“summary child maltreatment 2005.” Administration for Children and Families. Online. internet. 2 April 2007. Available: http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm05/summary.htm
Jaffe, Jaelline. “Child abuse and neglect.” Help Guide a trusted nonprofit resource. Online. Internet. 10 October 2007. Available: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/child_abuse_physical_emotional_sexual_neglect.htm
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Child Abuse.
The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), (42 U.S.C.A. §5106g), as amended by the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003, defines child abuse and neglect as, at minimum:
· Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or
· An act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.
There are four primary types of child abuse:
physical abuse
sexual abuse
emotional abuse
neglect
Child abuse is a major problem in the United States today. Although physical abuse and sexual abuse seem to be the most common, neglect is by far the most common abuse. Neglect is failing to provide for a child on a day to day basis to the extent that the child’s physical and psychological health is damaged. In neglect, the child’s parents or owners are basically failing or choosing not to do their job. There are three basic types of neglect, these three are; physical neglect, educational neglect, emotional neglect. Here are some causes of physical neglect.
-Physical neglect: Failure to provide food or hygiene, leaving a baby unattended, refusal to provide health care to the child, abandonment, etc.
-Education Neglect: Failure to enroll a child into a school, allowing a child to miss days of school on end, etc.
-Emotional neglect: Inadequate nurturing and or affection, permitting a child to drink alcohol or use recreational drugs, failure to help when child demonstrates antisocial behavior.
Abuse comes in many categories, you may not know you are doing it when you actually are.
· Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or
· An act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.
There are four primary types of child abuse:
physical abuse
sexual abuse
emotional abuse
neglect
Child abuse is a major problem in the United States today. Although physical abuse and sexual abuse seem to be the most common, neglect is by far the most common abuse. Neglect is failing to provide for a child on a day to day basis to the extent that the child’s physical and psychological health is damaged. In neglect, the child’s parents or owners are basically failing or choosing not to do their job. There are three basic types of neglect, these three are; physical neglect, educational neglect, emotional neglect. Here are some causes of physical neglect.
-Physical neglect: Failure to provide food or hygiene, leaving a baby unattended, refusal to provide health care to the child, abandonment, etc.
-Education Neglect: Failure to enroll a child into a school, allowing a child to miss days of school on end, etc.
-Emotional neglect: Inadequate nurturing and or affection, permitting a child to drink alcohol or use recreational drugs, failure to help when child demonstrates antisocial behavior.
Abuse comes in many categories, you may not know you are doing it when you actually are.
Traits of Writting
At first when I started reading this book I thought, "oh great, another boring language arts book." It ended up being nothing like that though, and I really enjoyed it. Cris Crutcher has a very up front way of telling stories it seems, but that is a good thing. His ideas and Content are very well thought out, it seemed like he had gone through some of the situations that happened during the book which was very surprising. One thing that made the book a little hard to understand was Cris Crutcher's orginization. The reason for this is because he would jump from flashbacks to modern time very quickly and without warning. That made it kind of hard to follow. Also, another Trait that I think was used exceptionally was Word Choice. A lot of adult topics where talked about in a way that I could understand. There were some very intelligent word choices in the book that I wouldnt expect to be in the story, but were. Since this book is published it is obviously high in all the categories of the Six Traits of Writting but those few really stuck out to me. Cris Crutcher did an amazing job on this novel, I really enjoyed it!
Background Information
Plot outline- Sarah Byrnes and Eric Calhoune have been friends since they were little because they both were concsidered outcast. Eric Calhoune was very much overweight and Sarah Byrnes had scars all over her face and hands due to a burn "accident," when she was little. Eric eventually loses weight and gets skinny from joining the swimming team but their friendship does not fade. Now, Sarah Byrnes sits silent in a Hospital. No one knows why, but Eric is determined to find out. By doing this he must uncover a horrible secret she is hiding. He trys to help but hopefully its not to late...
Setting- Most of the story is taken place in the Sacred Heart Hospital, Eric'c House and the local High School the kids go to. Although the location the story is taken place in is unclear, we know that it is closed to the town Reno.
Character Description- Eric Calhoune is the main character in the story. He used to be overwight and didnt really have any friends except Sarah Byrnes, because they were both considered outcasts. Eventually Eric lost weight by joining the swim team, and gained friends as a result, (such as Steve Ellerby.) Eric has a very up-front personality and speaks his mind, but in an intelligent way.
