Republican lawmakers in Texas are eager to make an example out of Child Protective Services. After several heartbreaking instances that resulted in the death of children in families under investigation by CPS, no one can deny-change is needed. However, solutions should be adequate funding and better checks and balances.

Instead, it’s privatization.

If the bill they are proposing becomes law, 3,200 child protective services caseworkers jobs will be outsourced. That’s almost 55% of the workforce.Sign the petition and tell Texas legislators that their top priority should be advocating for the rights of vulnerable children, not lining the pockets of contractors.

Privatizing CPS would mean that the state would redistribute its responsibilities to a nonprofit organization. This is especially scary when the state becomes the legal guardian of a child. The contractor then takes on responsibilities like deciding where a child lives, services a family receives, and whether parental rights should be terminated. However, this means that a contractor’s profits depend on what decisions it makes for a family. That makes the landscape ripe financial conflicts of interests.  What’s even more horrifying is that CPS would no longer have the authority to override decisions about the best interest of a child once they are made by the contractor.

Texas:a lack of check and balances would be selling our children short.

Sign the petition and tell Texas legislators not to gamble with the lives of children; don’t privatize Child Protective Services.

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