Speak out and Vigil outside LA Children’s Court

On Wednesday, December 18th mothers, grandmothers, fathers and other supporters joined together outside LA Children’s Court to oppose re-closing LA’s Juvenile Court to the public. The California Appeals Court had released a tentative decision to close Children’s Court, hearing final arguments on Thursday, Dec.19th.

Organized in just a few days by DCFS Give Us Back Our Children and Every Mother is a Working Mother Network, the press conference, vigil and speak out said that dependency court secrecy puts children in danger. Among large metropolitan areas, LA County has one of the highest rates of removing children from their families, with 34% of them Black, while children needing protection don’t always get it. The same day, Dec. 18th, the Los Angeles Times carried a front page report that found fully 1/3 of children in foster care in LA County suffer abuse and some have been killed.

There was a hard fought and successful battle to end the secrecy in LA’s Dependency Court resulting in Judge Michael Nash, the Presiding Judge of LA Juvenile Court, ordering in January 2012 that Children’s Court be open to the press and public. The aim was to improve accountability and transparency. His order does protect children’s privacy by allowing minors and family members to request the court be closed to the public and press when their case is being heard. Dependency courts have been opened in over a dozen other states with no negative impacts. If the appeals court closes them, California would be the first state to re-close these courts after they’ve been opened. Dependency Court lawyers and the union representing social workers have long opposed opening the courts.

Determined to show support for keeping Children’s Court open so important decisions that impact removing children from their families are not made without public knowledge, we gathered outside the court with signs, banners and raised voices. The vigil included representatives of DCFS Give Us Back Our Children, Every Mother is a Working Mother Network, the Global Women’s Strike & Women of Color/GWS, the Womenscircle@OccupyLA and other family members whose children are being detained by LA Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).

Others who also supported this action pressing to keep the court open include: Alexandria House; Californians United for a Responsible Budget; Art Goldberg, Working People’s Law Center; Mimi Kennedy, actress; LA Community Action Network; Mary Sutton, LA No More Jails Coal & Critical Resistance; Western Regional Advocacy Project; and the Youth Justice Coalition.

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Vigil and Speak Out

Wednesday, Dec. 18th gather 11:30 am

Edelman Children’s Court
201 Centre Plaza Drive, Monterey Park CA 91754

There was a hard fought and successful battle to open Children’s Court BUT NOW, the California Appeals Court is about to rule THIS WEEK Dec 19th that Children’s Court must be closed.

Thursday, Dec. 19th, gather at 9:30am CA Appeals Court, Reagan State Bldg, 300 S. Spring St. on the 3rd floor. Case will be heard at 10:30.

Come support children, mothers, grandmothers. Keep Children’s Court Open!

Called by DCFS Give Us Back Our Children and Every Mother is a Working Mother Network

Endorsers: Alexandria House; Californians United for a Responsible Budget; Global Women’s Strike & Women of Color/GWS; Art Goldberg, Working People’s Law Center; Mimi Kennedy, actress; LA CAN; Mary Sutton, LA No More Jails Coal & Critical Resistance; Western Regional Advocacy Project; Women’circle@OccupyLA; Youth Justice Coalition

For more info: 323-276-9833 
la@allwomencount.net www.everymothernetwork.net

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