Rembis Fam: 11 kids, CPS, antivax, homeschool, CPS

[Lurky]

@Howl That is fascinating, and definitely feels like the adoptive "mothers" we talk about - the family who seem like nice people, but at this point have so many kids, they can't possibly be providing adequate care (Jean?) but people defend with "at least they're getting inadequate care in the USA" seem to fall definitely into the "Rescuers" category.

[iheartchacos]

Wow, small world. My (now adopted) son came to me from that children's home. From what he's said about it, it is exceptional.

[Howl]

I looked up the judge (Kevin Hart) who is adjudicating the Rembis CPS case.  Here's an article from the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal about his swearing-in ceremony in the year 2000:

Quote

 

[Hart] was sworn in as the associate judge for the newly formed South Plains Cluster Court.  

The "Cluster Court" concept, already in place in eight areas of Texas, is a new system designed to streamline the handling of Child Protective Services cases to a single judge, thereby minimizing the shuffling of children through the court system.

Hart will hear only CPS cases, from start to finish, in Lubbock, Crosby, Hale, Garza, Dawson, Lynn, Terry, Yoakum, Hale, Swisher and Castro counties.

Hart, who has lived in Lubbock for the past 30 years and practiced law for 21 years, said he'll be responsible for hearing approximately 600 CPS cases throughout the region. In the past seven years of his practice, Hart said he's represented many children's cases, and the subject is one he's close to.

 

By now, Judge Hart has been adjudicating CPS cases for 16 years and has heard it all in his courtroom -- hopefully these many years of experience means he isn't swayed by bullshit.  

[I love Pringles]

Are there any articles that show the photos of the home when it was trashed? The only photos I'm seeing are from their page which things look sparkling clean.

[Howl]

I thought one of the newspaper articles said their landlord had evicted them - maybe because they were dumping trash through a hole in the floor? 

If they've been evicted (which they are appealing), they will have no home to take their children to, should the kids be returned. 

[I love Pringles]

1 hour ago, Howl said:

I thought one of the newspaper articles said their landlord had evicted them - maybe because they were dumping trash through a hole in the floor? 

If they've been evicted (which they are appealing), they will have no home to take their children to, should the kids be returned. 

They were given? a new home or found a new one to rent through their church or something from what I understood?

[Howl]

I did see a picture of the hole in the floor.  It is in a closet and is about 1' x 1'.  It looks like the kids were putting misc pieces of paper in there and maybe sweepings, but not organic stuff like food scraps.  

[Mercer]

I'm heartbroken that the media did not share the reason why we left TX. We told every media outlet that our kids were terrified of CPS because they were sexually abused in CPS custody last year. There's no excuse not to share this, everyone was told this in multiple interviews. We even have proof of the abuse & only 1 (local) media outlet was receptive to seeing the proof.

Um... most news outlets will not disclose the names of sexual abuse victims, particularly if those victims are minors. Since the parents are identified so publicly, the children would be identifiable too by default. I don't think there's any big mystery here; the news sources are probably just following policy to protect the children's privacy.

[sassyNoz47]

New update. CPS not following court orders,

moms not being allowed to homeschool.

2 of the girls are sick with double illnesses. 

The boys are suspended from school over I think hair length ?

worst of all CPS refuses to help them with the ONE thing the need - a house. 

[devoe364]

@sassyNoz47 wow. If the judge just made the order isn't it conceivable that CPS needs like a day or two to get their ducks in a row? 

Also, its FALL, the kids went to PUBLIC SCHOOL for the first time. Guess what Public Schools are (and basically all schools) they are GERM FACTORIES. If your children also have poor hygiene skills (something I am guessing at because of the matted hair that took 9 hours and two stylists to tackle), they are more likely to pick up some of these nasty little buggers and get sick.

As to the boys being suspended for hair length, here's the district dress code. I doubt hair length falls under the last clause....

