Child Protection Law Report articles from February 2005

Child Protection Law Report archives from February 2005

Ask teenagers what they want.(Slants & Trends)(poker games)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... ASK TEENAGERS WHAT THEY WANT for a birthday gift, and poker chips might show up on a lot of lists. Weekend poker games--for kids--are becoming common across America. People who have studied addiction and have seen it ruin adult lives are...

Bush submits budget proposal; negotiation and compromise begin.
February 1, 2005... President Bush has submitted a proposed $2.5 trillion federal budget for fiscal year 2006, which starts on October 1, 2006. Several programs that serve young people will be scaled back and others will be eliminated entirely. Bush's budget...

Mentally ill California youth await treatment in detention.
February 1, 2005... One of the consequences of the lack of access to mental health care in the United States is the inappropriate use of juvenile detention centers to hold youths with mental disorders. In a study conducted at the request of Rep. Henry Waxman...

Abuse and neglect hearings no longer off limits to public.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... New Hampshire has crossed a barrier that many in the state considered impenetrable--child abuse and neglect hearings are now open to the public. Under a pilot project, child abuse and neglect hearings in Grafton and Rockingham Counties are...

Insurance funds for children restored by HHS Secretary.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... On January 19, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson restored $643 million in unspent State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) funds to states so that they could continue providing health insurance to kids. SCHIP includes...

Lesbian cartoon characters draw Jeers from department of education.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... An upcoming episode of the PBS series "Postcards from Buster" has captured the attention of new Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. The episode includes a lesbian couple, and the Secretary has indicated that such a lifestyle should not...

Full house: teens playing poker with enthusiastic parental support.(Interview)
February 1, 2005... The increase in gambling among teenagers has been a hot topic recently. Child Protection Law Report discussed this phenomenon and its implications with Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling. CPLR:...

"Centers of excellence" to provide multi-faceted training and education.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Child advocacy organization First Star announced that it will partner with three law schools to establish the First Star Multidisciplinary Centers of Excellence (MCEs). The goal of the MCEs is to teach child advocacy to the professionals...

Teen receives jail time for releasing computer virus.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... A U.S. District Judge in Seattle sentenced 19-year-old Jeffrey Parson to 18 months in prison for releasing a variant of the Internet virus called MS Blaster. In the summer of 2003, the teen's Blaster attack affected nearly 50,000 computers as...

Nicotine exposure affects children's test scores.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Exposure to secondhand smoke had a negative effect on math and reading scores in a study involving children aged six to 16 years old. Over 4,300 children participated in the study; children suspected of being active smokers were eliminated. ...

New state law would block minors going to drink in Mexico.(Legislation)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... A new law proposed by Arizona state Sen. Robert Cannell (D-Yuma) aims to prevent teenagers from going to Mexico to drink alcohol. Although drinkers in Mexico must be 18 years old, bars south of the border are sometimes lax when it comes to...

Methamphetamine bill would help children of substance abusers.(Legislation)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Jim Talent (R-Mo.) have introduced legislation (S. 103) to address the methamphetamine drug problem that is prevalent in some areas of the country. The drug poses a danger to children due to its effect...

Adam's Law would give voice to foster parents.(Legislation)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... When four-month-old Adam Sereno was taken from his foster parents in 2003 and given to his biological father, no one knew the terrible fate that awaited him. In a matter of weeks, Adam was dead and his father was subsequently convicted of his...

Neglected children entitled to legal representation, says federal court.(Child Protection Law Abstracts)
February 1, 2005... Kenny A. v. Perdue, No. 1:02-cv-1686-MHS U.S. District Court, N.D. Ga. February 8, 2005 Abused and neglected children have a constitutional right to legal representation, U.S. District Judge Marvin Shoob ruled in a Georgia class action....

Court allows obesity suit against McDonald's to proceed.(Child Protection Law Abstracts)(New York Consumer Protection Act )
February 1, 2005... Pelman v. McDonald's Corporation, No. 03-9010 U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit January 25, 2005 Parents alleging that misleading advertisements by McDonald's are the cause of their kids' obesity will be able to move forward...

Massachusetts jury convicts priest in sexual molestation case.(Child Protection Law Abstracts)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... A jury in Middlesex Superior Court convicted ex-priest Paul Shanley of repeatedly molesting a young boy at a parish outside Boston in the 1980s. The main evidence was the "recovered memory" of one victim. The 27-year-old victim suddenly...

