Guest guest Posted December 11, 2001 Report Share Posted December 11, 2001 What I want to know about this story is: What about the Americans with Disabilities Act? I hope his lawyer is able to restore this man's foster children to him. Even more, I hope he is able to get WLS (the DS, of course), and go on to a more fulfilling life. Blessings, Sue Everett > DECEMBER 10, 16:35 ET > Father Ruled Too Fat for Kids > > By CAROLYN THOMPSON > Associated Press Writer > > BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A 500-pound foster father was forced to say good- > bye Monday to three boys he has raised for six years after a court > ruled that he is too fat to care for them properly. > > , 38, said his inexplicable 200-pound weight gain over the > past two years left him unable to defend himself in court, but not > incapable of raising the 9-, 10- and 16-year-old brothers he hopes to > adopt. > > ``I told them today I'm not going to abandon you, I will never > abandon you,'' he said Monday after spending the weekend packing up > the boys' belongings. > > Barely mobile, said he seldom leaves his house because taxis > and wheelchair transportation services cannot accommodate him. > Desperate to attend last week's Family Court hearing, he asked > furniture stores to drive him in a delivery truck. They refused. > > ``I'm beyond the shame part now,'' he said. ``I was willing to go in > a Sears truck.'' > > Judge Marjorie Mix ordered the children removed after a caseworker > reported that supervises the children mostly from his bedroom > and relies on the oldest to do chores like cooking and shopping. > > The caseworker, Shirley Bozeman, said that recently lost his > foster-parent certification, that there have been cockroaches in the > home and that the children need more activities outside the home and > fewer responsibilities inside. > > But she said the children are affectionate toward their foster father > and wished to remain in the home. The judge granted visitation > rights. > > said he lost his foster-parent certification because his weight > prevented him from attending mandatory continuing education classes > and because he skipped the required health exams for fear his weight > gain would be discovered. > > , who is single, hopes eventually to regain custody of the boys, > who have lived with him since being taken from their drug-addicted > mother. > > He said he is willing to do anything, including undergo stomach- > reduction surgery, to get his weight under control. He has been > working with a personal trainer since September and wants the > children back in time for the start of the new school year in the > fall. > > ``My goal is to walk into the courtroom and start my adoption > petition,'' he said. > > Solovay, author of the book ``Tipping the Scales of Justice: > Fighting Weight-based Discrimination,'' said she has been involved in > cases where children were taken from parents because of the child's > weight. Cases where the parents' weight is an issue are much rarer. > > ``My immediate concern is, here's someone who wants to have his day > in court and is not able to,'' she said. ``That's not a problem > necessarily with the foster system, but maybe with the transport, and > that's a big issue.'' > > said authorities have told him not to allow the boys to speak > with reporters. He said they are accepting of his weight: ``They tell > me every day, `It doesn't matter, Dad.''' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 11, 2001 Report Share Posted December 11, 2001 What I want to know about this story is: What about the Americans with Disabilities Act? I hope his lawyer is able to restore this man's foster children to him. Even more, I hope he is able to get WLS (the DS, of course), and go on to a more fulfilling life. Blessings, Sue Everett > DECEMBER 10, 16:35 ET > Father Ruled Too Fat for Kids > > By CAROLYN THOMPSON > Associated Press Writer > > BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A 500-pound foster father was forced to say good- > bye Monday to three boys he has raised for six years after a court > ruled that he is too fat to care for them properly. > > , 38, said his inexplicable 200-pound weight gain over the > past two years left him unable to defend himself in court, but not > incapable of raising the 9-, 10- and 16-year-old brothers he hopes to > adopt. > > ``I told them today I'm not going to abandon you, I will never > abandon you,'' he said Monday after spending the weekend packing up > the boys' belongings. > > Barely mobile, said he seldom leaves his house because taxis > and wheelchair transportation services cannot accommodate him. > Desperate to attend last week's Family Court hearing, he asked > furniture stores to drive him in a delivery truck. They refused. > > ``I'm beyond the shame part now,'' he said. ``I was willing to go in > a Sears truck.'' > > Judge Marjorie Mix ordered the children removed after a caseworker > reported that supervises the children mostly from his bedroom > and relies on the oldest to do chores like cooking and shopping. > > The caseworker, Shirley Bozeman, said that recently lost his > foster-parent certification, that there have been cockroaches in the > home and that the