Quote

Student Dress Code The District prohibits pictures, symbols, emblems, jewelry, or writings on your body, clothing and/or personal belongings that:

• Are lewd, offensive, vulgar, or obscene

• Advertise or depict tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, drugs, tattoos or any other substance as prohibited by the District or State Law

• Refer to satanic, cult, or gang activities, including but not limited to: Slashed eyebrows, colored shoestrings, web belts, jewelry

• Disrupt classroom instruction Clothing that has been modified in a revealing manner. In addition:

• Oversized clothing shall not be worn. Specifically, students are not permitted to wear sagging or baggy pants. Pants must be worn at the natural waistline.

• Tattoos on a student must be covered

• See-through/chiffon blouses may not be worn without a shirt under it or a piece of clothing over it.

• The neck opening on any type of shirt or blouse may not exceed the equivalent of the second button below the collar of a dress shirt or blouse.

• Underwear-type shirts such as tank tops or muscle shirts shall not be worn.

• Bicycle shorts shall not be worn.

• Footwear shall be a part of regular attire. House shoes and roller shoes are not acceptable 5 footwear for school.

• Appropriate undergarments shall be worn at all times.

• Jewelry that depicts weapons, drugs, or profanity may not be worn.

• Student’s clothing must meet and cover student’s body at all times.

• The hair shall be clean, well-groomed, and shall not cover the eyes and the hairstyle shall not create a classroom distraction or make a reference to or possibly be interpreted as gang related.

• Mohawks, faux hawks and extreme hair colors are not permitted.

• Sideburns shall be kept trimmed so as not to form a beard, and shall not be extreme in fullness.

• Mustaches shall be acceptable if neatly trimmed and beards are not acceptable.

• Students may not wear facial studs, facial rings, or tongue bars, and body piercing must not be visible, nor may it be extreme or disruptive.

• Male students in Pre-K-8th grade may not wear earrings.

• Spacer earrings, gauges, and plugs are prohibited.

Principals at individual campuses are authorized to publish and enforce additional rules that are felt to be necessary to maintain a safe and orderly learning environment.

Now don't get me wrong, this dress code is ridiculous. However, long hair is not prohibited. 

[Childless]

My guess is that they were suspended for behavior.  It seems like they were permitted to roam free and do whatever the hell they wanted to do (if mom was constantly asleep I don't think there was much structure or discipline).  I'm sure it's hard for children in that situation to suddenly sit at a desk all day and take instruction.

Also, why is it CPS' duty to find a house for these yahoos?  Get up off your lazy asses and find your own house.  With all the moving you've done, it should be second nature by now. If you were able to find the current house all while dragging a gaggle of kids behind you, then you're certainly able to do it now that your child free.  Quit insisting everyone else take care of your family.  That's your responsibility.

[MarblesMom]

38 minutes ago, devoe364 said:

The hair shall be clean, well-groomed, and shall not cover the eyes and the hairstyle shall not create a classroom distraction

Could be their hair is a distraction? Perhaps it covers their eyes?  Who knows...?  Since we really have not heard a whole truth from either parent just yet, I would wait and see what the school or CPS has to say on it, if anything (doubtful)....

 

[devoe364]

20 minutes ago, MarblesMom said:

Could be their hair is a distraction? Perhaps it covers their eyes?  Who knows...?  Since we really have not heard a whole truth from either parent just yet, I would wait and see what the school or CPS has to say on it, if anything (doubtful)....

 

I find it doubtful that students would be suspended for it. I don't trust the parents as far as I can throw them (and they both appear well fed, so that wouldn't be far). I am inclined to believe that behaviour was more likely the cause of their suspensions - schools are going to be sensitive to a lot of things for kids in foster care - they are going to get a full account of the sitation. I would also bet that behaviour is acting out because they are unable to keep up with the work due to poor homeschooling. 

[Howl]

8 minutes ago, devoe364 said:

• Mustaches shall be acceptable if neatly trimmed and beards are not acceptable.

In the Rembis Fam facebook page, photos with the oldest boys show all three with facial hair -- mustaches and scraggly beards.   The boys are still in "detention".  Note that the dad is clean shaven. 

