problems caused by the theft of the earth moving equipment which was the main capital for Jack Stratton's contracting business.
The Stratton Family

Somewhere in all of the articles there was something about (I thought I read) that he had to close up shop after the theft and took to day labor to make ends meet.

Spoiler

n the kitchen, a large tub caught water dripping from the ceiling. The tub of water had debris floating in it. The plumbing facilities were in disrepair. No beds or mattresses were found throughout the home. Only two working kerosene heaters were seen in the home, despite the cold outside temperature as evidenced by the sleet and freezing rain earlier that day. The [County DSS] workers found almost no food in the home. Although the father-appellant told the workers that mother-appellant had been home schooling the children, the workers found no records or educational materials to support that claim. Appellants stated that none of the children had ever attended public school.

Also: According to these petitions, the Strattons were unwilling to take the necessary steps to regain custody of their children.14 The termination petitions alleged that the Strattons had repeatedly failed to comply with the court-ordered family reunification plan by, inter alia, failing to obtain adequate housing, failing to supply evidence of their employment, and refusing to cooperate with a court-ordered parenting capacity evaluation.

They owned their house. It was a a big ole two or three story rambler from what I saw in the photos that were online. It work in progress so I don't see that as a big deal, my children could have been considered abused when all four bathrooms in our house were being remodeled too or even when the floors down stairs were nothing but dirt while we saved the money to pour concrete after we refurbished the foundations. Heaven forbid they had to go all the way downstairs to use the bathroom when the one's upstairs were being replumbed. The mom was a stay at home mom who home schooled the children. If he was a contractor and did jobs as they come that means he did not have a nine to five job. So what? I'm sorry but I am not buying into what is just in the court files. My daughter bitched because she had to eat beans when life was tough financially. Poor thing hated to have farts while in school the day after a pot of beans. Did you know that many in the Mennonite and Amish sects will not file for food stamps or take any assistance from government institutions because they don't trust the government at all? I don't see that as a crime worthy of stealing someone's children over it. Personally if I had the money and time I would search to see who he pissed off and who was after what, what agendas did those people have that kept these children away from their parents.

This has some info in it but my connection is to slow to download it and see the full doc.
http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/cou...cc-archives/archived minutes/2005 minutes.pdf

 

[Muhammed]

Use logical thinking here, do we seriously think they are going to term getting a bonus in plain flat out words no they will use round about language the average IQ won't catch or pick up on.

View attachment 129174


When CPS Kidnaps Children for Money

If that's true then there is a major conflict of interests. I'll certainly be looking into this.

 

[RodISHI]

Here is a bit more on the Stratton case. Only the heading nothing more online in this search...

Kathy Stratton v. Mecklenburg County
Plaintiff: JACK STRATTON
Defendant - Appellee: MECKLENBURG COUNTY, RICKYE MCCOY-MITCHELL, REGAN MILLER, REBECCA THORNE-TIN, RICHARD JACOBSEN, TYRONE WADE, ELIZABETH MILLER-KILLEGREW, DAVID CAYER, YVONNE MIMS-EVANS, ROBERT S. ADDEN, JR., in their personal and official capacities, FRITZ MERCER, RESA HARRIS, AVRIL SISK, in their personal capacities, COUNCIL FOR CHILDREN'S RIGHTS, BRETT LOFTIS, MARTHA CURREN, in her personal capacity, HUGH B. LEWIS, LISA BELL and LOUIS TROSCH, JR.
Movant - Appellant: KATHY STRATTON, on behalf of the Estate of Jack Stratton, plaintiff
Case Number: 13-1095
Filed: January 23, 2013
Court: U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
Nature of Suit: Civil (Rico)

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

When most people have no idea how CPS is often paid a bonus for taking peoples kids.

Proof?

Their children’s screams still haunt Jeff and Tabitha Shoars’ dreams, and echoes of the laughter that once filled their home brings the couple to tears on a daily basis.

AUDIO MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN!

Where you at, bitch?
Disir

 

[gallantwarrior]

Jeff and Tabitha Shoars eagerly awaited the day when they would hear the final verdict from Maricopa County Superior Court in Arizona. They firmly believed that the judge, who was presented with all the evidence in the case, would ultimately rule that their children should be returned home to their custody. Just before 8 am on Wednesday morning, May 24, they learned the horrible news: their children are not coming home and their parental rights have been terminated.

