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New Mexico Court Orders Mother to Take Religious Counseling or Lose Custody of Kids
Here's a story that might get some a little ticked off. Holly Salzman, went to court to get help co-parenting with her ex. She, was ordered by the court to take 10 counselling classes for parents. Salzman, was ordered to see Mary Pepper, who bills herself as an educator, mentor and teacher. Salzman thought she was going to counselling classes. Little did she know, the counselling amounted to classes on religion.
What would you do? Continue? Walk out? Salzman, complained about the religious undertones of classes with Pepper, The Court did not respond to her concerns. Pepper opened the second session with another prayer. If the counselor only had her own prayer for personal guidance, I may say Salzman over-reacted, but there is more than an opening prayer to suffer through. More of the article:
Now Salzman has since got her children back. But still what a ride. I don't agree with the court or Pepper. Violation of Church & State? When Salzman defied the order, the court took her kids which means Holly Salzman was punished for her religious beliefs? The only way Salzman could get her kids back was to comply. Pepper, also wants paid in cash under the table! The video investigation shows that Pepper knowingly circumvents the law with her practice and is breaking the law.
Full Article and Video Source: http://www.politicususa.com/2015/09/...sing-kids.html
When Kim Davis was sent to jail because she defied a court order to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples, Republicans seized the moment to claim Davis was a victim of judicial tyranny by a court that violated her right to freedom of religion. If Davis and her defenders want to know what a violation religious freedom looks like, they should look at what happened to Holly Salzman, a single mother in New Mexico. Holly Salzman went to a New Mexico District court for help co-parenting her children with her ex-husband. The court ordered Salzman to attend 10 counselling classes for parents. The order included a referral to Mary Pepper, who describes herself as an educator, mentor and teacher. Salzman thought she was going to counselling sessions. Little did she know that the counselling really amounted to classes on religion. The first thing Pepper said to Salzman when they met for their first session is that she begins every counselling session with a prayer. Salzman told Pepper she doesn’t pray. Pepper responded to Salzman’s concerns saying “well it’s what I do” and proceeded with the prayer.
Salzman went back to court and expressed her concerns about the religious overtones in her counselling sessions with Pepper. According to Salzman, the court said they hadn’t heard any problems regarding Mary Pepper with religion. Offended and disgusted, Salzman stopped going to the court-ordered sessions. The court took Salzman’s kids away. The only way Salzman could get her kids back was to finish the classes. In other words, Holly Salzman was ordered to attended counselling sessions. Based on the available facts, the Court ignored Salzman’s objections to the religious undertones of the counselling sessions. The court presumably found her in contempt when Salzman refused to complete the ordered sessions. That was when she lost custody of her children. Getting them back meant attending court ordered religion classes – in violation of Holly Salzman’s first amendment rights. KRQE went undercover to video and audio tape the final three classes between Salzman and Pepper. There were several references to religion.
Pepper told Salzman,“The meaning in my life is to know and serve God. If you want to explore how God was in your past, how God was in your life and not in your life …. I know you don’t believe in God which is fine but I know at some points he was in your life in some way.”Pepper gave Salzman handouts with religious quotes. As a homework assignment Salzman had to write an essay titled “who is God to me?”
Pepper told Salzman,“The meaning in my life is to know and serve God. If you want to explore how God was in your past, how God was in your life and not in your life …. I know you don’t believe in God which is fine but I know at some points he was in your life in some way.”Pepper gave Salzman handouts with religious quotes. As a homework assignment Salzman had to write an essay titled “who is God to me?”
Now Salzman has since got her children back. But still what a ride. I don't agree with the court or Pepper. Violation of Church & State? When Salzman defied the order, the court took her kids which means Holly Salzman was punished for her religious beliefs? The only way Salzman could get her kids back was to comply. Pepper, also wants paid in cash under the table! The video investigation shows that Pepper knowingly circumvents the law with her practice and is breaking the law.
Full Article and Video Source: http://www.politicususa.com/2015/09/...sing-kids.html
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