MHMR official regrets 'gene pool' remarks

[Guest guest]

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/local/10087411.htm

Posted on Wed, Nov. 03, 2004

MHMR official regrets 'gene pool' remarks

By Mitch

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Dr. ph Burkett regrets telling the members of a Texas House select committee

that foster children come from bad gene pools, he said.

But Bledsoe, the state leader of the National Association for the

Advancement of Colored People, maintains that the damage has already been done

and that Burkett's comment may indicate an attitude in the state's foster care

system.

Burkett, medical director for Tarrant County Mental Health Mental Retardation,

testified that physicians should be free to prescribe the medicines they want to

prescribe.

State representatives listening to Burkett's testimony were concerned about the

amounts of psychoactive drugs being prescribed to foster-care children.

When he made the comment in question, Burkett was trying to explain why mental

illness is more prevalent among foster children than in the general population,

he said. Instead of clarifying his position, he apparently stepped on the

equivalent of a verbal land mine.

" A lot of these kids come from bad gene pools, " Burkett told lawmakers during

the Oct. 4 committee meeting. " They don't have stable parents making good

decisions or else most of them would not be in foster care. So besides the gene

pools, they've then been traumatized by abuse, neglect and problems, and then

they've been traumatized by separation. And all those things predispose to

mental illness. "

That 30 percent of foster care children in Texas are African-American is

information that did not escape Bledsoe.

African-Americans make up about 12 percent of the state's population.

" We've been concerned with the number of African-Americans in the foster care

system, " Bledsoe said. " Undergirding that must be certain policies or myths that

are part of the reason for those statistics. There must be some idea that black

people don't make good parents. We have seen evidence of different treatment of

people who are in similar situations in the foster care system. "

To Bledsoe and some others, Burkett's comments triggered memories of the 1994

book The Bell Curve, by authors J. Herrnstein and Murray, who

postulated that the difference between the IQ scores of whites and blacks was

due to genetic factors.

The research that supports Burkett's statements is inconclusive, Bledsoe said.

Bledsoe has called for investigations of the prescription policies at Child

Protective Services, the beleaguered state agency already under investigation by

the state, and policies at Tarrant County MHMR.

Meanwhile, Burkett has been apologizing and trying to explain the remarks he

made last month.

Research has shown that children of mentally ill parents are predisposed to

certain mental health conditions, said lee , executive director of

the Tarrant County Mental Health Association.

But could not point to any research that showed that mental illness was

any more prevalent in parents of foster children than it is among parents of

other children.

has other concerns, however.

" I would hate to see any implication that people with mental illness are bad

parents, " she said. " Poor parenting is much more closely linked with poverty,

income disparity, and drug and alcohol use. "

But most of all, wanted to say that Burkett is not a racist. If Burkett

said the things people say he said, " I'm sure he did not mean them, " she said.

Burkett is a good doctor, said Jim McDermott, chief executive director of

Tarrant County MHMR.

" I know he's not a racist and his comments have no racial intent, " McDermott

said.

Jerry Boswell, president of the Texas branch of the Citizens Commission on Human

Rights, which fights against fraud in psychiatry, questions the usefulness of

bringing up genetics during the discussion.

" You have these genetic theories which are highly controversial, " Boswell said.

" When you make a comment about genetics, you're saying this child is doomed. "

IN THE KNOW

By the numbers

15,709 Total of Children in Care

4,707 African-American

(30 percent)

5,503 Hispanic (35 percent)

5,199 Anglo (33 percent) 300 Other (2 percent)

Mitch , (817) 390-7420 mitchmitchell@...

[Guest guest]

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/local/10087411.htm

Posted on Wed, Nov. 03, 2004

MHMR official regrets 'gene pool' remarks

By Mitch

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Dr. ph Burkett regrets telling the members of a Texas House select committee

that foster children come from bad gene pools, he said.

But Bledsoe, the state leader of the National Association for the

Advancement of Colored People, maintains that the damage has already been done

and that Burkett's comment may indicate an attitude in the state's foster care

system.

Burkett, medical director for Tarrant County Mental Health Mental Retardation,

testified that physicians should be free to prescribe the medicines they want to

prescribe.

State representatives listening to Burkett's testimony were concerned about the

amounts of psychoactive drugs being prescribed to foster-care children.

When he made the comment in question, Burkett was trying to explain why mental

illness is more prevalent among foster children than in the general population,

he said. Instead of clarifying his position, he apparently stepped on the

equivalent of a verbal land mine.

" A lot of these kids come from bad gene pools, " Burkett told lawmakers during

the Oct. 4 committee meeting. " They don't have stable parents making good

decisions or else most of them would not be in foster care. So besides the gene

pools, they've then been traumatized by abuse, neglect and problems, and then

they've been traumatized by separation. And all those things predispose to

mental illness. "

That 30 percent of foster care children in Texas are African-American is

information that did not escape Bledsoe.