Arizona Successfully Kidnaps Shoar Kids from Nevada After Judge Terminates Parental Rights
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

This happens all the time msm always reports as usual always on the Gov. side of the claims they make against parents. When most people have no idea how CPS is often paid a bonus for taking peoples kids.
People always believe these authoritarian freaks because why they are the Gov. and the Gov. never plays any game to hurt people. They are out there to protect. My fkn ass wake up . People lose their kids for dumb, dumb reasons.

Having recently had experience with how the authorities will stalk, bully, and generally head-fuck a child to suit their narrative, I agree that protection is most likely their last priority.

 

[Disir]

This has some info in it but my connection is to slow to download it and see the full doc.
http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/cou...cc-archives/archived minutes/2005 minutes.pdf

440 pages? February 1, 2005



(2) PUBLIC APPEARANCE
The following person appeared to speak during the Public Appearance portion of the meeting:
Jack Stratton addressed the removal of his children from his home by the County’s Department
2
of Social Services. He noted a tape recording that was made in October 2001 of a conversation between his wife and Gaston County Deputy Seagal, however Deputy Seagal was not aware that the conversation was being recorded. He said on the recording Deputy Seagal comments on how well his children were doing and that in her opinion there were no reasons why they should be removed. He said Deputy Seagal also raised the issue of Mecklenburg County’s jurisdiction rights. Mr. Stratton said Commissioners at that time publicly stated that his children were in “grave danger.” He said Commissioner Woodard stated in the Charlotte Observer that she was “just glad that my children were saved in the nick of time.” He said Commissioner Helms said on WBT that his children “would have been dead if they had not been taken.” He said that Commissioner Helms also said what Mr. Stratton was doing in his home was worst than “child sexual abuse.” Mr. Stratton said someone was not telling the truth, either Deputy Seagal or the Board. He said that he would have to side with Deputy Seagal. Mr. Stratton called for an independent investigation of the Board. He said the remarks made were “liable and slander” and an “obstruction of justice” as it relates to his case.

February 15

(2) PUBLIC APPEARANCE
The following person spoke during the Public Appearance portion of the meeting:
Jack Stratton appeared as a follow-up to his appearance at the Board’s meeting on February 1, 2005. He again referenced past remarks that he said Chairman Helms made regarding the removal of his children from his home. Mr. Stratton asked Chairman Helms was it still his position that Mr. Stratton’s children “would have been dead if they had not been taken” and that what Mr. Stratton was doing in his home was worst than “child sexual abuse?”
Chairman Helms’ response was that he and the Board were here to listen and not to get into a question and answer exchange.
Mr. Stratton continued. He questioned the accuracy of Chairman Helms’ past remarks. He stated that if Chairman Helms’ past remarks were true, then why is he still walking around because based on what was said he’s a felony child abuser and as such he should be locked up. He informed Chairman Helms that he had filed a state criminal complaint on him because of his past remarks. Mr. Stratton stated that if he’s not arrested for being an alleged felony child abuser then he expects a public apology.
Chairman Helms thanked Mr. Stratton for his remarks.

March 1
(2) PUBLIC APPEARANCE
The following person appeared to speak during public appearance:
Jack Stratton addressed matters involving his son Isaiah.

 

[Disir]

March 15
Jack Stratton informed the Board of the criminal complaint that he filed on charges of kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap against Gretchin Caldwell, Catherine Dorminey, Lisa Lubbey, Donna Fayco, Tyrone Wade, Yvonne Mims-Evans, and various others that will be identified in the future. He said the basis of his complaint is the kidnapping of his children on January 30, 2001 by Mecklenburg County officials and agents of DSS. Mr. Stratton said he would provide the Board with a copy of his complaint at a later date.

