Note: This article covers legal obligations by clergy to report. It does not discuss whether clergy may have a moral or ethical obligation to report. If a church member confesses to a pastor that the member may have committed child abuse or neglect, is the pastor legally required to report it to CPS or law […]
Tag: church
Member Story: We ended up in court
After the Lavons’ church preached a sermon about child training, some embittered ex-members of the church heard about it. They then twisted it out of context and accused the Lavons and numerous other families in the church of excessive corporal discipline. To defend the Lavons, Heritage Defense fought the system all the way to court. […]
Member Story: Church children’s ministry calls CPS on parents
One bright Friday morning, Courtney Caddo* took her two daughters, two-year-old Mia and five-year-old Ella, to a park day with lots of other parents and children from their church. While Ella played on the playground, Courtney was at a picnic table visiting with five other parents while Mia played next to her. At one point, […]
Member Story: Daughter’s Sunday School Teacher Sparks Months-Long CPS Investigation
Late one evening, five-year-old Madison* was out of her bed, speaking and singing so loudly that she was on the verge of waking up her three siblings. Her father, Michael, asked her to quiet down, but she just got louder. “Honey… shh… shh…,” Michael finally whispered as he gently put his fingers on his rambunctious daughter’s […]