African-Americans make up about 12 percent of the state's population.

" We've been concerned with the number of African-Americans in the foster care

system, " Bledsoe said. " Undergirding that must be certain policies or myths that

are part of the reason for those statistics. There must be some idea that black

people don't make good parents. We have seen evidence of different treatment of

people who are in similar situations in the foster care system. "

To Bledsoe and some others, Burkett's comments triggered memories of the 1994

book The Bell Curve, by authors J. Herrnstein and Murray, who

postulated that the difference between the IQ scores of whites and blacks was

due to genetic factors.

The research that supports Burkett's statements is inconclusive, Bledsoe said.

Bledsoe has called for investigations of the prescription policies at Child

Protective Services, the beleaguered state agency already under investigation by

the state, and policies at Tarrant County MHMR.

Meanwhile, Burkett has been apologizing and trying to explain the remarks he

made last month.

Research has shown that children of mentally ill parents are predisposed to

certain mental health conditions, said lee , executive director of

the Tarrant County Mental Health Association.

But could not point to any research that showed that mental illness was

any more prevalent in parents of foster children than it is among parents of

other children.

has other concerns, however.

" I would hate to see any implication that people with mental illness are bad

parents, " she said. " Poor parenting is much more closely linked with poverty,

income disparity, and drug and alcohol use. "

But most of all, wanted to say that Burkett is not a racist. If Burkett

said the things people say he said, " I'm sure he did not mean them, " she said.

Burkett is a good doctor, said Jim McDermott, chief executive director of

Tarrant County MHMR.

" I know he's not a racist and his comments have no racial intent, " McDermott

said.

Jerry Boswell, president of the Texas branch of the Citizens Commission on Human

Rights, which fights against fraud in psychiatry, questions the usefulness of

bringing up genetics during the discussion.

" You have these genetic theories which are highly controversial, " Boswell said.

" When you make a comment about genetics, you're saying this child is doomed. "

IN THE KNOW

By the numbers

15,709 Total of Children in Care

4,707 African-American

(30 percent)

5,503 Hispanic (35 percent)

5,199 Anglo (33 percent) 300 Other (2 percent)

Mitch , (817) 390-7420 mitchmitchell@...

[Guest guest]

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/local/10087411.htm

Posted on Wed, Nov. 03, 2004

MHMR official regrets 'gene pool' remarks

By Mitch

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Dr. ph Burkett regrets telling the members of a Texas House select committee

that foster children come from bad gene pools, he said.

But Bledsoe, the state leader of the National Association for the

Advancement of Colored People, maintains that the damage has already been done

and that Burkett's comment may indicate an attitude in the state's foster care

system.

Burkett, medical director for Tarrant County Mental Health Mental Retardation,

testified that physicians should be free to prescribe the medicines they want to

prescribe.

State representatives listening to Burkett's testimony were concerned about the

amounts of psychoactive drugs being prescribed to foster-care children.

When he made the comment in question, Burkett was trying to explain why mental

illness is more prevalent among foster children than in the general population,

he said. Instead of clarifying his position, he apparently stepped on the

equivalent of a verbal land mine.

" A lot of these kids come from bad gene pools, " Burkett told lawmakers during

the Oct. 4 committee meeting. " They don't have stable parents making good

decisions or else most of them would not be in foster care. So besides the gene

pools, they've then been traumatized by abuse, neglect and problems, and then

they've been traumatized by separation. And all those things predispose to

mental illness. "

That 30 percent of foster care children in Texas are African-American is

information that did not escape Bledsoe.

African-Americans make up about 12 percent of the state's population.

" We've been concerned with the number of African-Americans in the foster care

system, " Bledsoe said. " Undergirding that must be certain policies or myths that

are part of the reason for those statistics. There must be some idea that black

people don't make good parents. We have seen evidence of different treatment of

people who are in similar situations in the foster care system. "

To Bledsoe and some others, Burkett's comments triggered memories of the 1994

book The Bell Curve, by authors J. Herrnstein and Murray, who

postulated that the difference between the IQ scores of whites and blacks was

due to genetic factors.

The research that supports Burkett's statements is inconclusive, Bledsoe said.

Bledsoe has called for investigations of the prescription policies at Child

Protective Services, the beleaguered state agency already under investigation by

the state, and policies at Tarrant County MHMR.

Meanwhile, Burkett has been apologizing and trying to explain the remarks he

made last month.

Research has shown that children of mentally ill parents are predisposed to

certain mental health conditions, said lee , executive director of

the Tarrant County Mental Health Association.