Nothing until October 18, 2005

(2) PUBLIC APPEARNCE
The following persons appeared to speak during public appearance:
Jack Stratton commented on the following:
•
Judge Libby Miller’s resignation, which he said was not to take another position, but because he was “moving in” on her. Mr. Stratton said that he was “closing in” on Judge Miller and that she would be indicted.
•
Former Chairman Tom Cox – Mr. Stratton said he exposed that Mr. Cox had contracts with DSS.
•
His willingness to take a polygraph test. Mr. Stratton said he had drafted documents to send to Mr. Kevin Kindred at the FBI regarding his consent to take a polygraph test, if the following persons also agree to take one: Chairman Helms, County Manager Jones, Jim Coleman, Sandra Bisanar, Jake Jacobsen, Tyrone Wade, Gretchen Caldwell, Libby Miller, Yvonne Mims-Evans, & Michael Giftose.
•
Mr. Stratton read an example of the document that he wants Chairman Helms and County Manager Jones to sign. “I Parks Helms hereby consent to take an FBI polygraph test. This will provide solid evidence to the FBI that Mr. Stratton’s charges are false and will show the FBI and the public that I was truthful when I claimed that 1) Mr. Stratton’s children would be dead if we had not taken them. 2) What was going on the in Stratton’s household before we took his children was worst than sexual abuse.”

That's it for 2005. I knew he had gone to the Board of commissioners.

That doesn't tell me much else.

 

[Disir]

When most people have no idea how CPS is often paid a bonus for taking peoples kids.

Proof?

Their children’s screams still haunt Jeff and Tabitha Shoars’ dreams, and echoes of the laughter that once filled their home brings the couple to tears on a daily basis.

AUDIO MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN!

Where you at, bitch?
Disir

I'm right here you twisted little fucknut.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

When most people have no idea how CPS is often paid a bonus for taking peoples kids.

Proof?

Their children’s screams still haunt Jeff and Tabitha Shoars’ dreams, and echoes of the laughter that once filled their home brings the couple to tears on a daily basis.

AUDIO MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN!

Where you at, bitch?
Disir

I'm right here you twisted little fucknut.

Nah, you don't to talk lie you're something, bitch. You insisted on proof and then said didn't say shit when your sorry little ass got served.

 

[Disir]

When most people have no idea how CPS is often paid a bonus for taking peoples kids.

Proof?

Their children’s screams still haunt Jeff and Tabitha Shoars’ dreams, and echoes of the laughter that once filled their home brings the couple to tears on a daily basis.

AUDIO MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN!

Where you at, bitch?
Disir

I'm right here you twisted little fucknut.

Nah, you don't to talk lie you're something, bitch. You insisted on proof and then said didn't say shit when your sorry little ass got served.

English. Do you speak it?


I have seen nothing that indicates CPS is getting a bonus for taking people's kids.

 

[RodISHI]

Here is another doc filing. I don't recall all of the details but do recall that the one son was raped the first night that they took the children. Sounds satanic to me so i can understand the claims made in this filing...Solomon Stratton v. Mecklenburg County Social Services, – CourtListener.com

This is a from 2003 discussion at freerepublic... the original article link is no good possibly on wayback? The Rhino Times -- Charlotte NC ^

“I have concluded that this case was mismanaged if viewed from the perspective of the family and their philosophical views,” Puckett wrote in a prepared statement. “I find it increasingly frustrating, and for me unacceptable, that our society, and more specifically our government, goes out of its way to be inclusive of harmful and often deviant lifestyles, but stands rigid against those families who have a solid Christian lifestyle or are unwilling to accept dependency on the government for subsistence. I hope that in the future the director of Social Services will take a more active role in ensuring that case workers and social workers share compatible values of those who they are trying to serve. Government is charged to serve the public as opposed to changing the public.”

Mecklenburg Co., NC County Commissioner is not comfortable with how the county DSS has approached child protective custody activity. Had it not been for the attention brought by the Jack & Kathy Stratton case, things probably would not change.


Some more on this case

A Clash Of Worldviews

Want To Hug Your Children? Better Check With The Department Of Social Services First


Warren Smith


COMMENTARY—An amazing scenario unfolded in civil courtroom 210 of the Mecklenburg County courthouse last week. Jack and Kathy Stratton, whose story we have reported here before, was attempting to get custody of one of their 10 children.

They had been taken from him and his wife by the Department of Social Services (DSS), and after a process that has now taken more than a year, he was having his day in court. Because Spencer Stratton had recently turned 18, these proceedings, unlike several previous hearings involving this family, aired in open court. For the first time, the media and the public were allowed to see how the court system and how DSS had behaved in this most unusual situation.

And it was high drama. For the most part, such hearings are monumentally boring. Questions and answers that for the most part establish the facts of the case. Not the kind of thing you see on Court TV.

