KARA Signature Video
(30 seconds)
WHEN YOU Share KARA’s reporting with FRIENDS, INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK and most of all, your State Representative (find them here) change will come a little bit faster. When enough of us become informed and speak up for abused and neglected children, we will improve their lives and our communities!
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Child Protective Services (CPS) can’t keep children safe (or alive) in opposition to State and Federal law. Because the U.S. is the only nation in the world not to have ratified the United Nation’s RIGHTS OF THE CHILD TREATY, parental rights and religious trump child rights allowing death and other great harm to children every year.
The American Academy of Pediatrics
has called for ending all religious exemption laws.
It is insane that in the 21st century America promotes deadly religious practices harming children. Two Philadelphia faith-healing churches, Faith Tabernacle Congregation and First Century Gospel Church, have been linked to more than two dozen child deaths since 1971. This and multiple other child death and near-death occurrences demonstrate a pattern of child fatalities within these religious communities. There are no records kept for child near death experiences due to religious exemption laws.
All Adults are the Protectors of All Children
See how your state treats children below:
Here’s a breakdown from Children’s Healthcare that shows a breakdown of states and their religious exemptions.
(RESOURCES ARE IN CORRESPONDING NUMBERS BELOW:
- A 1998 study published in Pediatrics found 172 child deaths related to faith healing between 1975 and 1995 (1,4). . This averages to about 8-9 deaths per year during that period.
- More recently, in Idaho, which has strong religious exemption laws, a state task force reported that five children died unnecessarily in 2013 due to parents refusing medical treatment for religious reasons (3).
- In one cemetery used by the Followers of Christ church in Idaho, 33% (63) of the 189 graves from 2002 to 2017 were of minor children or stillbirths (4). This is significantly higher than the statewide average of 3% for the same period. These deaths continue to occur, with mentions of recent cases and ongoing concerns (2,4,5). Sources:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9521945/
- https://www.masskids.org/index.php/religious-medical-neglect/cases-of-child-deaths
- https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2016/08/12/most-states-allow-religious-exemptions-from-child-abuse-and-neglect-laws/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7545013/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3153535/
- 34 states, plus the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico, have religious exemptions in their civil child abuse statutes when medical treatment for a child conflicts with the religious beliefs of parents (3).
- 30 states have religious defenses in their criminal codes, 9 states have religious defenses to negligent homicide, manslaughter, or capital murder
- At least 6 states have religious exemptions to manslaughter laws (3).
- Specific examples: West Virginia has a statute that excludes parents who refuse to provide medical care on religious grounds from the definition of murder of a child, Arkansas has a religious defense to capital murder for deaths of children under circumstances of extreme indifference to human life, Virginia has a religious defense allowing Christian Scientists to deprive a child of medical care even after physically assaulting and injuring the child (2).
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- Additional context: These exemptions are not required by the U.S. Constitution’s protections for religious freedom (2).
- The exemptions originated from federal requirements in the 1970s, but these requirements were later removed (3).
- Some states specify that their exemptions only apply to “recognized” religious denominations or practices (3).
- 17 states with exemptions specify that courts can order treatment for children in some cases, regardless of parents’ religious wishes (3).
RESOURCES:
- https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/oregon-bill-would-repeal-immunity-faith-healing-parents-when-children-die
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7545013/
- https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2016/08/12/most-states-allow-religious-exemptions-from-child-abuse-and-neglect-laws/
- Some states have passed laws limiting or prohibiting discussion of LGBTQ+ topics in schools, often citing religious or traditional values. Critics argue these laws could harm LGBTQ+ students by denying them representation and support.
- In Montgomery County, Maryland, the school board removed parental opt-out options for LGBTQ-inclusive materials, leading to a lawsuit from religious parents who believe the content conflicts with their beliefs (1)
- Louisiana passed a law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom. While not directly punitive, critics argue this could make non-Christian students feel excluded or marginalized (2,3).
- Oklahoma’s State Superintendent ordered public schools to incorporate Bible study into curricula for grades 5-12. This has raised concerns about potential violations of the separation of church and state (4).
- Florida, Louisiana, and Texas have passed laws allowing religious chaplains in public schools, which some worry could lead to proselytizing or discrimination against non-Christian students (4).
- Some states have passed laws restricting transgender students’ participation in sports or use of bathrooms aligned with their gender identity, often supported by religious conservative groups.
- www.becketlaw.org/media/religious-parents-to-supreme-court-restore-opt-outs-for-instruction-on-gender-and-sexuality/
- https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/how-states-are-testing-the-church-state-divide-in-public-schools/2024/06
- https://www.aclu.org/court-cases?issue=religion-and-public-schools
- https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/legislators-lean-religion-public-education-supreme-court-leans/story?id=111639298
Many American newborns remain untested and untreated for very treatable metabolic disorders, hearing and sight diseases & blood lead levels. In today’s combative political climate, anti Vaxxers may be causing imminent harm to millions of America’s most vulnerable citizens.
44 States allow religious exemptions from vaccination. Some states allow religion to keep children from TB testing in school. 43 states give some kind of criminal or civil immunity to parents injuring or killing their children by withholding medical care on religious grounds. Six states let parents keep teachers from teaching their children about disease in school.
Over the years KARA has reported on children dying because their parents withheld medical treatment because the church told them to do so. Some parents have killed more than one child by withholding medical treatment.
Some religions allow child neglect and abuse & some states allow a religious defense against charges of murdering their child – and “some can’t be charged with murder at all” (Slate).
5 years ago, Kansas State Rep Gail Finney vowed to pass a bill that allowed caregivers to leave bruises and cause bleeding when disciplining a child (no age limit).
Arkansas State Rep Charles Fuqua promoted the death penalty for rebellious children (based on religious grounds).
As a volunteer CASA County guardian ad-Litem, it has been awful to observe sexually abused two and four year old children and children suffering from violent physical abuse and neglect live through that abuse & try to overcome the terror and traumas inflicted upon them to make for themselves a normal life. Not many do.
There are between 12 and 18 million children reported abused in our nation every year. They have no voice in their homes, in the courts or in the media.
There are many laws allowing the endangerment of thousands of children in all parts of our nation. There are dangerous religious cults in America that need to be exposed for the terrible way they treat children.
KARA supports the U.S. ratification of the international Rights of the Child Treaty. We are the only nation on earth not to have done so.