Sarah Byrnes is also a main character in the book, she has burns all over her face and hands supposedly from spaghetti, but people are determined to proove otherwise. She is a very strong girl with an upfront personality.
Steve Ellerby has been Eric's good friend since they met on the swim team. He has been very loyal to Eric and it seems like the two of them will be friends for a long time to come.
Jody Miller is Eric's Highschool crush. Although she comes off as not having much of an opinion on anything, Eric sees something special about her, and thats all that matters.
Setting- Most of the story is taken place in the Sacred Heart Hospital, Eric'c House and the local High School the kids go to. Although the location the story is taken place in is unclear, we know that it is closed to the town Reno.
Character Description- Eric Calhoune is the main character in the story. He used to be overwight and didnt really have any friends except Sarah Byrnes, because they were both considered outcasts. Eventually Eric lost weight by joining the swim team, and gained friends as a result, (such as Steve Ellerby.) Eric has a very up-front personality and speaks his mind, but in an intelligent way.
Sarah Byrnes is also a main character in the book, she has burns all over her face and hands supposedly from spaghetti, but people are determined to proove otherwise. She is a very strong girl with an upfront personality.
Steve Ellerby has been Eric's good friend since they met on the swim team. He has been very loyal to Eric and it seems like the two of them will be friends for a long time to come.
Jody Miller is Eric's Highschool crush. Although she comes off as not having much of an opinion on anything, Eric sees something special about her, and thats all that matters.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Blog #1
Friendship ♥
The friendship between Sarah Byrnes and Eric Calhoune is very special. They stayed friends throughout the whole story even though they both could have given up if they wanted to. Their friendship goes through many obstacles and loops through out the book but they go through it together and that just proves how good of friends that they are. I believe that friendship is one of the main traits in this book because Sarah Byrnes and Eric Calhoun display is so well.
In the beginning of the book, when Eric starts swimming on the school team Sarah Byrnes keeps saying that Eric will not be her friend anymore once he loses his wait because he will have no use for her. She thinks that he will become a jock, make new friends, and forget all about her. Well, Eric wants to prove her wrong and show that he will be loyal to her and their friendship. To do this, Eric eats like a pig for a year just so he will not loose weight. Even when he was not hungry, he would eat. Eric Calhoun stayed fat a whole year for her. One day, at lunch Sarah Byrnes tells Eric that he cannot keep living like this and that he will kill himself if he continues on the track that he is going. She says that he has proved their friendship to him and that he should just stop now, and so he does.
When Sarah Byrnes goes into the hospital to recover, Eric goes there to visit almost every single day he talks to her because he believes that she can hear everything he is saying and just chooses not to answer. One day, when Sarah Byrnes does answer him she tells him the truth about her severe burns. He is shocked but will not leave her during her time of need, now is the time to help her the most. So, Eric does everything in his power to get Sarah Byrnes to safety. He goes to Dale Thorton to figure out where Sarah Byrnes’s mother could be so she could help set things right for her. Also he goes to Mrs. Lemry for advise and Mrs. Lemry ends up kidding Sarah Byrnes at her house.
Even when Mr. Byrnes holds a knife up to Eric’s neck he will not tell where Sarah Byrnes is and claims he doesn’t know. Eventually he has to tell him because otherwise Mr. Byrnes would have killed him right there and then.
If you can see throughout these paragraphs, these two would do anything for each other. Eric Calhoun went to extreme lengths to keep Sarah Byrnes safe and out of reach from her dad. He wanted to make things right for her and prove that they are best friends and always will be. I am glad that a relationship never sprung between the two because I think that it would just make things awkward because of how good of friends they are. I think that the two of them go perfect together as best friends and if they had a relationship it would just ruin their friendship. They both taught each other very valuable lessons in life. Eric taught Sarah Byrnes that you have to fight for want you want and not keep it all inside. Sarah Byrnes taught Eric that you have to stand up to bullies and you need to be the referee of your own life, not let other people make decisions and calls for you.
The friendship between Sarah Byrnes and Eric Calhoune is very special. They stayed friends throughout the whole story even though they both could have given up if they wanted to. Their friendship goes through many obstacles and loops through out the book but they go through it together and that just proves how good of friends that they are. I believe that friendship is one of the main traits in this book because Sarah Byrnes and Eric Calhoun display is so well.
