Page 2 • The
Weekly Press • Thursday, September 17, 2015
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Volunteer Receives State Award For Work With Foster Youth How to Reach Us General Information225-775-2002 Fax . . . . . . . . . . . 225-775-4216 Email Address . . . brweeklypress@yahoo.com The office is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday and located at 1283 Rosenwald Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Correction Policy The Baton Rouge Weekly Press strives to be fair and accurate. The newspaper corrects any significant errors of fact brought to the attention of the editor. If you think an error has been made, call 225-775-2002
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Baton Rouge, Louisiana – Marvin Taylor is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of youth in foster care as a court-appointed special advocate volunteer – or CASA. His unwavering dedication to CASA was recognized when he was honored as Louisiana CASA Child Advocate of the Year in May. Capital Area CASA Association recruits, trains and supervises community volunteers who speak up for youth in the foster care system in East Baton Rouge Parish. These children have been abused or neglected by their parents or caregivers and are placed in state custody for their own protection. CASA volunteers advocate for these children to help them reach safe, permanent homes as quickly as possible and ensure their needs are being met while in foster care. Taylor first learned of CASA in 2009 while reading the newspaper at a barbershop. There was an article about a husband and wife volunteering together with CASA that drew him in. The story mentioned the ongoing need for both more male and African American CASA volunteers. “I figured I was two for two,” he says. Taylor wanted to make a difference, and the need for more CASA
“Geaux Blue for Kids” awards night from left to right, Marvin Taylor, CASA volunteer, and Tiffany Carriere, Capital.
Shutdown from page 1 chamber and says President Barack Obama would veto it anyway. That makes GOP leaders reluctant to force a doomed standoff with Obama that could result in a shutdown and alienate pivotal independent voters. The public mostly blamed Republicans in 2013 when a partial shutdown lasted 16 days after they tried dismantling Obama’s health care law in exchange for keeping agencies open. “Having charged up the hill once and been shot down,
why would you want to do that again?” said Rep. Tom Cole, ROkla., an ally of House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. “I’m pretty convinced we’re not going to shut down the government.” The Planned Parenthood group gets over $500 million in federal and state funds annually, virtually none of which can be used for abortions, and says it’s done nothing wrong. Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., has collected 31 signatures from conservative lawmakers pledging to
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oppose any bill funding government if it includes money for Planned Parenthood. Congressional leaders’ immediate problem is Mulvaney. If his group of 31 holds and Boehner wants to pass a bill preventing a shutdown and funding Planned Parenthood, he’d need Democratic votes. But no leader likes to battle his party’s members and rely on the other’s to pass crucial legislation. Besides, the deep partisan schism over Obama’s nuclear weapons deal with Iran — which garnered zero Republican votes — spotlights bitter divisions that could hinder Boehner from winning Democratic support. It’s unclear if an effort to remove Boehner would succeed, but it would be embarrassing. Boehner retains support from most House Republicans. They respect his leadership skills and close links with the GOP establishment that let him raise an enormous $28 million in the first half of 2015, aides say. He even wins affection from ardent abortion foes like Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., who said: “His heart is very open, he’s very pro-life and I’m convinced he’s trying to do the right thing. It’s unclear. GOP leaders will likely seek to temporarily finance government, perhaps setting up a Christmas showdown over 2016 spending and Planned Parenthood. Meanwhile, the House plans votes this week on bills by Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., halting Planned Parenthood’s federal funds for a year and by Franks, protecting infants born alive during abortions. Both would likely pass the House but face long Senate odds. The Senate is expected to vote this month on a measure by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and a presidential hopeful, barring most late-term abortions. It faces likely defeat. A vote on another bill cutting off Planned Parenthood’s money could come later this year.
