Susan and Theodore

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>Date: Fri, 12 May 2000 12:24:06 -0000
>From: "Susan Monser" <Stuff@...>
>To: Stuff@...
>Subject: Fwd: FW: Homeschooler's nightmare continues
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>
>--- In [email protected], "Judith Gips" <comadre@m...> wrote:
>my friend Patty is fighting the CPS in Alameda County CA for seizing
>her
>children because a relative of the children's father (their father is
>a
>sometimes violent homeless man who has no chance of gaining custody
>of his
>sons) reported that the 9 year old twin boys were "socially isolated"
>and
>"unable to relate to anyone but their mother." the children have been
>in
>three placements in the past several weeks. I know these children
>from the
>Berkeley YMCA, where they swim, play basketball, join group arts and
>crafts
>projects, and generally are a part of the community. Please read and
>circulate this letter - it is a lesson in the absurd, and it could
>happen to
>anyone. Patty is a down to earth older mother who gave birth to twins
>at age
>45 after long term infertility, and she has been following the
>Independent
>Studies curriculum supervised by the Berkeley Unified School District.
>
>Needless to say this has not increased my respect for the child rescue
>establishment. Homeschooling is not the only item that could generate
>such a
>bizarre set of events - any over-zealous neighbor or social worker who
>doesn't like your religion or lack thereof, your family bed, your
>letting
>children play naked in the backyard, your messy house, diet, longterm
>breastfeeding, style of dress or choice of family acctivities could
>get
>something like this nightmare going. Official documents blame
>Ptaricia for
>using "manipulative charm" with the children because she told
>them, "Smile
>and tell the truth if anyone asks you questions."
>
>Please note that a legal defense fund has been established on Patty's
>behalf
>- if you or anyone or any group you trust could contribute even a
>little, it
>would be wonderful. Thanks, friends, Judith
>
>----------
>From: pattypink@s...
>
>Dear Lori and Friends, 5/11/00
> ( This is typed into the computer and sent for Patricia by Anne
>Marie.
>Patricia is in bed with a migraine headache but wanted to update
>those
>concerned. )
>
>======================
>Patricia has said:
>
>Dear Friends of Nils and Hans,
>
>Thank you for the love and support your email and calls offer. The
>support I
>get gives me great strength and courage to continue. I welcome
>correspondence
>from anyone who has advice to offer, or comments about this
>situation.
>
>I began today with "The Lord is my shepherd, ......" This morning
>one of
>the
>neighbor kids came by to say "Are you going to see the boys today?
>Would you
>say 'Hi' for me?" I assured him I would and recited the the prayer
>for him.
>He
>said he had never heard it! I think back to those many times I
>repeated it
>over and over as a child his age going to Sunday school. I knew I
>would get
>a
>red bible bookmark with my name and the Lord's Prayer on it in gold
>letters
>as soon as I could say the whole thing. I was the same age as my boys
>are
>now
>when I memorized it.
>
>MInutes later my 82 year old Buddhist landlady asked me to come in
>and
>chant
>with her for a few minutes at her alter. She loves my children just
>like her
>own great grandchildren that Hans and Nils played with daily. She is
>broken
>hearted by this tragedy. She misses the hugs the boys gave her every
>day.
>Both
>Hans and Nils call her Grannie Annie. She is impatient to get into
>court and
>give those people her opinion about all of this.
>
>After a few kind words from Grannie Annie I left to see my children
>for
>visit
>#3. It was wonderful to hug them.
>
>*****They tell me my sons will be moved to another foster home and
>enrolled
>in
>public school next Monday.*****
>
>They have no glasses. They have not had needed fillings and teeth
>cleaning.
>They said they miss me in the morning when they wake up and need a
>hug from
>me. 'They told me they love me and want to come home. We read a book
>about
>rocks and minerals and learned about the hardness scale: Diamonds 10,
>Quartz
>7, Talc 1. They decided to start a rock collection. We joked and
>laughed. We
>all three managed somehow not to cry.
>
>All ages, sizes, and shapes of people who worship in many ways are
>sending
>their love to my children at this time. And it will take a lot of
>love to
>overcome this terrible thing. I send my deepest gratitude to everyone
>who
>has
>written, prayed, chanted, called, emailed etc to share their love
>with our
>family.
>
>I will try to send out updates after our weekly visits. Please send
>us your
>love at 10 am Thursdays when we will hug-hug-hug and be a family
>united
>again
>for a few all too short moments.
>
>In Hope,
>Patricia Moodian-Pink
>========================================
>========================================
>Other information for those have have asked:
>The family's attorney has a trust account to hold funds for the
>family's
>legal
>defense.
>
>Any donations to help huge huge legal costs to
> bring the boys home may be made by check payable to:
>
>Mr. David Beauvais, Attorney for Patricia/Hans/Nils Moodian-Pink
>
>and mailed to his law office at:
>
>1840 Woolsey, Berkeley CA 94704 USA
>
>He may be reached at (510) 845-0504 where he will be very busy
>trying to
>prepare this complicated case and do all of the necessary legal
>procedures
>to
>get Nils and Hans released.
>
>If you would like to talk about the case and have general questions
>Patricia
>can be reached late evening at (510)666-0411. Or you can write to her
>at
>POBox
>2632, Berkeley, CA 94702. If you get her 24 hour voice mail leave a
>number
>where she can call you back collect or even better an email address
>she can
>write to you at. Her phone bill is huge now due to this case and she
>says
>she
>can not afford to call you unless you would accept a collect call if
>you
>are
>out of her area code. Patricia welcomes all communication. She
>realizes her
>case is not isolated, and can set a precedent for other families.
>
>A little legal defense fund Benefit is hoping to happen here in
>Berkeley.
>Two
>excellent Berkeley bands have already volunteered to play at it.
>Children's
>entertainers are invited to volunteer. We need a small, free place
>to hold
>it
>where a band could set up and play on a Sunday afternoon, printing,
>advertising etc. If any one is interested in helping or has
>suggestions
>please
>contact Patricia
><pattypink@s...>.
>----------
>"Freedom of Speech is a Precious Right.
> Don't let anyone take away yours or mine.
>Children are Precious.
>Don't let anyone take away yours or mine."
> [from Patricia Moodian-Pink 5/11/2000]
>---------
>For those who may have missed it -
> from the original paperwork to remove and hold the children:
>
> Quotes from Screener Narrative before children removed on 4/20/2000:
>
> >"The children are homeschooled and never allowed out of her sight."
> "Mom has totally isolated the minors and allows them no contact with
>anyone
>but her." "...at risk environment of the minors."
> (These are totally false allegations about two socially active
>children
>that
>are well integrated into their community.)
>
> > 'Screener Narrative' recommendations: " 3. The children
> > enter public school next year, or as soon as their mental health and
> > development allows."
>
>Their own records and documents prove what they did to remove the
>children
>These documents exist, no matter how they try to squirm around after
>the
>fact. No matter what else they do in new petitions after the wrongful
>detention, those words are, in fact, quotes from documents used to
>remove
>the children.
>
>In an effort to keep from antagonizing the court Patricia is asking
>that
>neither the worker nor the court be contacted at this point. That
>could
>change
>in the future depending on many things. For now she is concerned that
>they
>not
>only have her children but could take away the one hour closely
>supervised
>visit per week that she is allowed with them. She also does not want
>to
>have
>a gag order placed on her so that she is not even allowed to update
>others
>on
>what is happening. In their petitions they tried to get the court to
>order
>her
>not to talk to anyone "in the best interest of the minors." Patricia
>is very
>grateful to all who have shown concern for the children.
>--- End forwarded message ---
>