commentary by Patrick H. Moore
It’s well-known that kids can be damnably mischievous which at times can rob hardworking parents of their much-needed rest. But for the moment, let us put aside the needs of us parents, no matter how justified they may be, and think about who and what is really important.
Obviously, the most important people in our society today are our children. Not only do we love them with an almost otherworldly passion, but we work our fingers right down to the nub to support them and home-school them when necessary to make sure they do not receive the “wrong message” at school.
(Confession: My partner and I were lazy and although we did work our fingers right down to the nub to keep a roof over our child’s head and food (and junk food) on the table (and in her room), we failed to home-school her, basking in perhaps misplaced confidence that our SoCal suburban public school system would do an adequate job of teaching and guiding our little precious. I pray that this was not a mistake; so far daughter has not screwed up in any dramatic way, but if she does I will know who to blame – the blankety blank public school system that did not set sufficiently rigid standards when it came to ethics and moral standards. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed. One day they may cross themselves permanently.)
Fortunately, two shining new stars in parenting have burst upon the horizon and offer guidance that I failed to ever even dream of, much less put into action. The parents, Jena Harman (Mother) and Alexander Smith (Mother’s boyfriend), reside in the Equality State, AKA Wyoming, someone out on the range near the famous cowboy town of Laramie.
What’s troubling is the fact Jena and Alex (I trust he won’t mind my use of the diminutive) are both facing up to 20 years in state prison for what is being construed as child abuse. Why, you ask, are these gentle and good-hearted souls facing serious felonies when they are shining stars in the realm of state-of-the-art parenting techniques?
The answer is simple. Jena and Alex are facing 20 years in the calaboose because the public school where they sent their 7-year-old child reported them again and again and again for alleged child abuse when all they were doing was guiding and chastising their precious child in a manner designed to keep him/her safe from all harm.
Let us listen in for a moment as Jena’s stalwart boyfriend Alex describes his philosophy of child rearing to the Laramie County deputies (I employ a bit of poetic license here):
“Look men, I’m not gonna bullshit you. I don’t like the kid. He/she’s a royal pain in the keister. But he/she’s my girlfriend’s child so my personal feelings are not important. What’s important is that we keep him/her safe from all harm. That’s why we keep her in a cage out in one of the fields. That way nothing can get at him/her and nothing bad can happen. And the cool thing is, she seems to like it in the cage. I think it makes her feel safe and warm.”
In her affidavit, Mother Jena had a similar and equally inspiring take on the situation. (Again, poetic license):
“I don’t like saying this but my seven-year-old can be a real handful. She’s constantly doing bad things and regular discipline – you know…a can of whuppin’ and all that – doesn’t seem to help much. So rather than getting all pushed out of shape and pounding on the little brat, my Alex and I came up with a great plan. We decided to put her in a king-sized playpen out on our back 40. That way she’s safe and can’t break anything, get underfoot or otherwise act obstreperous. At the same time, it gives her ample opportunity to think about what she’s done wrong and mend her ways. We’ve all gotta mend our ways from time-to-time, especially my seven-year-old.”
But as you may have guessed, the authorities are treating Jean and Alex like the proverbial parents from hell rather than hailing them as shining examples of the new paradigm in parenting.
The Mail Online Reporter writes:
A couple allegedly locked a seven-year-old in an outdoor cage for three weeks for punishment – with just a bucket to use for the bathroom and a cot.
Jena Harman, the child’s mother, and her boyfriend, Alexander Smith, face up to 20 years jail for allegedly caging the child outside their Laramie, Wyoming, home.
Police said the six-by-five-foot cage was made in June from cattle paneling and wooden snow fence with plywood covering half of the opening.
A metal chain and ‘dog-leash-style latch’ were allegedly used to keep the child locked in with clothing, books, a toothbrush, toothpaste and a five-gallon bucket, Laramie Boomerang reported.
The child, who has not been identified by gender, reportedly spent most of the day and night inside the cage. If she had to go #1, she had a useful receptacle in the cage. If she had to #2, she was taught to hold it so that no foul odors would be unleashed into the air.
The child was fed once a day if Jena was able to take time out of her busy schedule to bring her food. And since the child really aggravated Alex more than Jena, she would reportedly release the seven-year-old from the cage when her man Alex, a truck driver, was not at home.
Alex lived in a camper near the home.
Although neither Alex nor Jena mentioned the following punishments, if the child is to be believed (a big if), he/she reported being kicked by Jena and Alex, sprayed down with a hose, and even being kept in the cage exposed to the elements, even during thunderstorms, which can be quite severe in the Equality State.
According to one report, before moving to the cage, the child allegedly slept on the floor or on a couch in Jean’s home.
Jena and Alex were arrested on July 24th following a tip from an unnamed informant (probably not from the school since it was in summertime when these sterling parents were arrested).
The lovebirds are charged with one count each of child abuse and three counts each of felonious restraint, according to District Court felony information documents.
According to Laramie Boomerang, the Sheriff’s Office began receiving complaints of child abuse and requests for welfare checks in August last year.
At least some of these requests are believed to have originated at the child’s school.
Jena and Alex remain in custody on a $100,000 cash bond at the Albany County Detention Center in Laramie, Wyoming.
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Some neighbors have reported that they had wanted to turn Jena and Alex into the authorities well before their actual arrest but feared taking such a step because they were afraid of what Alex might do to them if he found out.
It’s unclear if Jena and Alex are enjoying their time “caged” at the Albany County Detention Center as much as Alex claims the child enjoyed being caged in his/her “playpen”.