Posted by Ginger (209.214.91.51) on May 12, 2000 at 12:10:37:
In Reply to: Re: Locking kids in a bedroom posted by Carole on May 11, 2000 at 16:09:51:
: : From deposition of Miller Newton on 2-23-83 for the Fred Collins’ trial:
: : Q. Now you do recommend that they [host home parents] should lock the bedroom doors, do you not?
: : A. Not here in Florida. There are other states in which the issue of locking the door is not an issue as long as there is a way to escape, like kicking the window out.
: : "They told us in parent Rap to lock the bedroom doors from the outside. Then the state came down on them so they scolded us in GROUP for locking the kids in."
: : Frank S., a former parent at Straight-Springfield
:
: I know that is a LIE today, because my daughter had locks and alarms on the bedroom door and window. They had to wake her up at night if they wanted to use the bathroom. They didn't sleep in beds, they had mattresses in the floor for them to sleep on. I've seen dog beds better that those mattresses were. I've even seen dogs allowed to sleep on the beds, couches, stuffed chairs, and these human children weren't!
Only the lucky ones. Most of the foster homes I stayed in there were no mattresses. Just a few layers of blankets to avoid rug burns.
But if this was intended to be degrading, the effect was lost on me. I used to neglect my perfectly good room and comfy bed at home in favor of falling asleep on the Florida room floor watching the idiot box at home.
It's a comfort to know that, without even trying, I may have frustrated some attempts at debasement. Thanks, ya'll!