E-mail to TCFR supporters on July 6, 2004
HOUSTON DEMONSTRATION AT CPS OFFICE
Texas Center for Family Rights supports Dr. Herschel Smith and the Harris County Leadership Council (HCLC) in its efforts with the African-American community to change policies and practices of CPS. Dr. Smith issued the following press release regarding their demonstration tomorrow morning (Wednesday) at the Harris County CPS office on Murworth. Dr. Smith and HCLC can be reached at 281-330-0627. Dr. Smith will have petitions at the demonstration to promote the right of parents to direct the placement of their children with relatives, church members and friends during CPS investigations.
PRESS RELEASE
To All Media:
In light of Gov. Perry's call for an investigation of CPS the Harris County Leadership Council (HCLC) is calling for a demonstration in front of the Harris County CPS Office at 2525 Murworth on Wednesday, July 7th starting at 9:00AM. Community activist and HCLC President Dr. Herschel Smith will lead the demonstration on behalf of the black community. Dr. Smith calls upon Gov. Perry to see another side of the systemic problem. He explains, "Gov. Perry and I have been in the same house. He has seen cracks in one room while I have seen cracks in another room. The problem, however, is not the cracks, but the foundation. We need a complete overhaul."
Areas where HCLC has seen problems include:
Blacks being targeted. We are overrepresented in foster care
Our families are ripped apart and our children put with strangers when family members or friends want to watch our kids
We are assumed to be guilty
We don't have money for lawyers
Our children are used as hostages to make us give in
HCLC will have petitions for reform and will have representative for African-Americans to join the cause at the demonstration. Dr. Smith believes, "First and foremost we need to solve these problems as families and as a community, not just by having the state rip our children from our homes and place them with strangers."
