A father from Kansas is expressing his outrage over a series of postcards he has been receiving from the state government. These bright red cards serve as monthly reminders for him to fulfill his child support obligations, and he feels they invade his privacy.
The man, who opted to remain anonymous and referred to himself as “John,” shared his feelings with local news outlet KWCH. “I was completely appalled. Not only was I shocked, but I felt ashamed that they would send out these cards as if it’s public knowledge,” he stated.
The Kansas Department of Children and Families distributes these monthly reminders to all non-custodial parents responsible for child support, regardless of whether they are current on their payments. The postcards are not sent in discreet envelopes; instead, they arrive in eye-catching red with the bold question, “Have you paid your child support this month?” For diligent parents like John, these reminders can be a source of unwarranted embarrassment.
A spokesperson for the Kansas DCF defended the postcards, claiming, “These reminders are fairly discreet but clearly indicate that the individual owes child support—not meant to shame anyone, but to remind them.” However, the bright red color and bold typeface hardly seem discreet.
It raises a valid concern: while it’s important to hold non-payers accountable, why should responsible parents be subjected to public embarrassment? John questioned, “If this is deemed acceptable, where does it end? What more of our personal information will they decide to broadcast?”
Indeed, the discomfort of having neighbors think one is behind on child support payments is a real concern. Non-custodial parents who fail to meet their obligations face justified scrutiny, yet many of them are likely to disregard or discard these postcards without a second thought.
Jeffrey R. Esser, a family law attorney from Chicago, weighed in on the matter, stating that the invasion of privacy is “a minor issue compared to the millions of children living in poverty due to non-custodial parents failing to provide financial support.” While it makes sense to shame those who neglect their responsibilities, unfairly targeting responsible parents seems ill-conceived.
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In summary, while the intent behind the postcards may be to encourage timely child support payments, the approach taken by the Kansas DCF raises significant concerns about privacy and fairness for parents who are doing their part.
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