Pubdate: Wed, 07 Mar 2012
Source: USA Today (US)
Copyright: 2012 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/625HdBMl
Website: http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/index.htm
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/466
Author: Jim Karavite

CHILDREN WILL BE HURT NEEDLESSLY

Growing up during the Depression, and because my father was dead, we 
were on the Aid to Families With Dependent Children program. It 
provided shelter, clothing and food. If they had had drug testing for 
it and my mother had tested positive, we would have been out on the 
street and starving, or worse, we kids could have been placed in orphanages.

So I ask the legislatures in these 23 states considering drug testing 
for welfare recipients: What is going to happen to the children if 
their parents test positive for drugs? Children have no choice to 
whom they are born and no say in the behavior of their parents. So 
get off this testing. Usually, children are involved in this aid and 
will suffer even more than they already do.

Jim Karavite; Royal Oak, Mich.
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