children need more activities outside the home and > fewer responsibilities inside. > > But she said the children are affectionate toward their foster father > and wished to remain in the home. The judge granted visitation > rights. > > said he lost his foster-parent certification because his weight > prevented him from attending mandatory continuing education classes > and because he skipped the required health exams for fear his weight > gain would be discovered. > > , who is single, hopes eventually to regain custody of the boys, > who have lived with him since being taken from their drug-addicted > mother. > > He said he is willing to do anything, including undergo stomach- > reduction surgery, to get his weight under control. He has been > working with a personal trainer since September and wants the > children back in time for the start of the new school year in the > fall. > > ``My goal is to walk into the courtroom and start my adoption > petition,'' he said. > > Solovay, author of the book ``Tipping the Scales of Justice: > Fighting Weight-based Discrimination,'' said she has been involved in > cases where children were taken from parents because of the child's > weight. Cases where the parents' weight is an issue are much rarer. > > ``My immediate concern is, here's someone who wants to have his day > in court and is not able to,'' she said. ``That's not a problem > necessarily with the foster system, but maybe with the transport, and > that's a big issue.'' > > said authorities have told him not to allow the boys to speak > with reporters. He said they are accepting of his weight: ``They tell > me every day, `It doesn't matter, Dad.''' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 11, 2001 Report Share Posted December 11, 2001 What I want to know about this story is: What about the Americans with Disabilities Act? I hope his lawyer is able to restore this man's foster children to him. Even more, I hope he is able to get WLS (the DS, of course), and go on to a more fulfilling life. Blessings, Sue Everett > DECEMBER 10, 16:35 ET > Father Ruled Too Fat for Kids > > By CAROLYN THOMPSON > Associated Press Writer > > BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A 500-pound foster father was forced to say good- > bye Monday to three boys he has raised for six years after a court > ruled that he is too fat to care for them properly. > > , 38, said his inexplicable 200-pound weight gain over the > past two years left him unable to defend himself in court, but not > incapable of raising the 9-, 10- and 16-year-old brothers he hopes to > adopt. > > ``I told them today I'm not going to abandon you, I will never > abandon you,'' he said Monday after spending the weekend packing up > the boys' belongings. > > Barely mobile, said he seldom leaves his house because taxis > and wheelchair transportation services cannot accommodate him. > Desperate to attend last week's Family Court hearing, he asked > furniture stores to drive him in a delivery truck. They refused. > > ``I'm beyond the shame part now,'' he said. ``I was willing to go in > a Sears truck.'' > > Judge Marjorie Mix ordered the children removed after a caseworker > reported that supervises the children mostly from his bedroom > and relies on the oldest to do chores like cooking and shopping. > > The caseworker, Shirley Bozeman, said that recently lost his > foster-parent certification, that there have been cockroaches in the > home and that the children need more activities outside the home and > fewer responsibilities inside. > > But she said the children are affectionate toward their foster father > and wished to remain in the home. The judge granted visitation > rights. > > said he lost his foster-parent certification because his weight > prevented him from attending mandatory continuing education classes > and because he skipped the required health exams for fear his weight > gain would be discovered. > > , who is single, hopes eventually to regain custody of the boys, > who have lived with him since being taken from their drug-addicted > mother. > > He said he is willing to do anything, including undergo stomach- > reduction surgery, to get his weight under control. He has been > working with a personal trainer since September and wants the > children back in time for the start of the new school year in the > fall. > > ``My goal is to walk into the courtroom and start my adoption > petition,'' he said. > > Solovay, author of the book ``Tipping the Scales of Justice: > Fighting Weight-based Discrimination,'' said she has been involved in > cases where children were taken from parents because of the child's > weight. Cases where the parents' weight is an issue are much rarer. > > ``My immediate concern is, here's someone who wants to have his day > in court and is not able to,'' she said. ``That's not a problem > necessarily with the foster system, but maybe with the transport, and > that's a big issue.'' > > said authorities have told him not to allow the boys to speak > with reporters. He said they are accepting of his weight: ``They tell > me every day, `It doesn't matter, Dad.''' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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