An interfaith effort to protect foster care children
14 December 2011
9 Comments
Abdulrahman, born in 2004 to Muslim parents. When the state placed him with a non Muslim family, the child's faith and name were changed without permission from the birth parents. Even visits to religion services were not permitted.
By Dr. Aref Assaf/ NJ Voices
Can the State force the change of a child’s religion? An opinion piece I wrote on the relevance of the religious dimension of foster care children has formed the foundation for an important legislation in New Jersey. The columnwas the result of a painful interview I had with the parent of a Muslim child who tearfully related the details of how his son, after being placed with a Christian family, had his faith changed and his name was no longer ‘Abdulrahman” but “Joshua.” Even before the father lost his parental rights, the conversion process was fully underway despite the stern objection of the birth parents.
That such a conversion of child’s faith would occur under the watchful eyes of the state is a case of deliberate negligence at minimum. Delving further, I discovered that our current laws give no credence to the pivotal role of religion in a child self-identification and sense of self worth. The State has in effect become complicit in furthering the trauma and anxiety of children under its care.
The piece argued that the foster care laws were either misunderstood or misapplied. I argued that a “change to New Jersey laws, we hope, will affirm rather than abrogate the duty of parents to choose and maintain the faith of their biological children because such a right is a natural one superseding those of the state. We should no longer accept the religious preference to be the right of the child only because children are inherently dependent on their parents for physical, moral, and spiritual fulfillment.”
I spared no effort to plead my case to those who cared to listen.
It was the good will of Imam Mohammad Qatanani, the spiritual leader of the Islamic Center of Passaic County, which led to a most fruitful relationship with Assemblyman Gary Schaer from Passaic (D-36). Asm. Schaer and I held many and long discussions (and with the support of our staff). The collaboration culminated in the drafting of legislation, (A-4354) which, if passed, will provide a foundational legal precedent that ensures the continuity of the child’s religious traditions. The bill will “permit agencies and courts to place a child in a setting of a different religion only with a written statement from the child birth parent or legal guardian.”
Before our Governor Christie can sign a bill into law, it will require the approval of both chambers of NJ Legislature. The Assembly Bill will soon have companion bill in the NJ Senate. We are thrilled that Senator Tony Bucco (R-25) has formally agreed to act as the key sponsor of a similar bill early next year to coincide with the new session of the Senate. We also know that other Assemblymen and Senators have expressed their readiness to sponsor and vote for the bill when introduced.
It is worth noting that a prominent Jewish agency, Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services, Inc, that helps children has also come aboard to support the effort. Several other ethnic and religious groups have joined our efforts as well. The legislation is, after all, faith-neutral and it will protect children of all faiths. From the start, CAIR NJ, the Council on American Islamic Affairs was a formidable supporter of the initiative.
The expected law will not be retroactive and thus it will not help the child whose fate has so touched me. It will, I hope, prevent other children and their parents form enduring such pain.
The significance of all these efforts is not lost on me escpaillcy during this holiday season. Here you have elected politicians from both major parties lending their heartfelt support for amending the current laws to benefit all citizens. Here you have a Muslim reaching out to a Jew, and so passionately supported by a Christian and people from other faiths- but all are citizens of the United States, joining hands to lessen the trauma wrought upon our little citizens. These moments sustain my faith in America and its ability to refocus its moral compass when injustice is rendered.
Dr. Aref Assaf is President of American Forum and an Advisory Board Member of The Council on American Islamic Relations, NJ. Reach him at www.aafusa.org
Original post: An interfaith effort to protect foster care children
What?? You think this is a great bill? Do you know what life is like for a child in long term care who cannot get foster parents because of some rule? They move from group home to group home as age and time limits of stay are exceeded. When they cannot get into a group home they are sent to a Psychiatric hospital or anyplace that has a bed for them to sleep in. There is no continuity of care and no fixed adult they can cling to for any length of time. This happens because the Social worker has to place them somewhere or take them home themselves so they will look to any placement to keep their caseloads under control and their own home empty.
Leave the system alone for the children whose parents have lost all custodial rights, the people that foster these children usually adopt them as they become Foster/Adoptable and have the same rights as any biological parent. The laws may vary in state to state but for children who are short term care the Foster Parents must consider the child’s religion and allow him or her to attend the church of their belief if they go to church at all.
If you’re going to go down this road just set up a priority that children are placed with people with like minded religious preferences first if they are available, if none are let them have a home. I realize your intentions are good in regards to placement or religious preference but you have not looked at the consequences of your actions. Just remember the odds of these children getting any religious training while in group homes is small simply because the children enter a survival mode bonding with other children rather than adults (though they will seek their attention.)So they will not go to church or they will go but their motivations will be outside of religious learning. In addition they will have no adult to discuss their questions with as the workers in the group home or shelter will not be able to council them on religious questions.
Note: for people that do not believe the child will be sent to a
Psychiatric or children’s hospital it is easily justified as these children are frequently depressed and exhibit behavior problems. Of course they have been removed from their family so this is expected but it still serves as an excuse to send them if no other placement is available and thus before you know it the child is getting therapy and placed on drugs to control depression, aggression, ADHD or all three.
14 December 2011 at 5:38 pm