@sassyNoz47 was quoting from the update on the Rembis Family facebook page.  Claire Rembis is begging for anyone to give them a place to live anywhere in the US, as long as it has some land with it.  Obviously, they are planning to bolt and get under everyone's radar ASAP.   I was reading one of her earlier fb posts with a more critical eye.  The grift is strong with this one but she hides it well.  

Two of the kids have been diagnosed with strep throat and bronchitis, which sounds scary to me -- like something that could potentially land them in a hospital.  I know some educators and also have some retired educators in the family.  Yes, lots of illness at the start of the year.  BUT, this is the one time that professionals will evaluate these kids for educational progress and screen them for learning issues.

It's also noteworthy that no Christian school in Lubbock, TX has stepped up and offered free tuition for these kids and they don't seem to be affiliated with a church that can help them out, and trust me, there are oodles and kazoodles of fundamentalist Christian churches in the Lubbock area.  

She also claimed at one point that two of the kids have autism but are high functioning -- you really can't tell because (translation) they received such wonderful parenting and nutrition. 

There also seems to be more than a little bit of cognitive dissonance with these folks.  On one side, they proclaim absolute trust and belief in God, and yet they can't rely on that when there is adversity or have any insight in how their "faith" is creating that adversity.  

[Terrie]

Strep can be scary if uncaught, but if you catch it early, it's just a round of antibiotics. Bronchitis may or may not be a big deal, depending on the underlying cause. I get it with every cold, so I know it can be super-duper unpleasant. I've coughed hard enough to crack a rib. But no hospital, just codeine and time.

[Childless]

Get a job and find your own house.  Jeez, why do these moochers expect everyone else to pony up and give them free stuff/do all the work for them.  Get off your lazy asses and do something for yourselves.  I'm not your servant or your ATM machine.  Enough with the grifting already. 

[devoe364]

@Howl - the only photos I've seen are the ones the media has shown, so my bad on that one. 

However the older boys are in an open custody facility because NO ONE WILL TAKE BOYS THEIR AGE. There are not enough foster homes for them, plain and simple. 

That said, strep is easily passed to children who don't regularly wash their hands after going to the washroom and then eat.

Quote

The cause of strep throat is bacteria known as Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as group A streptococcus. Streptococcal bacteria are highly contagious. They can spread through airborne droplets when someone with the infection coughs or sneezes, or through shared food or drinks

That's from the Mayo Clinic.

Brochintis:

Quote

Causes of acute bronchitis. Acute bronchitis is normally caused by viruses, typically those that also cause colds and flu. It can also be caused by bacterial infection and exposure to substances that irritate the lungs, such as tobacco smoke, dust, fumes, vapors and air pollution.

That's from Medical News Today.

So kids exposed to new germs and who don't wash their hands are prime targets here. I think Mom is blowing this out of proportion. I also think that, yes, this is the one time that you can get evaluations ect done - something I am sure the kids are resisting if they are as poorly homeschooled as I suspect.

 

[CrazyLurkerLady]

I just learned about this family yesterday. I follow the Nauglers on FB and of course they're proclaiming their support for this family. I read a bit of Medical Kidnap's article about them and it didn't make a lot of sense. There was a lot of ranting about how ALL the assertions about them have been proven to be false, that the caseworkers keep renewing claims from old investigations that have already been proven to be false, and that the parents have done everything asked of them but CPS still won't give the kids back FOR NO REASON!!!!111

They (MK) basically latch onto this idea that CPS is always wrong and is just an evil baby-stealing organization and that parents are never ever neglectful or abusive. All their stories follow the same format. Loving family has false allegations against them just for being different, CPS takes the kids immediately with no proof of wrongdoing, parents do everything CPS asks of them, CPS keeps adding onto their requirements so they don't have to give the kids back, eventually the kids are given back and all charges are proven false because the parents are perfect, OR parental rights are terminated with no proof of wrongdoing because the parents are loving and not at all abusive and are definitely being persecuted for being Christian/homesteaders/anti-vaxxers/etc.

