EDMOND — The Tulsa World on the child shelter law:
It appears that a new law effective in July is having the desired effect: reducing the number of children staying more than 24 hours in a state-operated shelter.
Since House Bill 1734 went into effect, the number of children housed at the Laura Dester Shelter in Tulsa has dropped from highs of 60 children a month last year to as few as 14 this past month.
The new law did away with a practice that many believe contributed to the high number of children placed in the shelter. In some areas, including Tulsa, there were standing judicial orders allowing law enforcement to remove children from their homes if they felt such an action was necessary. The new law requires law officers to contact the Department of Human Services and a judge before removing children from their homes.
The new law also placed control of DHS shelters with the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth.
The law is among responses to an audit of DHS child protection procedures, including the practices that led to Oklahoma removing children from their homes at a rate almost twice the national average.
Certainly that high rate of removals was cause for questioning policies and procedures, and for some changes to be made. While police no doubt acted with good intentions, it seems obvious that not all the children removed in the past needed to be taken out of their homes.
On the other hand, some observers have lingering concerns. Oklahoma has long dealt with the problems arising out of what DHS Director Howard Hendrick calls the “fragile family” syndrome — the cycle of poverty and all its associated ills that often includes child abuse and neglect. There obviously is the chance that under the new procedures, the decision will be made to leave children in their homes and tragedy will ensue.
Let’s hope and pray that won’t be the case. The new law is intended to result in closer attention being paid to each case and an individualized resolution arrived at in each one. If all parties work toward that goal, and that seems to be the case so far, then the best interests of the children should be protected.
Opinion
10-29 Editorial: other view
- Opinion
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OUR VIEW: Feb. 14 vote about ideas
If you read any of the letters to the editor in the past two weeks regarding Tuesday’s District 2 Edmond school board race, then you already know that this election is not about the individual candidates so much as it’s about what type of school board do Edmond residents really want governing their school district?
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What are your presidential 10 Commandments?
As we brace for the upcoming presidential campaign, we should be honest about our responsibility in the process. Before we get pushed, pulled, bribed, frightened, bullied, flattered, fooled or charmed into voting for a candidate, let’s take a mature thoughtful look at what the profile of the president should look like. In order to do that, let’s do an exercise. Sit down with a pencil and paper and draft your proposal for the Ten Commandments to be obeyed by the president. Let me share some of my suggestions.
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What would Reagan do today in Oklahoma?
As we celebrated the 101st anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s birth on Feb. 6, several of us at Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs started discussing what Reagan might do today. Here are some of the ideas we came up with.
- LETTER: School counselor says Roy ready to help all students
- LETTER: Supporter calls Duncan 'a firecracker'
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Consequences of an overregulated nation
Overreaching government regulations are costing jobs and killing our economy. They are a heavy burden on our nation and its citizens — in some cases worse than our nation’s increasingly out-of-control debt.
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LETTER: Supporter: Duncan shows passion for children’s needs
To the Editor:
The families in the Edmond Public School District are fortunate to have Kathleen Duncan as their advocate on the Edmond Board of Education. Duncan has worked tirelessly for the welfare and benefit of the Edmond schools’ students. -
LETTER: Teacher supports Duncan’s re-election
To the Editor:
On Feb. 14 patrons of District 2 have an opportunity to re-elect the current president of the Edmond School Board, Kathleen Duncan. Duncan has served as a board member for 10 years. When people move to the Oklahoma City area, they buy a home here because of the exceptional quality of Edmond Public Schools. This speaks to Duncan’s goal of “Excellence in Education for All Edmond Public School Students.” -
LETTER: Supporter: Duncan understands diverse issues
To the Editor:
Kathleen Duncan understands the diverse issues that effect our schools. She carefully studies the district’s issues and works tirelessly as an advocate for all students. Her votes as a board member have an impact for years to come and she takes that responsibility very seriously. - LETTER: Reader says incumbent's personal agenda in the way
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OUR VIEW: Feb. 14 vote about ideas
