 |
|
May 25, 2012
Mark Clayton: Is Hillary's State Dept. hacking Al Qaeda? Not quite
Erika Bolstad: Temple cancels Wasserman Schultz speech
The Kosher Gourmet by Ethel G. Hofman: The former president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, whose members included the likes of Julia Child, is back with contemporary Shavous cuisine: Ruby Fruit Soup, Sweet Noodle Kugel with Cheese, Key Lime Curd, Calsone Casserole Frittata with Wild Mushrooms, Sun-dried tomatoes and Olives, Baked Tilapia with Pepper Cheese Cream and Brown Sugar Shortbread
May 24, 2012
Jeff Jacoby: The peace process battered Israel's reputation
Michael Muskal: 'Pro-choice' position hits record low, according to poll
Chris Farrell: Are We in a Tech Bubble?
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS --- hold the steak!
May 23, 2012
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
|
| |
Jewish World Review
Feb. 24, 2011
/ 19 Adar I, 5771
Nanny state's best judgment?
By Marybeth Hicks
| 
|
|
|
|
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Let's play Guess the Country. I'll describe a scenario, and you guess where it happened.
A mother goes to the grocery store for 30 minutes, leaving her 14-year-old son to baby-sit his 3-year-old brother. Nothing bad happens while she is out.
Nonetheless, based on the belief that her brief shopping excursion endangered her children, police cite the mother for "committing an act of cruelty on a child or young person," an offense that is reported to the bureau of criminal records. This results in the woman losing her job as a health care worker and prohibits her from working in any capacity that involves children for 10 years.
A yearlong investigation by social services experts eventually deems the woman an exemplary mother, and the government authority that regulates human services employees clears her. Nevertheless, because she has a criminal record that cannot be expunged, she essentially is unemployable in her field.
Think you know where this insane situation occurred?
If you guessed Great Britain, you win, though obviously parents there are losing, big time.
There's no minimum age for a child to be left at home alone in Britain, nor is there a law specifying how old a baby sitter must be, but under that country's Child and Young Persons Act, parents can be prosecuted for neglect if authorities think a lack of supervision is "likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health."
That means nothing bad actually has to happen for parents to be held accountable, with the potential for punishment up to 10 years in prison.
Britain's largest children's charity, the NSPCC, recommends that children younger than 13 should not be left at home alone at all and that baby sitters should be at least 16 years of age. Apparently, the NSPCC doesn't think "date nights" for moms and dads are very important, but I digress.
Clearly, our cousin across the pond is more than just a nanny state. It's a nanny state that wants to assure full employment for nannies.
The woman at the center of this controversy is working to overturn the law that has disrupted her life and livelihood, and she's not alone. Two nurses who last year were barred from working with children on similar grounds are suing the British government.
Hopefully, common sense will prevail in court.
But there's more to this story than simply the ridiculous notion that a young teen isn't competent to baby-sit his sibling. After all, some are not, no argument there.
Aside from the debate about "babyfying" a generation of British teens by keeping them from taking on reasonable responsibilities, the greater issue at stake is one of parental rights: Whose judgment should prevail, the state's or the parent's?
The rights of parents are not at the forefront in Britain, where the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was ratified in 1991. For 10 years, through policies and regulations, Britain has indicated its willingness to usurp parental authority in favor of a state-sponsored, government regulated, health-and-safety-obsessed childhood for all of Britain's kids.
Inserting state regulators into decisions about baby sitters is simply the manifestation of a doctrine that asserts that the state has a greater interest than parents in the welfare of its young citizens.
That notion is not just insulting; it's nuts.
It's easy to shrug off this story as though it's just the "news of the weird" from a country that seems to pride itself on tawdry tabloid tidbits. But already in the U.S., parental authority is usurped on grounds that aren't based on actual abuse, but on the notion of the "best interest" of the child.
Just last week, a California kindergartner was admitted to a psychiatric ward against his mother's wishes and without her consent based on a school counselor's opinion of his mental health.
Next thing you know, it's a ticket for "poor parenting."
Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JWR contributor Marybeth Hicks, a wife of more than 20 years and mother of four children, lives in the Midwest. She uses her column to share her perspective on issues and experiences that shape families nationwide.
To comment, please click here.
Archives
© 2009, Marybeth Hicks
|
