Rethink Resources

In the news this week, I found a solid short article about legislators in Philadelphia failing to pass the Children in Substitute Care Act (CSCA) - a “bill of rights” for children in placement. Read here about some of the basic rights it was supposed to cover and how the measure suffered from lawmakers pulling it apart.

An article from Nevada addressed efforts to create more shelters and programs for youth on the streets. Read more about how they want to create a 24 hour drop in center.

Also reporting on issues for homeless and at risk youth, this article talks about one place in the Miami, Florida area creating education opportunities for homeless and out of school youth. The head of alternative education for the district put it best ”Programs don’t save kids.” he said. “Relationships do.”

I hope they increase the charges against this cop who was found by police investigating a suspicious vehicle having just paid for and had sexual contact with a 14 year old girl. He’s suspended without pay for now.

And last week I highlighted an article about the mom who prostituted her two daughters in Houston. I just wanted to stress this bit of information: that, at least in part, the 16 year old went for help in order to protect her 14 year old sister. I hear too much about how some people believe youth involved in the sex trade are caught up in themselves and selfish. When actually youth are always looking out for each other, sometimes involved to protect, support or care for another youth, and put themselves at risk to help other youth all the time. This is another example of that.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007 Foster Careless (Pennsylvania) There was an alarm system in the living room of Fatima Williams’ foster home, and her foster mother wouldn’t give her the code. On weekend mornings, teenaged Fatima would sit in her room while the woman slept in — she couldn’t start her day, even visit the kitchen, for fear of setting off the alarm.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 Getting homeless kids off the streets (Nevada) On any given day there are several hundred children living on their own and on the streets. Homeless advocates say for years the problems of homeless youth in Las Vegas went unrecognized and unaddressed.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 S.F. Police Sergeant Accused Of Sex With 14-Yr-Old (California) A 58-year-old San Francisco police sergeant has been suspended without pay for allegedly having sex with a 14-year-old girl, an Oakland police spokesman said Tuesday. Sgt. Donald Forte was arrested Thursday in Oakland and suspended without pay Friday, said San Francisco police Sgt. Steve Mannina.

Saturday, June 16, 2007 Better bridges for at-risk students (Florida) Beyond the living room where music videos flicker on a massive flatscreen TV, past the pool table under hanging banners that boast ‘Respect’ and ”Caring,” the cafeteria at the Miami Bridge is getting crowded. It’s where teachers have placed a chalkboard for the morning math class because the number of homeless kids at the shelter keeps growing.

Thursday, June 14, 2007 Mom accused of prostituting her 2 daughters: Police say she passed out cards that offered the teen girls for sex A 16-year-old girl endured being sold into prostitution by her mother but finally went to Houston police after seeing her younger sister also forced to perform sex acts, investigators said Wednesday. The teenager had complied with her mother — who even distributed business cards offering her daughters for sex — but feared that her 14-year-old sister would be hurt, officers said.