In the beginning of the book, when Eric starts swimming on the school team Sarah Byrnes keeps saying that Eric will not be her friend anymore once he loses his wait because he will have no use for her. She thinks that he will become a jock, make new friends, and forget all about her. Well, Eric wants to prove her wrong and show that he will be loyal to her and their friendship. To do this, Eric eats like a pig for a year just so he will not loose weight. Even when he was not hungry, he would eat. Eric Calhoun stayed fat a whole year for her. One day, at lunch Sarah Byrnes tells Eric that he cannot keep living like this and that he will kill himself if he continues on the track that he is going. She says that he has proved their friendship to him and that he should just stop now, and so he does.
When Sarah Byrnes goes into the hospital to recover, Eric goes there to visit almost every single day he talks to her because he believes that she can hear everything he is saying and just chooses not to answer. One day, when Sarah Byrnes does answer him she tells him the truth about her severe burns. He is shocked but will not leave her during her time of need, now is the time to help her the most. So, Eric does everything in his power to get Sarah Byrnes to safety. He goes to Dale Thorton to figure out where Sarah Byrnes’s mother could be so she could help set things right for her. Also he goes to Mrs. Lemry for advise and Mrs. Lemry ends up kidding Sarah Byrnes at her house.
Even when Mr. Byrnes holds a knife up to Eric’s neck he will not tell where Sarah Byrnes is and claims he doesn’t know. Eventually he has to tell him because otherwise Mr. Byrnes would have killed him right there and then.
If you can see throughout these paragraphs, these two would do anything for each other. Eric Calhoun went to extreme lengths to keep Sarah Byrnes safe and out of reach from her dad. He wanted to make things right for her and prove that they are best friends and always will be. I am glad that a relationship never sprung between the two because I think that it would just make things awkward because of how good of friends they are. I think that the two of them go perfect together as best friends and if they had a relationship it would just ruin their friendship. They both taught each other very valuable lessons in life. Eric taught Sarah Byrnes that you have to fight for want you want and not keep it all inside. Sarah Byrnes taught Eric that you have to stand up to bullies and you need to be the referee of your own life, not let other people make decisions and calls for you.
Blog #2
Characters
Sarah Byrnes- Sarah Byrnes with the exception of Eric Calhoun was the main character in this book. As you’ve read earlier, Sarah Byrnes was burned when she was three years old by her father Mr. Byrnes. Although she is not very appeasing to the eye, she is extremely smart and talented. Since she has scars all over her face and hands she was destined to be picked on not only at school, but outside of it also. I admire her though because she does not let any rude comment or nasty remark get her down. She shrugs every comment about how ugly she is off her shoulders and does not waste another minute on it. Through out the book Sarah Byrnes takes rude remark after rude remark from Dale Thorton and I admire her for her self-confidence even though she is not pretty and never will be. She is incredibly tough and will not let anybody push her around or tell her what to do.
Eric Calhoune- Eric Calhoun used to be extremely overweight. One day, at a community pool the swim coach for the high school spotted him and got him to try out for the team. He did just that, and as soon as he started the team started shedding extra pounds like crazy. For about one or two years he at like two pigs just to prove his friendship to Sarah Byrnes- that he would not leave her. Eventually, she told him that he was killing himself and that he didn’t need to do that for her, so he lost the weight very fast. Now that Eric has lost his extra weight he has become more confident in himself. He speaks his mind whenever he can and stands up for what is right. Eric Calhoun seems like a very true friend.
Dale Thorton- Dale Thorton started out the book as having the view of a “big bully,” you could say. He was the largest kid in his grade because he could never seem to pass the eight grade, he was not the smartest. Although, through the story his character changes. He becomes known more as a good friend to Sarah Byrnes and a helper. It is surprising what Dale will do to help Sarah Byrnes so that she does not end up in a “crazy house,” as he calls it. He helps Eric through some problems and it seems like they could end up being friends.
Mrs. Lemry- was a teacher at Eric’s school and also his swim coach. She seemed like the type of teacher that you could tell anything to and she would keep it secret. She came across this was because Eric told her all about Sarah Byrnes and she kept it a secret. Also she would help with any problems you might have and you could go to her for advice. Mrs. Lemry gained my liking in the book right away just because she seemed like a superior teacher and all-around person.
