Girl taken from foster home because ethnicity.

[One Voice Among Many1]

Why especially for mixed blood Native American children? This child is only 1/64 Native American, she is mostly white. The reason I q

The answer to your question can be found here on the National Congress of American Indians website.

And in an official statement here from the National Indian Child Welfare Association.

 

[Blondepudding]

I couldn't tell that by your earlier comments.

Um, yeah. OK then.

Good move! At least you know what's up now.


I cry when I see this news report. Reruns or no. It's disgusting to watch and that one of her little sisters screams in such a heart wrenching way, noooooo, is too much. The whole neighborhood looked to be there witnessing this abuse. Very sad.

 

[One Voice Among Many1]

Yeah, it seems there's more to the story than was first reported

Yeah, like "Lexi was ripped from the arms of the only family she has ever known! She was sent to live with strangers!" Lie. Lie. Lie. Whoops! I guess many of the news reports in the media that "reported" this story forgot to mention that Lexi already had a relationship established between her and her biological relatives. How convenient that those particular news reports left that part out. Many people have also left out the part about how her biological father and relatives have been fighting to get her back.

 

[Hank77]

The answer to your question can be found here on the National Congress of American Indians website.

And in an official statement here from the National Indian Child Welfare Association.

I had read these for this case and agreed.
Why do You think that it is more (especially) important for Native American children to be with their biological families compared to children of other ethnic groups? I'm asking because of part Native American children in our own family.

Sorry about the incomplete last post, having trouble with the Cloud transmission.

 

[One Voice Among Many1]

I had read these for this case and agreed.
Why do You think that it is more (especially) important for Native American children to be with their biological families compared to children of other ethnic groups? I'm asking because of part Native American children in our own family.

Sorry about the incomplete last post, having trouble with the Cloud transmission.

I did not mean to imply that I thought it was more important for Native American children to be with their biological families compared to children of other ethnic groups. However, based mainly on personal experience and on research into the percentage and history of native children in the foster care system, I feel it is especially true for native children to be with their biological family. But I feel this way for other reasons as well. I feel it is especially important to preserve the native culture, including tribal traditions and languages, which is passed down from generation to generation. I feel that native children are often times taken from their biological family and placed with a white family as a means to assimilate and strip the child of their native identity. I think that it is simply another form of cultural genocide that continues to this day from the old mindset of "Kill the Indian, Save the Man," and stems from the history of the Indian Residential Schools. It is an old government way of eliminating the Indians without actually having to kill the Indians off point blank. And for the record, please know that I am not saying these things to offend you or accuse you of anything. I am telling you these things because you asked me to explain my position and so I have, for the most part. Please know that I mean no disrespect or offense to you.

If I may, I would like to recommend you looking into the Lakota People's Law Project, including the ICWA link.

You are more than welcome. I thought I could share a different perspective, because I have personal experience in a situation similar to this case. And I agree that children should be with their biological family if at all possible. However, I believe this to be especially true for Native American children.

 

[Hank77]

I feel that native children are often times taken from their biological family and placed with a white family as a means to assimilate and strip the child of their native identity (as it was in my case and as it is in many other cases). It is a form of cultural genocide that continues to this day from the old mindset of "Kill the Indian, Save the Man," and stems from the history of the Indian Residential Schools. It is an old government way of eliminating the Indians without having to kill the Indians off point blank. Please know that I am not saying these things to offend you or accuse you of anything. I am telling you these things because you asked me to explain my position and so I have, for the most part.

I wondered if this was maybe why. I don't know that there is much of that going on anymore, I sure hope not. From everything that I have heard social services really tries to place kids with their family members and with their ethnic group. Lots of times it isn't possible because there are fewer people in minority groups that are in a position to take them.
Like I said there has been a similar situation in my in-laws family. I can't imagine my cousin's little girls being separated from their half brother, who they get to visit with, because a white couple adopted him. The kids are all 1/2 Blackfoot from their maternal side, my cousin's ex-wife. What is sad is that no one in our family knew anything about this baby boy until after the other couple had custody of him. My cousin found out because the husband works with him and he was talking to him about how they ended up adopting this baby and mentioned the mother's first name, it was my cousin's ex. What a shock that was!

