SEIZED...For Child Support!

Family court seems to be a horrible place when it comes to matters of custody and child support. Lives are torn apart and men are mercilessly abused by a system designed to demonize them. I have heard tale after tale after tale about well intentioned, well meaning fathers who do the best than can to provide for their children only to be punished by bitter, vindictive women who choose to use the system as a weapon. 

Before I get criticized, and acussd of being a chavanist let me just state for the record that there is no shortage of low life's masquerading as men who refuse to take care of their children. But do good men deserve to suffer, be embarrassed, and or stereotyped because of a rotten few?

Apparantly The State of New York seems to think so. The state has began the practice of seizing the cars of those who owe back child support. But the irony is. If the person who owes back child support needs their car to get to work, and they have no other options, how will they earn money to pay back, current or future child support? 

In Topeka, Kansas an equally embarrassing method is being used to punish men who don't even owe back child support. The Department of Children and Families sends out a postcard each month to several non-custodial parents asking them if they've paid their child support.

It's something that caught one Kansan by surprise.

"I was utterly shocked. Not only shocked, but embarrassed that they would be sending these cards out as public knowledge," said Walter Scott, who lives in northeast Kansas and has a 17-year-old daughter from a previous marriage he helps support.

Scott said he couldn't believe that information he deems private would be sent in the form of a postcard.

"I live in a very small town and it's like, why don't you just put a sign in my front yard saying 'Hey here's a non-custodial parent and he's paying child support," he said. "I don't get month statements, but I get this card in the mail."

Child Support Services is under the Department of Children and Families. Theresa Freed, the communication director for DCF said there should not be an expectation of privacy in the case of child support.

"I will never complain about support because I know that is a valid need," said Scott, who still works to be an active parent in his daughter's life. "I created those children and I do want to be an active partner in their life. I know the amount that is due every month, it's paid every month."

Scott said he doesn't understand why the information is put on a postcard rather than a sealed statement where the information would remain private.

"If they say this is acceptable then what's next? How far will they push that privacy or that invasion, what's next?" he said.

So, this man who is paying child and is being embarrassed for......paying child support.

PR