Parents of autistic child prevail against school board.(Child Protection Law Abstracts)
February 1, 2005... Deal v. Hamilton County Board of Education, No. 03-5396 U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit December 16, 2004 In an action brought under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals held...

Lawsuit against brewery giants dismissed by California judge.(Child Protection Law Abstracts)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Goodwin v. Anheuser-Busch Cos., No. BC310105 Los Angeles County Superior Court February 1, 2005 A lawsuit was dismissed that alleged Anheuser-Busch Co. and Miller Brewing Co. encourage teen drinking by focusing their advertising on...

No random drug test for juvenile justice employee.(Child Protection Law Abstracts)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Wenzel v. Bankhead, No. 4:03cv403-RH/WCS U.S. District Court, N.D. Fla. December 14, 2004 An employee of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) should not have been fired when he refused to submit to a random drug test. DJJ's...

Driver's license revocation proper when child support in arrears.(Child Protection Law Abstracts)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Amunrud v. Board of Appeals, No. 52910-2-I Court of Appeals for the State of Washington December 27, 2004 A father's Fourteenth Amendment substantive right to a livelihood was not violated when his driver's license was revoked due to...

Student's lawsuit aims to end Wisconsin summer homework.(Child Protection Law Abstracts)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Larson v. Burmaster, No. 2005CV000159 Milwaukee County Circuit Court Filed January 10, 2005 A student who was assigned homework last summer for an honors pre-calculus class has sued school officials in an effort to end summer homework...

Bill to strengthen parental rights will hurt Utah kids, say advocates.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... New legislation that would redefine "accidental" abuse and neglect is not receiving an enthusiastic response from child welfare advocates in Utah. Rep. Wayne Harper (R-West Jordan) believes that the rights of parents are sometimes...

Cell phones.(talking on cell phones while driving)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... CELL PHONES. Virginia wants to stop teenagers from talking on cell phones while driving. The Senate has passed a measure that would prevent anyone under 18 from making a call while behind the wheel, even if using a hands-free device. The bill,...

Family act.(Family Opportunity Act)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... FAMILY ACT. On January 26, Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) reintroduced the Family Opportunity Act (S. 183). The legislation would give states the option of allowing families with disabled children to buy into the Medicaid program. Cosponsored...

Reward for parents.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... REWARD FOR PARENTS. A school in Tucson, Ariz., rewards parents whose children have good attendance rates. Davidson Elementary School gives away prizes that include refrigerators, televisions, washers and dryers. All of these new or nearly new...

Uncle Sam wants you.(No Child Left Behind Act of 2001)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU. When spring rolls around, high school students might receive a phone call from their local military recruiter, even if they have never expressed an interest in military service. This could happen because a school may have...

Pay raise.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... PAY RAISE. A salary hike might be in the offing for Florida workers who guard juvenile offenders now that the state's lawmakers have discovered that workers earn only $17,500 a year. Lawmakers from both political parties want to raise starting...

Career day.
February 1, 2005... CAREER DAY. Students and teachers at Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School were surprised at the advice meted out to girls by William Fried at the career day program. The management consultant suggested that girls in the audience at the...

Zero tolerance.
February 1, 2005... ZERO TOLERANCE. Fourteen-year-old Chloe Smith was suspended for a year from Mustang Middle School after a drug-sniffing dog indicated that there were drugs in her locker. What was found? Smith was in possession of prescription hormones she...

Mattel Children's Foundation.(Funding News)
February 1, 2005... * Mattel Children's Foundation has announced a new grant program for charitable organizations. Funding priority will be given to organizations or programs that directly impact children in need and that align with Mattel's philanthropic...

The Indian Health Service.(Funding News)
February 1, 2005... * The Indian Health Service will fund 200 scholarships for American Indians or Alaska Natives who have been accepted for enrollment in a program leading to a degree in certain health professions. The average award for a full-time student is...

The Tony Hawk Foundation.(Funding News)
February 1, 2005... * The Tony Hawk Foundation awards grants to facilitate the construction and operation of new skateboard parks and facilities in low-income communities. Grants may be requested in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $25,000. The deadlines are March 1...

New calendar items.(Calendar)
February 1, 2005... * Mar. 6-8 A New Covenant: Reengineering Systems of Care for African-American Children, Arlington, Va. For more information, go to www.blackadministrators.org. * Mar. 9-11 Children 2005: Crossing the Cultural Divide, Washington, DC. More...