Rowan

No, but I am not providing a legal opinion. I am providing some layman advice suggesting that the OP has the outcome he wanted, but he seems churlish in wanting to pursue the staffers in the agency, to teach 'em not to interfere with the lives of him and the child he is taking care of, even though they are obligated to undertake an investigation on lodgement of a complaint. He is the one seeking to harm the officers of the child agency. I am in fact suggesting that he take a course of action that may decrease harm to himself and the child -- reduced financial and emotional burden as much as anything else.

How do you know the matter before the agency might not have been dismissed except for the lawsuit in court? Are you a lawyer licensed to practice in the state of NY?

And I would get your facts straight, buddy-boy. I am an Australian, living in Australia. Oddly, Australia offers up support to the US in just about any conflict around the world. We've lost soldiers in Vietnam, the Middle-East, Korea and other places fighting your wars. I have as much right to put my opinion as anyone else here.

cooker

I'm shocked that you're going ahead with the suit and trying to get them fired. It sounds like you came to the same conclusion as the "dim-wit" case worker - that having a car is in the best interests of your stepdaughter. So what are you suing her for, again?

Isolation

Look at you, you got your victory *and* got to feel smug about it. Well done.

PORTERPOUNDER

You have found yourself in a bull$!#! political push forcing people to own a car because it is the normal way things are done. Sry for your situation and I hope everything works out for you. I dont know how a court could legally force you to own a car though.

John Hood

They probably couldn't have, but when custody of your child is at stake, who wants to take the chance? I fully understand his choice to comply with this unreasonable request, but I hope the guys responsible get hammered for it too. For those saying he should just overlook it, how about the next time they do something like this? It's no different than a policeman abusing his authority. CPS is tasked with preventing abuse and neglect and not having a car does not constitute either one. There are millions of people who for religious reasons, physical reasons, (disability), economic reasons or moral reasons do not own a car.

Walter S

Religious reasons? I'm curious. I don't have any of those yet. Moral reasons? Like its "wrong" to drive?

ironwood

Some Amish and Menonites don't drive for religious reasons;

John Hood

The Amish have already been mentioned, but I also believe that some environmentalists consider it immoral to generate CO2 if they have the ability to avoid doing so. Then there's also the whole, "live simply so others may simply live" ethos. I personally don't subscribe to either view, but if someone does, it's no reason to take their kids from them. I have a few non-mainstream views and practices myself and I'd hate to be told to conform or lose my daughters.

Roody

Of course it's wrong to drive an internal combustion vehicle. Unavoidable, in some cases, but still wrong. It's flat out wrong to do things that harm yourself and/or others.

As a society, our moral imperative is to eliminate pollution. As individuals, we should do what we can to move ourselves and society in the direction of eliminating it.

ironwood

Then there are the practical reasons for not driving. A lot of driving in the US involves trips of two miles or less. Going by bicycle or foot is often quicker. Walking or biking to school is probably better than driving. It was the norm fifty years ago. Then the cost of automobile ownership, I've seen estimates that the average cost in the US is about $9,300 a year.

Another thought about this thread: it all seems a little Kafkaesque, or Orwellian, or a little like Ray Bradbury's "The Pedestrian". I hope what the OP has posted is all true.

Onyxaxe

Not to mention there are disabled who are unable to obtain licenses such as myself. They have no right to tell anyone to buy a car if they don't want to. It's the same bull**** we have to deal with in KY. However the people who filed the original complaint probably does this all the time and that's why they didn't state who they were so they could get out scotch free. I don't believe anonymous tips should be accepted into an official setting. It seems like the case worker should have been able to throw it out immediately. I'm not sure I buy the whole "they are under obligation to report" deal. It sounds like a bunch of baloney. If it isn't however the case worker doesn't deserve to be fired. The system is just too quick to take people's kids away for bull**** reasons.

RPK79

You should stop using electricity.

mrodgers

And be sure to grow all your food yourself as food from a store gets to the store via internal combustion. I guess you shouldn't be buying anything at all. Everything arrives to the stores by internal combustion. That of course includes your bike.

intransit1217

Well Mike, it seems that all's well for now. I just want to say I wish nothing but good juju on you for you taking on this resposibility, goodness on the little one who is doing her part happily, and goodness on her mother who is fighting for our freedom to be harassed by someone who is too fearful to simply walk up to you on their own and say: "Hi . I notice you and your daughter bicycle to school...."

Ekdog

Why not waste as little energy as possible and join the push to go over to clean, renewable sources of electricity like wind and solar? That seems a lot more intelligent to me than your proposal.

I-Like-To-Bike

I am sure about how much you know about child welfare regulations and the requirements for the "system" to investigate reports of alleged child abuse or neglect.

Onyxaxe

Okay, what is your aim?. Did this add to the discussion in any way?. The complaint didn't meet any of the criteria under the CFSA's system. If someone states a parent is endangering their child by letting them eat cereal in the morning do they have to investigate it?. I'm seriously asking not being snarky.

RPK79

What and support polluting mining operations?

Ekdog

Are you trying to be clever? If so, it's not working.

RPK79

Hey, if the guy is going to jump on his soapbox and take the stance that:

Then he damned well better put his money where his mouth is and eliminate pollution from his own life. Wouldn't want them to be a hypocrite.

Dave Cutter

Logic and reason doesn't matter here. Big government laws, regulations, and rules matter! You will do as the big government tells you or they will release you of your responsibility to care for children. Any resistant to the big government will be quickly and harshly squashed. Expect punishment to continue well past any correction of this infraction.

I-Like-To-Bike

How do YOU know what the actual complaint alleged, let alone if the complaint met any specific criteria for investigation, or what other potential issues related to the care of the child were encountered by the investigator? The OP has never been clear about what the specific complaint was, or what additional charges or allegations, if any, were being investigated. Did the agency declare after investigation that the complaint was unfounded, end of story; or was a specific solution proposed/directed by the agency to resolve the complaint and/or any other child welfare issues raised during the course of the investigation?

I-Like-To-Bike

Correct, logic and reason never seem to matter when it comes to irrational, hyperbolic and unfocused government (rules, laws, or personnel) bashing/ranting.

Onyxaxe

The case worker said you need to buy a car. They are trying to live car free. To me it was rather easy to understand the situation, maybe you like sitting in forums all day debating bull**** for no reason. I don't. I have no reason to even understand these laws. I don't want bikers getting their kids taken away because they biked them to school. This is a bikeforum after all. Not a law forum lol.

Machka 

Remember ... we only have one side of the story here.


Anyway, this is all old news now. It's done ... resolved over a month ago.