volunteers seemed great. “Our kids will be running the country someday and shaping the future – it’s important to invest in them now,” he says. In September 2010, Taylor went through CASA’s training course, which prepares volunteers for their advocacy work. He accepted his first CASA case the next month and has never looked back. Since then, Taylor has devoted more than 250 hours advocating for five teenage boys in foster care. Taylor initially saw CASA as an opportunity to give back. After being involved for a couple of years, he became a father, and this reignited his passion for CASA. He could not imagine his own son without a safe home or a loving family. “I’m only one person, but if I can help one child, that’s a lot,” he says. For Taylor, the most rewarding part of being a CASA has been cultivating relationships with the youth he has served. Most of his CASA teens have not had positive male role models in their lives. He is proud to fill that void as a CASA volunteer, serving as a consistent, stable presence. Youth who do not reach stable homes by the age of 18 “age out” of foster care without a family or support system. Taylor has helped his CASA teens with such skills as applying for a job, catching a bus and cooking a meal. He says although these are things we take for granted, they are important life skills that teenage foster youth must learn in order to live independently. CASA volunteers do not provide legal representation, nor do they replace social workers. A CASA volunteer is an independent voice speaking solely for the child. Volunteers get to know the child and speak to everyone else involved in the case – foster parents, child protection agency workers, family members, teachers, doctors – in order to monitor the situation. Based on the information gathered, the CASA volunteer submits recommendations to the juvenile judge in a written report advocating for what is in the child’s best interests with the ultimate goal being a safe, permanent home for the child. Taylor notes that the court aspect of CASA is not intimidating. CASA volunteers typically serve
on one case at a time, which allows for more thoroughly researched information than other professionals can provide given their caseloads. CASA volunteers know everything there is to know about the children they serve and are valuable, respected voices in the courtroom. Outside of CASA, Taylor works for KimCo as district manager for Louisiana and Mississippi. He and his wife have a 3-year-old son and a new baby girl. Taylor also volunteers with Bethany Church through its prison ministry. He finds the CASA time commitment to be manageable and has no problem balancing it with everything else. “If anything is important to you, you will find the time to do it,” he says. For anyone considering becoming a CASA volunteer, Taylor says just to give it a try. “The supervisors at CASA are a great support system – you are not alone in this work,” he says. Capital Area CASA congratulates Marvin Taylor on being chosen as Louisiana CASA Child Advocate of the Year. The organization also received the Diversity Leadership Award for its efforts to achieve diversity and inclusion among its board of directors, staff and volunteers. CASA needs volunteers – especially more male and African American individuals – in order to continue serving every child who needs a voice. No special background is required. The first step is to attend a brief informational session at the CASA office, located at 848 Louisiana Ave. For dates and details, call (225) 379-8598, email volunteer@casabr.org or visit casabr.org. The next volunteer training course begins Sept. 8. “One thing we all have is some time,” says Taylor. “Even if you don’t have a lot of money to give, you can invest your time to help others.” Area CASA program manager. Taylor was honored as Louisiana CASA Child Advocate of the Year, and Capital Area CASAAssociation received the Diversity Leadership Award. CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate. Capital Area CASA Association’s mission is to advocate for timely placement of children in permanent, safe and stable homes.
Jindal from page 1 adopting the standards and mentioned that Florida, Georgia, and Kentucky dropped Common Core standards without losing Race to the Top grants. Ultimately, Judge Dick did not agree that Jindal’s representation of Common Core implementation was factually correct. She wrote that Common Core was not a curriculum and that federal education programs are not hurting states’ rights. She
said that even if the standards had been mandated by the federal government, they would not have violated states’ rights, because it was not an actual curriculum that would require certain “means and methods” to be used, such as counting fingers and toes versus using flash cards, according to The Times-Picayune. Jindal’s lawyer, Jimmy Faircloth, said they will appeal the decision.
Report from page 1 2015, 6:00 p.m. at S.E. Mackey Community Center located at 6543 Ford Street. This community meeting is open to the public and no registration is required. Light refreshments was available. All
community members, residents and other interested stakeholders are invited to attend to help establish the framework and share their vision. For more information, visit www.5825airline.org.
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