Dear editor:

We are facing a human rights crisis right here in northwest Georgia.

In our society, and in societies around the world, the stewardship of a child’s rights rests primarily with the family, which is a deeply important and often diverse collection of people who are a child’s support system.

A family is supposed to nourish and provide for its children, guide them with culture, traditions, beliefs and values. Children are supposed to be raised with smiles and scolds, praise and reprimands, being both held close and left to discover things on their own. But when a family is unable to live up to its obligations, children are left in the system. That is why Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA, exists.

CASA are volunteers trained to fight for the rights of children at the most vulnerable and consequential times in their lives. Our children need to do more than survive; they need to thrive. We must recognize that, at its heart, this is not merely an issue of abuse, neglect, a broken system or overburdened workers, but of the inalienable rights of a child. Society has a fundamental obligation to ensure that the basic rights and needs of every child are met. CASA volunteers are a formidable force that fights for these rights.

For more information on becoming a CASA volunteer, visit our facebook page at facebook.com/LookoutMountainCASA or call me at 423-702-0889.

Kristie Taylor, program director, Lookout Mountain CASA