Letter: Child-abuse protection violates parents' rights

ISSUE | CHILD ABUSE

Parents at risk

Janet Ginzberg's commentary is spot-on about the unintended but not inconsequential consequences of Pennsylvania's Child Protective Services Law ("Sandusky case fallout goes on," Sunday).

The law mandates that teachers and those who come into contact with children report suspected abuse to authorities. Failure to do so is a crime. It empowers protective agencies to investigate those reports.

The law ensures a constant flow of reports to be investigated, as mandated reporters cover their butts by reporting every bruise, scratch, and accusation. This unsolicited responsibility injects an element of suspicion and duplicity into the relationship between generally lower-income and/or minority parents and those supervising their children, and radically alters the balance of power in the tug-of-war between parent and child.

Worse, investigations are inadequate to protect the innocent. Child abuse is "indicated" when agency investigators determine that there is "substantial evidence" of abuse.

Astonishingly, the law authorizes county social workers to act as prosecutor, judge, and jury, though they are untrained in the law and lack judicial restraint, review, or oversight.

Every parent should be alarmed at this frightening prospect, because mandated reporting and investigations jeopardize every parent's reputation, livelihood, and rights.

|Gerald K. McOscar, West Chester, gmcoscar@msn.com