But soon after the 10 am start time, things became interesting. It quickly became obvious that what was really happening was a case of clashing worldviews.

DSS attorney Tyrone Wade had established that the Strattons were poor. They had very little food in their refrigerator when DSS visited their home on various occasions. “Poverty conditions,” was what one report said. Wade’s questioning also insinuated that the homeschooling Strattons had not properly attended to their children’s education.

But under Schmidt’s cross-examination of witnesses, another picture of the Strattons emerged. A picture of a couple that had been married and stable for many years, but who were ferociously self-sufficient. A family who refused Medicaid and food stamps. A family that -- despite economic setbacks -- chose to look after themselves. And never mind the fact that when the children were put into the public schools, two of them made the honor roll. A fact that would never have emerged had not Schmidt (an attorney affiliated with the Christian-based Alliance Defense Fund) not pressed DSS witnesses for evidence that that the Strattons had neglected their children's education. A fact that the Stratton's previous attorney -- a court-appointed attorney -- had failed to uncover.

Another dimension also emerged. DSS and their attorney Tyrone Wade painted a picture of the Strattons as uncooperative, saying that the Strattons were “very suspicious of agency involvement.” But Schmidt’s line of questioning -- and the answers that reluctantly came from the DSS employees -- suggested that the Strattons had plenty of reasons to be suspicious. Quite aside from the fact that DSS had taken their ten children -- reason enough to cause parents to be “suspicious of agency involvement” -- were the allegations that two of the Stratton had been abused in foster care. And that DSS social workers were going to send the children right back into the same foster home!

Then came the telling moment, when Schmidt began questioning DSS employee Susan Miller about the parents’ visitation rights. Only “therapeutic” visits were allowed, which meant -- in this case -- that the parents were closely monitored during visits. All contact was supervised. No conversations could be taped or held in private. Indeed, under ADF attorney Schmidt's relentless cross-examination, it became apparent that Jack and Kathy couldn’t even hug their own children and tell them “I love you” without permission from the DSS workers supervising the visit. Jack Stratton's repeated assurances to his children that he was working diligently so that "they would be home soon" was cited by the DSS social worker as an example of how the Stratton's were traumatizing their children.

And though there was absolutely no evidence introduced to suggest that the parents were any threat at all to the children, Miller said, “I believe the children felt safer when there were professionals in the room.”

To my way of thinking, that was the key moment and this is the key question: Who should be raising these children? Their parents or “professionals”?

In fairness, DSS handles some pretty awful cases, cases in which parents do abuse their children in most despicable ways. The community should intervene in these cases. But poverty is not a crime. And self-sufficiency -- the refusal to accept services from the government, especially a government agency that you have reason to believe doesn’t have your best interests at heart -- is (I would suggest) a virtue. Instead, DSS asserted that the Stratton's unwillingness to accept food stamps was an example that they were not doing all they could and should to care for their children.

In the end, Jack and Kathy Stratton got their oldest child, 18-year-old Spencer, back under their roof. As attorney Schmidt said after the hearing, "One down, nine to go." That's the good news. The "other news," is that it took a year and the intervention of a Christian legal defense organization to bring about this simple bit of justice. This reuniting of two loving parents and their child.

It was indeed a clash of worldviews. On the one side were two parents who wanted to raise their own children in the way they best could, represented by a Christian lawyer -- Mike Schmidt -- who saw an injustice and wanted to see it remedied. On the other was a roomful of "professionals" who thought they knew better than the parents what was best for the children, and who based their thinking almost entirely on the fact that the parents would not bow to the Leviathan they served.

This good day, justice was indeed served. But in another courtroom, on another day...who knows? It was a civics lesson I will never forget

 

[RodISHI]

Our Tax Dollars At Work


Here's a disgusting little story unfolding locally:


The Stratton nightmare began more than a year ago, when the Mecklenburg County DSS took custody of all ten of the Stratton’s natural-born children, alleging that the children did not receive adequate care, supervision and discipline and their environment was injurious to their welfare. The Strattons have appeared numerous times before Judge Libby Miller to answer those charges in juvenile court. But not until Spencer (the Strattons' oldest kid - ed) aged out of the the juvenile court jurisdiction in January and his case went before a different judge, have the Strattons seen any progress in trying to get custody of their children.





