Letter to JoAnn McGuckin

pstrongJoAnn McGuckin lost custody of all six children Friday, July 13, 2001. The state has permanent custody- what will happen to JoAnn the mother without her children?/strong/p p/p pDIV align="left" TABLE cellpadding="5"TR VALIGN="TOP"TD/td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TD/td/trTR VALIGN="TOP"TDTR VALIGN="TOP"TD pby PNN Staff/p pTo: JoAnn McGuckin- PERSONALbr /br / From: Dee @ POOR Magazinebr /br / Re: YOU ARE A MOTHER!!!YOU ARE A HERO - DUE TO THE SIMPLE FACT THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN LIFE TO SEVEN CHILDREN!!!!!/p pDear Ms. McGuckin,/p pThis is our second letter to you and your children. What we are hearing in the news about you is making us very angry./p pThe news reports say your children have been taken into "protective custody" and given to three families./p pThe children are reported to be healthy and well – yet you are in jail for "felony neglect" – FOR WHAT??/p pWe as a society are guilty of "felony neglect"- we and your neighbors, townspeople, and the judge that handed down that charge./p pWhere were that judge and townfolk when you were struggling to care for your ill husband through his death while also caring for your children?/p pThey are guilty of "neglect" for not supporting you emotionally when your husband passed away./p pThat judge is not aware of your struggle or is just a plain misogynist. /p pYou are a mother!! Instead of a criminal sentence you should be receiving an award ./p pSeven children- all healthy; they are all so desirable that three families want them./p pWell, how did those kids become so desirable – because you and your husband- and especially you- cared for them and raised them well./p pCounty Social Workers in child Protective Services for the most part are trained to blame the parents and remove the children from the parents. /p pAll you need is some time, crisis counseling and an in-home care provider and some financial support – food stamps, rent subsidy, an attorney that believes in parental rights and perhaps some training in computer technology or another field that you might like and could make some money in to help support your family./p pYou have been carrying a very heavy burden and yet your children are all well. I am a social worker and a therapist and I am giving you advice based on much experience in my field (and personal experience as a mother )./p pDO NOT BE A VICTIM HERE- DO NOT LET THESE PEOPLE BLAME YOU– DON"T LET THEM BREAK UP YOUR FAMLY!!!/p pTHEY want to care about your children- what about you?? They need to care for you!! /p pYou are the children’s mother!! You gave life to 7 children. You are a HERO!!! These people did not help you in your struggle to raise these children, in your crisis, in your pain- they are the only ones guilty of felony neglect!!/p pRespectfully, /p pDee Gray, M.S.W., M.F.T.br /br / Co-editor, POOR Magazine/p pLisa Gray-Garcia (daughter of Dee )br /br / Co-editor, POOR Magazine /p pPS: We believe what you need first is a rest. Someone needs to donate a trip for you for 3 or 4 days to a resort. Then another trip for you and your children to Acapulco, Mexico, or any other place that has an ocean, for a week to swim, scuba dive, and build sand castles./p p/p/td/tr/td/tr/table/div/p