[dianapavelovna]

How in the hell is CPS supposed to work out this homeschooling nonsense? The Rembises don't have housing currently, so the kids can't go home for "school" - and even if they could, letting them sit at home all day is in contradiction to the fact that they were, you know, removed from that home. The kids are in different placements because there are so many of them, they are a wide variety of ages, and there is a general shortage of foster homes in TX right now. So what is supposed to happen? Mom comes to the foster placements to do "school"? Foster parents do not have to let bio parents come to their home. The foster parents likely have other obligations, such as, ahem, a job, during the day, and are not equipped to supervise the kids all day every day. Where the hell is this "schooling" supposed to happen? Is the judge going to request some form of curriculum or records as proof of what the kids are learning? (I know the answer to that - no, because TX law doesn't require it for anyone). It sounds like an order the judge made without thinking about or caring how it would actually happen.

I don't believe that any of the kids are being suspended or held in detention simply because of their hair. As long as it's reasonably well groomed, no public school I've ever heard of has prohibited long hair on boys. Ironically, it's usually private & Christian schools that are sticklers about that.

CPS: Please bring your kids to the CAC for interviews.
Rembis Fam: Immediately leaves the state, subsequently evicted.
CPS: You don't have housing. You need a stable place to live before we can return your children.
Rembis Fam: It's your fault!!1! This is unfair!!1!

Also, I am disgusted but not surprised that they are posting pictures of their children crying and upset during visitations (in Medical Kidnap article). Stop exploiting your kids for sympathy points and get your shit together so you can get them back. 

[iheartchacos]

Can someone list the name and age of the kids. I can't find them all in one place though I know I've seen a list.

[Antimony]

I don't know all their names but I reckon that if you just list all Disney princesses, you'll hit at least half the kids names.

[Howl]

My understanding is that the oldest (boy) is 17, and was able to make a decision on his own to not go into CPS custody and has moved to live with the family (?) in Colorado where the family fled originally.  The youngest (boy baby) is around 16 or 17 months.   

These yahoos have dug themselves into a deep hole, and they are calling for more shovels.  Dad quits good paying job to run away with fam.  Kids are now currently in CPS custody, there is no family income, which makes it pretty damned hard to rent a house or do anything else. Basically, they have no resources.  I do think they have a court-appointed attorney because they are basically destitute.  

I listened to part of the audio of their last hearing. Claire Rembis is certainly lucid and coherent.  If the dad was truly admitted to Texas Tech law school, he can't be an intellectual slouch.  Unfortunately, they don't seem to have any problem making terrible decisions. 

A sad thing about these kids, is that although at least a few of the boys are old enough to take some type of entry-level job to help the family financially, they likely are not sufficiently socialized to be able to do that.  I sure as hell hope the kids at least have birth certificates and even (gasp!) SSNs.  If they are getting $1,100 or $1,400 in food stamps, is providing  SSNs or birth certificates a requirement for application?

[FundieFarmer]

Worth noting: there are two Rembis Facebooks. 

One is Claire Rembis's facebook, which is her "private" facebook but that is completely set to public, so everybody can see everything. This one is full of personal quotes presumably by her, and all caps and eleventies. 

The other is "The Rembis Family" and most of the posts start out "From Mrs Rembis" and looks like it's being run by a family friend. It's a lot more tempered than Claire's– no caps or !!!111!!!!!!s and more logical. It's here: https://www.facebook.com/rembisfamily/?fref=ts 

[dianapavelovna]

I'm not sure of ages (except that the eldest is 17), but these are the kids:

Will - 17 (not in custody)
Alexander - 15?
Sebastian - just turned 14
Andrew - 11?
Belle - 10?
Aurora - 9?
Cinderella - 7?
Pocahontas - 4?
Cora - 3?
Sunday
Enoch - 16 months (born May 2015)

These are mostly guesses. She'll refer sometimes to her X-year-old (without a name). Two of the younger girls are twins, but I'm not sure which two. According to mom, Alexander and Sebastian are autistic. I got all this from public posts on mom's page.

ETA some more info I found on mom's public Facebook

[Four is Enough]

How long have the children been in CPS custody? Typically there is a time for the parents to prove they're not only straightening up, but maintaining the improvements of their circumstances before the kids get sent home. It sounds to me like they just started all this stuff but they want their kids NOW.