“This is the most bizarre thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Whatley, who works with DSS on occasion through her non-profit law firm. “Most of the time when DSS is involved, there is drug abuse, alcohol abuse (or) domestic violence. But when you have an intact family with a long-term marriage and loving parents, we’ve never seen this situation where they’re trying to take the children away from their parents.”

Whatley is convinced that because the Strattons are an interracial couple with little money, they’ve been unfairly judged. Kathy is African-American and Jack is Caucasian.

“They’re being discriminated against because they’re poor,” said Whatley. “This is a family that does not want to take government assistance (and) that is being held against them. This is ludicrous!”

Whatley said that one example of either DSS’s obvious bias or their lack of professionalism involved the condition of the Strattons’ home. After DSS made an initial visit in December 2000, the Strattons moved their children to a log cabin in Gaston County, where they stayed for six weeks before social workers found them. When DSS came to take the children away, they noted in their report that an extension cord ran from the house next door into the Strattons’ window and therefore the Strattons had no electricity. In reality, the Strattons did have electricity. A neighbor had asked to use the Stratton’s electricity to plug up his power saw.

“I thought that was just horrible,” said Whatley. “They had electricity. Yet this entire time, it has stayed in the (court) record that they had no electricity. They never investigated to find out that they did have (it). It was taking facts that fit what they wanted to believe. They didn’t want to hear the truth.”


There's a lot more to this story, too. The whole thing seems to turn on two things: 1) the Strattons have refused to take any government assistance (Jack Stratton insists that feeding and caring for his kids is his responsibility, not the government's - what a bizarre idea, eh?) and 2) the Strattons home-school their children.

Allegations of sexual abuse have been made and then abandoned in one of many transparent attempts by DSS to demonize the Strattons. At bottom this case is really about a government agency drunk with its own power and refusing to acknowledge the fact:


But under Schmidt’s cross-examination of witnesses, another picture of the Strattons emerged. A picture of a couple that had been married and stable for many years, but who were ferociously self-sufficient. A family who refused Medicaid and food stamps. A family that - despite economic setbacks - chose to look after themselves. And never mind the fact that when the children were put into the public schools, two of them made the honor roll...

Another dimension also emerged. DSS and their attorney Tyrone Wade painted a picture of the Strattons as uncooperative, saying that the Strattons were “very suspicious of agency involvement.” But Schmidt’s line of questioning - and the answers that reluctantly came from the DSS employees - suggested that the Strattons had plenty of reasons to be suspicious. Quite aside from the fact that DSS had taken their ten children - reason enough to cause parents to be “suspicious of agency involvement” - were the allegations that two of the Stratton had been abused in foster care. And that DSS social workers were going to send the children right back into the same foster home!

Then came the telling moment, when Schmidt began questioning DSS employee Susan Miller about the parents’ visitation rights. Only “therapeutic” visits were allowed, which meant - in this case - that the parents were closely monitored during visits. All contact was supervised. No conversations could be taped or held in private. Indeed, under ADF attorney Schmidt's relentless cross-examination, it became apparent that Jack and Kathy couldn’t even hug their own children and tell them “I love you” without permission from the DSS workers supervising the visit. Jack Stratton's repeated assurances to his children that he was working diligently so that "they would be home soon" was cited by the DSS social worker as an example of how the Stratton's were traumatizing their children.


There's been a small ripple of controversy over this case around here, but not near enough as far as I'm concerned. I heard about it on a local talk radio show, and I haven't heard a word mentioned anywhere else. The local fishwrapper has ignored it, as has local TV news. I had to do a fair spot of digging to find the stories linked above, in the local edition of an obscure Christian-oriented paper. The Strattons themselves are currently under a gag order, although DSS is not. The Strattons' attorney summed it all up pretty well, I think:

But he added that the fight for the other nine children was an uphill battle “because it’s a fight aligned against an entire system of government employees that essentially work together and who have lost their objectivity because of their hostility toward the parents.”

It certainly looks that way from where I sit. Isn't it odd that when a child really is endangered the DSS sits on its hands and claims that there's nothing it can do (and I know this to be true from close personal observation in recent years), but in a case like this that is plainly politically-motivated, they all of a sudden develop a pretty long reach and an exceedingly tight grasp?

Like I said: disgusting.

plus more....Meck. Co., North Carolina DSS Parental Rights Abuses