Jody Mueller- she also played a role in the book. She started out being Mark Brittain’s girlfriend and kept everything inside. Everything that Brittain did, she did. It seemed like she relied on him too much. Although when she was with Brittain, she did not seem very happy. So, when we find out about her abortion I was very shocked. She has such strong views on it that I wish she would share them with everyone. After meeting Eric Calhoun, Jody tells Brittain that she does not want to go out. Jody goes to Eric and she tells him everything about her. Eric is surprised because he has never really seen this side of her and neither have the readers. I think because of how Jody opened up to Eric, it made him like her even more than he already did.
Sarah Byrnes- Sarah Byrnes with the exception of Eric Calhoun was the main character in this book. As you’ve read earlier, Sarah Byrnes was burned when she was three years old by her father Mr. Byrnes. Although she is not very appeasing to the eye, she is extremely smart and talented. Since she has scars all over her face and hands she was destined to be picked on not only at school, but outside of it also. I admire her though because she does not let any rude comment or nasty remark get her down. She shrugs every comment about how ugly she is off her shoulders and does not waste another minute on it. Through out the book Sarah Byrnes takes rude remark after rude remark from Dale Thorton and I admire her for her self-confidence even though she is not pretty and never will be. She is incredibly tough and will not let anybody push her around or tell her what to do.
Eric Calhoune- Eric Calhoun used to be extremely overweight. One day, at a community pool the swim coach for the high school spotted him and got him to try out for the team. He did just that, and as soon as he started the team started shedding extra pounds like crazy. For about one or two years he at like two pigs just to prove his friendship to Sarah Byrnes- that he would not leave her. Eventually, she told him that he was killing himself and that he didn’t need to do that for her, so he lost the weight very fast. Now that Eric has lost his extra weight he has become more confident in himself. He speaks his mind whenever he can and stands up for what is right. Eric Calhoun seems like a very true friend.
Dale Thorton- Dale Thorton started out the book as having the view of a “big bully,” you could say. He was the largest kid in his grade because he could never seem to pass the eight grade, he was not the smartest. Although, through the story his character changes. He becomes known more as a good friend to Sarah Byrnes and a helper. It is surprising what Dale will do to help Sarah Byrnes so that she does not end up in a “crazy house,” as he calls it. He helps Eric through some problems and it seems like they could end up being friends.
Mrs. Lemry- was a teacher at Eric’s school and also his swim coach. She seemed like the type of teacher that you could tell anything to and she would keep it secret. She came across this was because Eric told her all about Sarah Byrnes and she kept it a secret. Also she would help with any problems you might have and you could go to her for advice. Mrs. Lemry gained my liking in the book right away just because she seemed like a superior teacher and all-around person.
Jody Mueller- she also played a role in the book. She started out being Mark Brittain’s girlfriend and kept everything inside. Everything that Brittain did, she did. It seemed like she relied on him too much. Although when she was with Brittain, she did not seem very happy. So, when we find out about her abortion I was very shocked. She has such strong views on it that I wish she would share them with everyone. After meeting Eric Calhoun, Jody tells Brittain that she does not want to go out. Jody goes to Eric and she tells him everything about her. Eric is surprised because he has never really seen this side of her and neither have the readers. I think because of how Jody opened up to Eric, it made him like her even more than he already did.
Blog #3
Why was help declined?
The book Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is a tragic story of a young teen named Sarah Byrnes who was abused by her father. Eric Calhoune became Sarah’s friend partially because they were both outcasts, Eric was very overweight and Sarah Byrnes had burns all over her face so she was very ugly. Sarah Byrnes claims that she has scars all over her face and hands because when she was three years old she knocked over a pot of boiling spaghetti on herself. Although she has this as an explanation for her burns, it has been doubted many times. Many people have thought that the explanation of her burns was a lie and that she was really abused by her father Mr. Byrnes. If this assumption is true that Sarah Byrnes was abused, then why would she not tell anybody about it?
