BACK TO THE SITUATION WITH THE TEXAS CULT CHILDREN

We must beware of those offering false or weird ideas for they hide behind closed doors and control the minds of the weak. Brenda A. Ysaguirre

Sounding off: Did CPS go too far?
12:00 AM CDT on Saturday, May 24, 2008
Darryl E. Brown, Richardson
CPS is seriously understaffed. If they were a private firm, they would be put out of business. CPS does about as well as a one-armed paper hanger.
Darryl E. Brown, Richardson
Laws pertaining to under-age marriage and polygamy in this case should never have been enforced. The children had been housed, fed, clothed, educated and were wanting for nothing. Yes, CPS overreached into the realm of religious freedom.
Phil Mendershausen, Dallas
There is something deeply disturbing about the sight of the government moving into a religious compound and essentially breaking up a community. I certainly don't support polygamy, but couldn't the government remove the men from the compound, and leave the women and children together under supervision until a complete investigation takes place?
Martin Greenberg, University Park
After years of accusations of "not doing enough," CPS has stepped up to the plate and done what is necessary to proactively protect a mass of abused children. What to do with them? I wish I had the answer. That will take study.
Kurt Wolfenbarger, Dallas
Children must be protected at all costs. The heartache of these separated previously abused mothers in the polygamist case is nothing compared to what these young girls (and boys) have had to psychologically and physically endure because of the sexual appetites of older men. Yes, CPS is understaffed and verworked, but what would we do without these dedicated caseworkers, who attempt to alleviate such suffering for children everywhere.
Mrs. Marty Walker, Dallas
Child Protective Services cannot win. They are over-stretched, under-funded and need to respond to the public's outrage at a societal problem. To make matters worse, we won't fund solutions to problems that we think shouldn't exist (e.g., homelessness, drug addiction, child abuse.)
Stephanie Mueller, Dallas
It would be preferable to remove all of the men from the compound, allow the women and children to stay in familiar surroundings with caseworkers on premises, and then sort through each family individually.
Beverly Lowry, Dallas
Any community's first priority should be the welfare of our children. Many immigrants came to America to avoid religious persecution; however if one's religion promotes illegal activities, then the law must step in.
Debbie Gallagher, Cedar Hill
Voices: The above residents are regular contributors to this forum.Keith A. Brown
Pleasant Grove musician, aircraft machinist and volunteer
CPS overreached. The men who have committed crimes should have been the focus of a government action, not the women and children. As a member of a minority religious sect, I would keep the children with their mothers, simply providing education on Texas laws regarding polygamy. CPS has a daunting task. Overall, I give them a passing grade.
Sharon Garner-Davis
Duncanville Realtor and business owner
I would work to liberate the thinking of the moms. I would then offer them the opportunity to regain custody of their children by agreeing to refrain from the practices of polygamy, incest and facilitation of statutory rape. I think that CPS is doing the best they can under the worst of circumstances.
Jeanette Khan
Richardson freelance journalist
I definitely think CPS has overreached in this case. They are ripping children, who have lived very secluded and sheltered lives, into a world that may be confusing and overwhelming to them. Also, separating the children from their mothers' can have a devastating lifelong effect. The state should provide for safe housing for both the mothers and their children.
Ellen Raff
Lake Highlands writer
I believe CPS has doneits job according to the letter of the law, and I believe the paternal society of the religious sect is exploitative of the young women and detrimental to the male children as well. The problem is that life outside the compound is, in some ways, tougher. Coming of age in foster care is not a wonderful alternative; neither is the reality of being a teenager in today's pop culture.
Laurie Dodic Steinberg
Highland Park full-time mother and volunteer
As a lawful society, we didn't have much of a choice other than to remove the children due to the sexual misconduct they were being subjected to without knowing any different. I wish there was a way to just to remove the grown men from the compound and leave the children with their mothers. I think for an understaffed, overworked agency, CPS does the best it can.