 

[smaneck]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rs-1-5-cent-Native-American-family-white.html

Why would she be allowed to stay with these people so long if there was a conflict with the law??

IMO there was a conflict with the law even if she hadn't had this minuscule amount of Native American blood. It seems there has been a custody battle between the foster parents her blood relatives for some time. They were visiting the girl once a month and skyping at other times. The couple with whom she will live are not Native Americans themselves and they currently have custody of her sister. Another sister lives right down the street. Children as supposed to be placed with family members whenever possible and siblings placed together whenever possible. The federal law in this case was put in place because that was not happening when it came to Native Americans.
My parents were foster parents and I can sympathize with their feelings but when you agree to be a foster parent it is understood that this is not permanent situation. My parent's foster kids were taken away after their having had custody of them for five years. The real father wanted them back, and his rights were primary. I remember my father cried, but he didn't make a scene in front of us kids.

 

[smaneck]

The child was reported as being 1.5% native American. Wait till she gets in with those tribal members who invoke the racist box against her as regards blood quantum. 1.5% is as minimal as it gets.

Actually, the family she is going to live with is white. I think the only reason this law came into play is because it was a federal law and this was a custody dispute that crossed state lines. But the principles enshrined in that law, which favors relatives over non-relatives and seeks to keep families intact are principles that should have applied regardless of ethnicity and usually they do.

 

[MoonofIsaiah]

The Caucasian foster family had this little girl in their family after Lexi's biological drug addled losers surrendered custody.
Now the extended native American Choctaw family in Utah gets her. And the nation got involved because this little girl is 1/16th Choctaw. A percentage some natives don't even consider qualified to be called native.

It's reprehensible what has happened to this little girl. I agree she should receive all benefits owed a native when she grows up. When they ripped her out of the life she lived for four years, the same native blood excuse employed to destroy her sense of security should give her every opportunity to secure a future as well.
I also agree this is like unto kidnapping. I doubt very much though that this little precious girl will ever see her family again while still a minor able to be controlled by imperfect selectively enforced laws. However, when she's 18 she can return to her family and at least get a hug after fourteen years of separation. God be with them all. It's emotional and yet it should serve as a warning to all potential foster families if they think to adopt a precious child with any percentage of native blood. And it is a terribly sad commentary that these children can suffer this because of that. Where's the grace and compassion here ?

 

[MoonofIsaiah]

Good move! At least you know what's up now.


I cry when I see this news report. Reruns or no. It's disgusting to watch and that one of her little sisters screams in such a heart wrenching way, noooooo, is too much. The whole neighborhood looked to be there witnessing this abuse. Very sad.

I had to go back after first replying in this thread and read the back and forth you all are referring to.

Agreed! Good move that you stopped trying to get through. When you go up against a wall that refuses to budge, turn around and go another way. Though I do agree that back and forth did let many of us know, at least me, who's who on this forum.
I have a friend who's a moderator at an entertainment discussion board. He has an account that he employs so as to interact with members without that badge of staffer interfering with an honest sharing of ideas. It's pretty much standard I think in forums that that kind of thing happens.

God bless your patience too, PsychoeDial!

 

[Tallguy88]

I had to go back after first replying in this thread and read the back and forth you all are referring to.

Agreed! Good move that you stopped trying to get through. When you go up against a wall that refuses to budge, turn around and go another way. Though I do agree that back and forth did let many of us know, at least me, who's who on this forum.
I have a friend who's a moderator at an entertainment discussion board. He has an account that he employs so as to interact with members without that badge of staffer interfering with an honest sharing of ideas. It's pretty much standard I think in forums that that kind of thing happens.

God bless your patience too, PsychoeDial!

I don't use a sock account. That would be deceptive.

 

[One Voice Among Many1]

@Tallguy88,

Here is the latest response from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, reported by Indian Country Today Media Network.com.

Choctaw Nation Responds to Foster Couple in ICWA Case

 

[smaneck]

The Caucasian foster family had this little girl in their family after Lexi's biological drug addled losers surrendered custody.
Now the extended native American Choctaw family in Utah gets her.

