Chicago Judge Revokes Custody For Woman Who Wasn't Vaccinated

[Jim G.]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/08/30/chicago-vaccine-custody-rebecca-firlit/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR1mAW2cM46bmzUB4jKVnarfgQDM51ng0YT4wRUkcwjxkdeitlhGQf4Wj88

A judge asked a mother if she got the coronavirus vaccine. She said no, and he revoked custody of her son.

When Rebecca Firlit joined a virtual court hearing with her ex-husband earlier this month, the Chicago mother expected the proceedings to focus on child support.

But the judge had other plans.

“One of the first things he asked me … was whether or not I was vaccinated,” Firlit, 39, told the Chicago Sun-Times.

She was not, she said, explaining that she has had “adverse reactions to vaccines in the past” and that a doctor advised her against getting inoculated against the coronavirus.

“It poses a risk,” she added.

Cook County Judge James Shapiro then made what the parents’ attorneys called an unprecedented decision: He said the mother could not see her 11-year-old son until she got a coronavirus vaccine.

The child’s father is vaccinated, the Sun-Times reported.

~more at link

[SheltieLover]

1. Child endangerment

[I_UndergroundPanther]

2. Wow a sane judge

You go Shapiro!👍

[MichMan]

3. Should people who are medically advised not to vaccinate have their children taken away?

including visitation rights of any kind?

What if her doctor really did advise her not to get one?

Wonder if people here would be OK with CPS taking kids away from anyone unvaccinated and transferring custody to the state. You know, for the good of the children.

[Jim G.]

4. Tough Question

It may have been an overreach by the judge, but there were a number of other judicial decisions listed in the article regarding vaccinations as well.

[Elessar Zappa]

5. No, not if they truly can't get the vaccine

but I don’t have a problem with judges considering vaccination status in custody cases.

[ZonkerHarris]

7. IF the doc really ordered it then they'll have no problem writing a statement as such for the court

Simple request on her part to fulfill.
Then the lawyers can be lawyers with it.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

8. You are missing one aspect of the story:

Two adults who couldn’t work things out without going to family court.

Now they are in family court and under a microscope. Part of that microscope process is ensuring each parent is making medically sound decisions for the children.

She failed at making medically sound decisions. Sucks for her she did it in front of a judge.

[LanternWaste]

9. Should we accept at face value her assertion that her doctor advised her not to get it?

Wondering if people here would be OK with anyone saying anything without verification.

Or is that skepticism only triggered when it flies against particular biases (regardless of children)

[LetMyPeopleVote]

18. The best interest of the child may require separation until the child is vaccinated

[treestar]

6. If she just expected a child support hearing

then it sounds like she did not have proper notice of a custody hearing. And it sounds like the other parent has custody, so the judge is revoking visitation, not custody. But one of the parents has to ask the court do decide by filing a petition.

The vaccination alone would have to be the only factor regarding the best interests of the child, too.

That is a very strange state or else something is wrong here.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

10. This is actually horrifying.

[pinkstarburst]

11. This is horrible and I completely disagree

with the judge's ruling. I am as annoyed as everyone else at people who will not get vaccinated, but this is a scary precedent to set.

It also makes zero sense unless this child is in some way medically fragile or immunocompromised. Children under the age of 12 are attending school in person all across the country. They are being exposed daily to dozens of other children who are also not vaccinated. How is that activity okay but being around his MOTHER is so terrible the judge would strip custody from her?

This child in question is 11. They are surely being exposed to other unvaccinated children in their school. So what, should all the parents of elementary school children across the country have their custody revoked by CPS?

[democrattotheend]

14. I agree 100%

I am glad to know I am not the only one who feels that way. This judge was way over the line, and like you said, it's a dangerous precedent.

[leftstreet]

16. +1

[MichMan]

12. This place amazes me sometimes

Not only are people advocating that anyone unvaccinated should be fired from their jobs and refused any medical treatment, now they want their children being taken away from them too.

[democrattotheend]

15. Thank you

I even saw one post today advocating that unvaccinated people be locked up and forcibly vaccinated. How is this the same place where people rightfully opposed the PATRIOT Act and abuses of the Bush Administration using terrorism to undermine freedom and privacy? It's a little scary to see some of the things people say about how unvaccinated people should be treated, and I am glad I am not the only one here who feels that way.

[BlueLucy]

13. This is absolutely not OK!! nt

[LetMyPeopleVote]

17. The best interest of the child is what matters

The child is not vaccinated and should live the parent who is vaccinated and who will not expose the child to COVID

[LetMyPeopleVote]

19. If she doesn't love her child enough to be vaccinated to protect him - she doesn't deserve custody.

Link to tweet