Texas must finally stop tolerating child abuse

It would seem almost providential that the state Blue Ribbon Task Force held its first meeting last week, just days before police say Elyse Colon stabbed her two little boys to death.

The task force, established by the Legislature last year, extends the child abuse-prevention work of Sen. Carlos Uresti beyond the San Antonio Democrat’s political borders. A group of nine appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor and House speaker will review how state, local and law enforcement agencies address child abuse. The Legislature will receive the task force’s recommendations next year.

The task force is inspired by countless tragedies. Per capita, Texas has a higher rate of child deaths from abuse or neglect than other states.

Last year was deadly. The state’s unofficial tally for the last fiscal year reported 275 children killed as the result of abuse or neglect. If the trend continues, before the group meets again in two weeks, another 10 or so children will be killed.

Locally, Colon’s name will briefly sear itself into our consciousness the way Otty Sanchez’s did last year and Valerie Lopez’s two years before that. Sanchez is accused of killing and dismembering her 3-week-old son, while Lopez is serving a life sentence in the deaths of her 14-month-old daughter and 4-month-old son, whose bodies were found buried under a Southwest Side home.

Then our attention will wane until another horrific death.

So prevalent is the mortal abuse and neglect of young children that risk is easily discerned. For instance, experts have determined children are especially vulnerable during the first five months of life, when extended periods of crying aren’t uncommon, and at the toddler/pre-school age, when potty-training accidents may be a factor.

With such clear patterns, why can’t more be done to prevent abuse?

The Austin-based Center for Public Policy Priorities last year analyzed Texas’ child abuse and neglect deaths, and the findings weren’t entirely surprising. Our high rate of child poverty and teen pregnancy are big contributors to the high abuse and death rates, as is lack of access to quality family-support services. Improving outlooks in all three areas, the nonpartisan policy institute’s analysis suggested, would be a good place to start.

James Castro, executive director of St. Peter-St. Joseph Children’s Home, is a governor’s appointee to the task force. The facility he heads has decades of experience dealing with children who have been removed from their homes by Child Protective Services because of abuse or neglect concerns. With capacity for 138 children, on Friday, St. PJ’s had 103.

The solution, Castro suggests, must include the kind of relentless passion that Mothers Against Drunk Driving summoned to tackle and make progress against the problem of drunken driving. MADD blanketed communities with education campaigns and exerted steadfast political pressure to increase penalties and prosecutions.

“We need to create the culture that we’re not going to tolerate it anymore,” Castro said.

My question: Why aren’t we already there?

Source: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/columnists/veronica_flores_paniagua/83694857.html