Posted on 04/30/2008 12:08:11 PM PDT by PercivalWalks
Los Angeles, CA--Several thousand protesters have written, faxed or called Fox News executives to protest its launch of a new reality show called Bad Dads. According to Reuters, in Bad Dads child support collector Jim Durham "functions as a sort of 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' for tracking deadbeats...It's ambush reality TV."
Fathers & Families, the American Coalition for Fathers & Children, and Los Angeles journalist/radio commentator Glenn Sacks have partnered in a campaign to ask Fox to cancel Bad Dads. Fox's Los Angeles-based producers have decided to launch this Los Angeles-based show on "deadbeat dads" despite the fact that the California Department of Child Support Services itself recently admitted that the overwhelming majority of "deadbeat dads" are the product of problems and abuses within the child support system. According to the California Judicial Council, 80% of California child support debtors earn poverty level wages.
Dr. Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S., Executive Director of Fathers & Families Holstein, says:
"According to US Census data, noncustodial mothers are 20% more likely to default on their child support obligations than noncustodial fathers. There is absolutely no reason to name the show Bad Dads when the average noncustodial father is more likely to pay his child support than the average noncustodial mother."
Sacks explains:
"The worst part about Bad Dads is the way it publicly humiliates children of divorce by depicting their fathers as not loving or caring for them. These children did not volunteer to be humiliated on national television."
ACFC President Dr. Linda Nielsen, a Professor of Women's Studies & Education at Wake Forest University, says:
"Most kids who are too young to realize that 80% of divorced dads pay their full child support. This show may lead them to have negative opinions of divorced fathers, and those opinions could damage their relationships with their own dads."
Another problem with Bad Dads is that studies show that the arrearages for which "deadbeat dads" are pursued are often erroneous. For example, a recent Massachusetts audit found that the arrearages were incorrect in 92% of that state's cases.
Missouri Child Support Auditor Susan Montee recently said that the way child support arrearages are calculated in Missouri is "extremely sloppy...a total inattention to making sure these numbers are right."
Moreover, Bad Dads glorifies the role of private child support collection agencies, even though these agencies often exploit and deceive custodial mothers. In fact, women's advocates, including the National Organization for Women, have repeatedly condemned these agencies for mistreating women. Durham, the central figure in Bad Dads, has often been singled out by women's groups as a perpetrator of these abusive tactics.
Holstein explains:
"In general, the Fox network has usually been fair to fathers. This show is an unfortunate exception, and we hope Fox will soon understand this."
Glenn Sacks, http://www.glennsacks.com/foxbaddads/ [Note: If you or someone you love is faced with a divorce or needs help with child custody, child support, false accusations, Parental Alienation, or other family law or criminal law matters, ask Glenn for help by clicking here.]
geeminy crickets!
WHERE ON EARTH DID I SAY EVERY MAN WAS BAD????
you are not even worth my time— you are too emotional to even be honest with yourself....
Yes it does. It didn’t happen to me personally but it happened to my oldest brother and it was awful and vicious (and he was an ass imo but loved his kids and would do anything for them and supported them all the time). He got completely screwed over by his 1st ex and the courts and is still paying for it even though his kids are now 40 and 37. The bright side now is his kids see what their mother did and side with their Dad now.
His ex wife tried to punish him and succeeded for decades. It did shatter lives. She didn’t win in the end so there’s that.
My oldest nephew, his oldest son, went through something similar but he fought it and refused to give up and won.
One of my ex sil did the same thing. My oldest bro was hoping she’d get married again but she didn’t/hasn’t. Decades later, lol. Even once the kids didn’t live with her or moved in with my brother, he still had to pay alimony and still pays it, along with medical and prescription card.
She’s a smart cookie, I’ll give her that, lol.
Publically humilating these parents will do good whatsoever, imo.
Let’s see them try it with single/dovorced moms and how well that will go over.
LOL!
Mostly well said.
Unfortunately, far too many men/dads are demonized in our system and have no equal protection.
“my ex is a dead beat— I am the mother of “these” children....trust me- NOTHING is worse to these kids than the rejection— NOTHING...”
I think you’re projecting based on your own painful past. I was the son of a dead beat so I think I know. There is a lot worse than the rejection, one of those things is having that rejection broadcast to the world.
I’d suggest some therapy for you. Embarrassing a so called deadbeat dad doesn’t teach kids anything. It sure won’t teach kids to maintain solid relationships nor will it fix any relationships that could possibly be repaired. All it will possibly do is make Fox a little money.
“you are not even worth my time— you are too emotional to even be honest with yourself....”
lets see you start with the name calling and you call me emotional? I think I’m starting to see a trend here.
IMO this is only about ratings by attracting the Jerry Springer crowd. Fox has already created a couple divorces and untold problems this year with their Moment of Truth show. They care nothing for the families, kids, dads, or moms. Its all about a few bucks.
LOL
wow— So if I think dead beat dads are bad guys- then I hate all men?
ok
you jumped to that conclusion....
I am not in any pain, I am quite happy, successful, and I happen to LOVE men... very much so....
The devil is in the details. The court can only "garnish" 50% of my pay. That doesn't stop them from awarding 100%. I was still liable for the 50% they didn't confiscate.
Fine then, show me a court order “awarding” anyone 100% of anyone’s wages for child support. I won’t hold my breath.
What’s your mailing address?
Yes it is. That is the whole point of the article.
From the article:
"Most kids who are too young to realize that 80% of divorced dads pay their full child support. This show may lead them to have negative opinions of divorced fathers, and those opinions could damage their relationships with their own dads."
Another problem with Bad Dads is that studies show that the arrearages for which "deadbeat dads" are pursued are often erroneous. For example, a recent Massachusetts audit found that the arrearages were incorrect in 92% of that state's cases.
Really?
No TV, no microwave, no computer?
Must be hard to FReep.
Don't be silly. In most divorces it is BOTH the kids and dad who lose.
still do laundry, still cook meals, doctor appointments, study, miss work or school when they are sick, give baths, every trip to the grocery, etc.... and none of that every other weekend off to restore my strength while they got to spend time with their father....
So, everyone with kids does this.
I hope your 3 kids are girls.
This is weird, DD.
EC says to me “oh— and I am not living in any manner...” (post 58)
and then says to you “I am not in any pain, I am quite happy, successful,” (post 70)
So, EC, which statement is a lie?
I dunno fanfan, I’ve given up. All I know is my mom raised four boys by herself and never would have had time to spend on FR.
Too bad FR wasn’t around for her— maybe she would have raised you with some class
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