But could not point to any research that showed that mental illness was

any more prevalent in parents of foster children than it is among parents of

other children.

has other concerns, however.

" I would hate to see any implication that people with mental illness are bad

parents, " she said. " Poor parenting is much more closely linked with poverty,

income disparity, and drug and alcohol use. "

But most of all, wanted to say that Burkett is not a racist. If Burkett

said the things people say he said, " I'm sure he did not mean them, " she said.

Burkett is a good doctor, said Jim McDermott, chief executive director of

Tarrant County MHMR.

" I know he's not a racist and his comments have no racial intent, " McDermott

said.

Jerry Boswell, president of the Texas branch of the Citizens Commission on Human

Rights, which fights against fraud in psychiatry, questions the usefulness of

bringing up genetics during the discussion.

" You have these genetic theories which are highly controversial, " Boswell said.

" When you make a comment about genetics, you're saying this child is doomed. "

IN THE KNOW

By the numbers

15,709 Total of Children in Care

4,707 African-American

(30 percent)

5,503 Hispanic (35 percent)

5,199 Anglo (33 percent) 300 Other (2 percent)

Mitch , (817) 390-7420 mitchmitchell@...

[Guest guest]

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/local/10087411.htm

Posted on Wed, Nov. 03, 2004

MHMR official regrets 'gene pool' remarks

By Mitch

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Dr. ph Burkett regrets telling the members of a Texas House select committee

that foster children come from bad gene pools, he said.

But Bledsoe, the state leader of the National Association for the

Advancement of Colored People, maintains that the damage has already been done

and that Burkett's comment may indicate an attitude in the state's foster care

system.

Burkett, medical director for Tarrant County Mental Health Mental Retardation,

testified that physicians should be free to prescribe the medicines they want to

prescribe.

State representatives listening to Burkett's testimony were concerned about the

amounts of psychoactive drugs being prescribed to foster-care children.

When he made the comment in question, Burkett was trying to explain why mental

illness is more prevalent among foster children than in the general population,

he said. Instead of clarifying his position, he apparently stepped on the

equivalent of a verbal land mine.

" A lot of these kids come from bad gene pools, " Burkett told lawmakers during

the Oct. 4 committee meeting. " They don't have stable parents making good

decisions or else most of them would not be in foster care. So besides the gene

pools, they've then been traumatized by abuse, neglect and problems, and then

they've been traumatized by separation. And all those things predispose to

mental illness. "

That 30 percent of foster care children in Texas are African-American is

information that did not escape Bledsoe.

African-Americans make up about 12 percent of the state's population.

" We've been concerned with the number of African-Americans in the foster care

system, " Bledsoe said. " Undergirding that must be certain policies or myths that

are part of the reason for those statistics. There must be some idea that black

people don't make good parents. We have seen evidence of different treatment of

people who are in similar situations in the foster care system. "

To Bledsoe and some others, Burkett's comments triggered memories of the 1994

book The Bell Curve, by authors J. Herrnstein and Murray, who

postulated that the difference between the IQ scores of whites and blacks was

due to genetic factors.

The research that supports Burkett's statements is inconclusive, Bledsoe said.

Bledsoe has called for investigations of the prescription policies at Child

Protective Services, the beleaguered state agency already under investigation by

the state, and policies at Tarrant County MHMR.

Meanwhile, Burkett has been apologizing and trying to explain the remarks he

made last month.

Research has shown that children of mentally ill parents are predisposed to

certain mental health conditions, said lee , executive director of

the Tarrant County Mental Health Association.

But could not point to any research that showed that mental illness was

any more prevalent in parents of foster children than it is among parents of

other children.

has other concerns, however.

" I would hate to see any implication that people with mental illness are bad

parents, " she said. " Poor parenting is much more closely linked with poverty,

income disparity, and drug and alcohol use. "

But most of all, wanted to say that Burkett is not a racist. If Burkett

said the things people say he said, " I'm sure he did not mean them, " she said.

Burkett is a good doctor, said Jim McDermott, chief executive director of

Tarrant County MHMR.

" I know he's not a racist and his comments have no racial intent, " McDermott

said.

Jerry Boswell, president of the Texas branch of the Citizens Commission on Human

Rights, which fights against fraud in psychiatry, questions the usefulness of

bringing up genetics during the discussion.

" You have these genetic theories which are highly controversial, " Boswell said.

" When you make a comment about genetics, you're saying this child is doomed. "

IN THE KNOW

By the numbers

15,709 Total of Children in Care

4,707 African-American

(30 percent)

5,503 Hispanic (35 percent)

5,199 Anglo (33 percent) 300 Other (2 percent)

Mitch , (817) 390-7420 mitchmitchell@...