It’s been great to see bi-partisan, pro-child-protection bills filed in state legislatures this year. (A sign that Big Religion isn’t as powerful as it once was. States are expanding child sexual abuse statutes of limitations and California is looking to require that clergy report suspected cases of child abuse heard in confession.
Usually, state legislative resolutions don’t carry much weight. They tend to be more symbolic than anything else. But in Idaho, one resolution making its way through the state House of Representatives would offer another kind of symbolism—a death nail to seal the coffins of more children who will needlessly die
Telling constituents it’s acceptable to deny children needed medical care doesn’t seem like something that would get a politician re-elected. But that’s what’s happening in Idaho.
Child advocates have been imploring lawmakers there to change laws that prevent adults who deny children needed medical care from being prosecuted. The laws
The Child-Friendly Faith Project and child advocates in Idaho and around the country have worked hard to raise awareness of an unfolding tragedy: For decades, Idaho has been allowing parents to deny their children needed medical care, as long as they justify such neglect with religion.
Now people around the world are paying
It would seem that child advocates have closed an agonizing chapter in our fight to help save the lives of children in Idaho who are denied needed medical care due to “faith healing” beliefs. The bill that aimed to protect these children died last week.
But the fight is not over.
One year ago, the Child-Friendly Faith Project and local advocates began meeting with Sen. Lee Heider about a critical issue—Idaho’s failure to protect children from egregious ‘faith healing’ medical neglect. In evaluating his ability to be an advocate for children, the board of the CFFP agrees that the Senator deserves an ‘F.’
Lee Heider
Last week, before I headed to Boise, Idaho, I was looking forward to being part of a panel discussion organized by local child advocates. The purpose was to offer a public forum for Idahoans who wanted to ask questions and share their views about the state’s religious “faith healing” exemptions.
But
Many Idahoans are clear on where they stand on the issue of “faith healing” medical neglect.
There are those who believe that the state has a responsibility to protect the health and safety of its children, including those who are being raised by parents or guardians with extreme beliefs about