Victims Of Child Abuse Laws
V.O.C.A.L.
Call:
406-787-5760
701-774-0432
P.O.BOX 283
CULBERTSON
MONTANA 59218
March on Montana
May 22-June 12......
Culbertson man protests child abuse laws with �March on Montana�
BY CHRIS FOSTER
Sidney Herald-Leader
Sidney Montana
Sunday, May 22, 2000
Shane Mathre is willing to Go the extra mile to make a point, He�s willing in fact, to go hundreds of miles- on foot. Beginning in Culbertson Monday, Mathre will make his "March on Montana", taking him to the other end of the state. Each day he hopes to walk about 40 miles, with the help of volunteers and friends along the way. Each evening he will address the residents of the community where he will spend the night, telling them his story and warning them of the injustices of Montana�s child abuse laws. " I hope to build awareness of this problem so we can eventually take some legislative action," Mathre said. "It certainly won�t hurt to gain some financial support for our organization." Mathre, who lives in Culbertson, is the founder of the Montana chapter of VOCAL, or Victims Of Child Abuse Laws. He became involved in the cause in March 19999, when Child Protective Services (CPS) removed his three children because one of them arrived at school with scratches on his face and a bloody nose. After a teacher reported the injuries, a CPS social worker issued an emergency removal order. Mathre, a single dad who works as a nurse, has not seen his children since. "The thing that makes this so outrageous is that I am not even charged with a crime," Mathre said. According to Mathre, CPS believes that a friend of the Mathre�s who was staying at their house hit Mathre�s son. Even though Mathre�s older child eventually confessed to causing the bloody nose in a sibling dispute, the children remain in Foster care. To Mathre�s dismay, the kids have now been split up, and his youngest is in a separate home in a different city. Mathre has found no relief in the courts, as CPS does not have to prove Mathre is an unfit parent. Mathre must cooperate with CPS, including counseling and supervised visits, to have any chance of ever regaining custody of his children. "They have trampled my rights as a citizen and as a parent" he said. We need to completely rework our child abuse laws to make sure that the government cannot kidnap our children based on unsubstantiated accusations." Mathre�s first stop on his March on Montana is Monday in Sidney. He will present a program beginning at 7 p.m. at the library basement. The public is welcome. I want to invite anybody who is afraid of losing their children," Mathre said. "If it happened to me, it could happen to anyone."
Contact the Sidney Herald leader