One day, Sarah Byrnes does not leave her desk at school and stops talking. She is taken to a Hospital so she can recover, but yet she still does not talk. Later we find out that Sarah Byrnes went there because she had a feeling that something bad was going to happen to her again. Her dad was getting crazier and crazier by the day and she did not want to be in his presence any longer, because she knew if she did she would get hurt again. I understand why Sarah Byrnes would make this decision because she did not want to be alone with her father any longer. The question is; why wouldn’t she just go to child services?
I understand completely why Sarah Byrnes did not turn her dad in. I think she did this because she knew it would not end up perfect, and that somehow her dad would come after her. Mr. Byrnes was a crazy and scary man and I’m sure she did not want to be around him any longer. Sarah Byrnes mentioned in the book that her dad was drinking more and more and threatening her more and she just wanted to get away from all of it. I believe that she did not tell the cops because her trust level was very low. You’re probably thinking, “How does this affect why she would not tell the cops?” If Sarah Byrnes came clean with her dark child hood past with the cops there would not be a 100% chance that her father would be sent to jail. If her father figured out that this information got to child services or the cops she would just be in more trouble and have to fear her father even more. In my opinion the scariest thing that could happen to a child being abused, is whoever is abusing you finds out that you are trying to get them caught or put into jail. This will just anger them more and cause you to have more fear in them. You have to make sure that they will not find out and that’s probably why Sarah Byrnes kept this a secret for so long.
I can see how all of this drama in your life and how miserable it made Sarah Byrnes would make her want to kill herself. I’m glad that she thought twice about it before she did though. Sarah Byrnes is a strong girl and after being at the hospital that she was at and meeting teenagers that have gone through the same exact thing she has gave her strength to continue on. She realized that if other people who have gone through abuse just like her are not giving up and moving on, than she will not give up either. I think that Sarah Byrne’s inspiration is an example to all of us that you can not give up no matter what you are going through because life will go on but it depends on how you handle it.
The book Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is a tragic story of a young teen named Sarah Byrnes who was abused by her father. Eric Calhoune became Sarah’s friend partially because they were both outcasts, Eric was very overweight and Sarah Byrnes had burns all over her face so she was very ugly. Sarah Byrnes claims that she has scars all over her face and hands because when she was three years old she knocked over a pot of boiling spaghetti on herself. Although she has this as an explanation for her burns, it has been doubted many times. Many people have thought that the explanation of her burns was a lie and that she was really abused by her father Mr. Byrnes. If this assumption is true that Sarah Byrnes was abused, then why would she not tell anybody about it?
One day, Sarah Byrnes does not leave her desk at school and stops talking. She is taken to a Hospital so she can recover, but yet she still does not talk. Later we find out that Sarah Byrnes went there because she had a feeling that something bad was going to happen to her again. Her dad was getting crazier and crazier by the day and she did not want to be in his presence any longer, because she knew if she did she would get hurt again. I understand why Sarah Byrnes would make this decision because she did not want to be alone with her father any longer. The question is; why wouldn’t she just go to child services?
I understand completely why Sarah Byrnes did not turn her dad in. I think she did this because she knew it would not end up perfect, and that somehow her dad would come after her. Mr. Byrnes was a crazy and scary man and I’m sure she did not want to be around him any longer. Sarah Byrnes mentioned in the book that her dad was drinking more and more and threatening her more and she just wanted to get away from all of it. I believe that she did not tell the cops because her trust level was very low. You’re probably thinking, “How does this affect why she would not tell the cops?” If Sarah Byrnes came clean with her dark child hood past with the cops there would not be a 100% chance that her father would be sent to jail. If her father figured out that this information got to child services or the cops she would just be in more trouble and have to fear her father even more. In my opinion the scariest thing that could happen to a child being abused, is whoever is abusing you finds out that you are trying to get them caught or put into jail. This will just anger them more and cause you to have more fear in them. You have to make sure that they will not find out and that’s probably why Sarah Byrnes kept this a secret for so long.
I can see how all of this drama in your life and how miserable it made Sarah Byrnes would make her want to kill herself. I’m glad that she thought twice about it before she did though. Sarah Byrnes is a strong girl and after being at the hospital that she was at and meeting teenagers that have gone through the same exact thing she has gave her strength to continue on. She realized that if other people who have gone through abuse just like her are not giving up and moving on, than she will not give up either. I think that Sarah Byrne’s inspiration is an example to all of us that you can not give up no matter what you are going through because life will go on but it depends on how you handle it.
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