NEW JERSEY FOSTER CHILDREN BEING STARVED

(Collingswood, NJ) If you have ever wondered what happens to kids who become wards of the state, for whatever reason, this story may be informative. The State of New Jersey fired nine employees of the Department of Human Services and criminal charges are being considered because of the following.

The four adopted boys - one of them 19 - were found earlier this month at their house in Collingswood, malnourished and weighing less than 50 pounds each.

[ . . . ]

Authorities said the boys - the other three aged 14, 10 and 9 - were locked out of the family's kitchen and fed a diet of uncooked pancake batter, peanut butter and jelly and cereal. The boys, who told investigators they also chewed on wallboard and insulation, were found after a neighbor discovered the oldest boy rummaging through trash for food.

[ . . . ]

"I had staff that were either incompetent, uncaring or who had falsified records," said Department of Human Services Commissioner Gwendolyn Harris. "I have members of this division who have failed children almost to the cost of their very lives."

This type of story has been historically underreported to a massive degree. It's happening all over the US. The breaking up of families by zealous social workers and judges has relegated an entire population of children to abject misery. And the states are currently not capable of doing the job. Look at what happened recently in Florida where they couldn't even find 1000 foster children. It has to shock the sensibilities of any informed and rational citizen. It sickens me.

The terrible national foster care process should be shown the light of day. I'd recommend that John Walsh of America's Most Wanted spearhead an effort to correct the dismal situation. I wrote him a note about the problem.

One other thing is worth mentioning. The people who are the most vocal supporters of the current foster care system are also the most adamant about having a nationalized health care system. That would be great, having a health care system patterned after the foster care system. Liberalism marches on.

[Editorial note: The Associated Press report indicates that Gwendolyn Harris used the word "incompetent." This is incorrect. I viewed the TV news reports and she said "uncompetent." It's not clear whether she knows the difference between the words. It's also not clear why the AP corrected her mistake, if it was a mistake.]