The family she is going to isn't Choctaw, they are white. And they have been trying to get custody of her for years. They didn't just up and decide they wanted her. They have had monthly visits and they already have custody of her sister.

And the nation got involved because this little girl is 1/16th Choctaw. A percentage some natives don't even consider qualified to be called native.

The principle of the law in question should apply to everyone, not just Native Americans. Family gets priority over outsiders. A federal law was passed only because this law was so routinely ignored when it came to Native Americans.

It's reprehensible what has happened to this little girl. I agree she should receive all benefits owed a native when she grows up. When they ripped her out of the life she lived for four years

The real question is why did the foster family insist on dragging this through the courts so many years? We are not talking about adoptive parents having their child ripped away. We are talking about foster parents who by definition understood this was to be a temporary relationship. The also understood that the real family had not given up custody.

It's emotional and yet it should serve as a warning to all potential foster families if they think to adopt a precious child with any percentage of native blood.

Foster parents should never presume they can adopt any of the children they foster. If they want to adopt a child, they should adopt one from the start. Foster care was never intended to be a trial run for adoption.

 

[Blondepudding]

The family she is going to isn't Choctaw, they are white.

You keep saying that but you don't provide any proof it is true.

 

[nightflight]

Its a lot more complicated than I initially read; its a shame though that the kid is put through the emotional wringer like that.

 

[Ada Lovelace]

You keep saying that but you don't provide any proof it is true.

I read an article about this in the Washington Post this morning stating that Lexi will be living with family members related through her paternal step-grandfather who are not Native American. They also have custody of her biological sisters.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...renching-fight-for-a-6-year-old-choctaw-girl/

 

[smaneck]

You keep saying that but you don't provide any proof it is true.

Ask and ye shall receive:

"After efforts to reunify the family failed, the father, the tribe and the Department of Children and Family Services recommended the girl be placed in Utah with a non-Indian couple who are extended family of the father. The court agreed, finding that the Page family “had not proven by clear and convincing evidence that it was a certainty the child would suffer emotional harm by the transfer.”"
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/girl-6-foster-family-native-american-law-article-1.2572704

 

[smaneck]

Its a lot more complicated than I initially read; its a shame though that the kid is put through the emotional wringer like that.

I agree. The whole foster system is an emotional wringer for all involved. Foster parents are supposed to love their foster kids as though they are their own, but passively give them up later on, often to go into a situation which is not necessarily an improvement. My foster sister was taken away when I was only 10 and she'd lived with us since I was four. I only saw her once in the next seven years. Finally she did reconnect with us when I was in college. As an adult she has spent more time with my parents than I have since I've lived most of my adult life in another state.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

Her biological father is Choctaw, she is Choctaw. She belongs with him and with her biological family. He and his family have been fighting for her return for five years. They have had contact with her many times and have voiced the desire to adopt her and bring her back into their family. The foster parents have fought this in court because they felt "attached to the child" but they lost and now Lexi is back where she belongs, with her biological family.

I do not think she is where she belongs. I think anyone who watched the video of them removing her from the family should think twice about whether it was really in her "best interests" to remove her.

The biological father has never had an interest or a connection to the Chocktaw Nation. I believe that was a convenient excuse for his relatives to go for custody of the child.

If something had happened to me when my oldest son was younger, I'd have NEVER in a million years wanted him to go to my ex-husband's relatives.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

I agree. The whole foster system is an emotional wringer for all involved. Foster parents are supposed to love their foster kids as though they are their own, but passively give them up later on, often to go into a situation which is not necessarily an improvement. My foster sister was taken away when I was only 10 and she'd lived with us since I was four. I only saw her once in the next seven years. Finally she did reconnect with us when I was in college. As an adult she has spent more time with my parents than I have since I've lived most of my adult life in another state.

We are licensed foster care providers, but we are marked as "foster-adopt only", because we don't want to go through the heartache of giving a child up. There are very few cases that become adoption cases around here, and most of them unfortunately involve non-white children, which our system has repeatedly told us we don't really qualify for.

It's a twisted business. I'm almost rather relieved that we haven't received a call to bring a child into our home.