Analyzing Alfie Kohn's 'The Hermansons'

Frisca Saputro
Intermediate C
Anrisa Fannin October 13th, 2009
The Hermansons

Alfie Kohn, an American author and lecturer who has explored a number of topics in education, parenting, and human behavior, says, “Children, after all, are not just adults-in-the-making. They are people whose current needs and rights and experiences must be taken seriously.” That means needs and rights of children are big deals and we need to fight for them. However, it did not happen with Amy Hermansons, a girl whose parents are Christian Scientists. Her right to live was not fought by her parents. Although her parents knew she was diabetic, the Hermansons did not bring her to the doctor because they believed that by just praying, they could cure Amy. In
fact, Amy could not survive and died in 1986. I believe that the Hermasons should have been sent to jail because they broke the law of children protection, the law of medical treatment, and abused their child.
The Hermansons should have protected their child, but they did not, so that means they broke the law of children protection.
They did not take care of Amy. Although they knew Amy did not feel good, they left Amy alone while they went to Indiana. They just prayed to cure Amy. As parents, they should have tried all ways to safe Amy’s life. For example, when I feel ill, my parents always do their best for me. They always ask me what I feel. They give me some vitamins or medicines and pray for me. Besides that, they always stay with me when I on sick. However, in Amy’s case, her parents left her alone in Indiana. That means her parents did not care about her. Furthermore when my parents hear from someone that I do not look so good, they will ask me and take care of me. However, in this case, although Amy’s teacher told Mrs. Hermansons to take care of Amy, she refused. They should have taken care of her, because every child has a right to get protection and care and every country has this law. By neglecting their child, they broke the children protection
law.
The law of medical treatment is a law to ensuring children get health, but Amy’s parents broke it.
Her parents did not give her a medical treatment and it caused her death. Every child has a right to get medical treatments. For example, one year ago, I felt sick. I got a Thrombocytopenia, a reduction in the number of cells platelets (thrombocytes) in my blood because mosquito’s bite, and my body temperature was 40.5 degrees Celsius. I could not feel anything. Although my parents prayed for me, they also brought me to the hospital and I had to stay about five days. That means I got medical treatment and it was useful to me. I believe that I could be safe because my parents did not only pray, but they also tried to cure me by bringing me to hospital. It is same with Amy’s case. If they had brought Amy to the doctor, Amy might be safe. Because her parents did not bring her to doctor and they did not give her any medicine until she died, they broke the law of medical treatments and they should have been
punished.
The Hermansons abused their child by letting her disease attacked her. That means they knew Amy suffered, but they did not do anything to cure Amy. They just prayed without attempt. At second hand, they abused and killed Amy. For example, I got a stomach ache when I was 15 years old and I could not bear it. Every time I got this sick, I would cry because it was very pain. My parents worried about me. They prayed and brought me to a doctor internist. Unfortunately, she could not find my disease. My parents never gave up curing me. They did not want to see me in pain. Then my father called my uncle who is a doctor and he asked him about my sickness. He told my father to x-ray my stomach. Finally, one of the doctors where I went to checking my stomach found something wrong in my stomach and she gave me some medicine. That is an example of how parents always do their best to cure their child. In fact, it was not happened with Amy. Her parents did not try their best to cure Amy and furthermore, they abused Amy. Felony child abuse is a serious crime. Because the Hermansons just prayed and they did not do anything, they let Amy suffer, so they abused their child.
They did not try to help their child with another way that might have saved their child’s life. Some people say Amy’s parents were not wrong because they believed their religion could safe Amy’s life, but I believe that the Hermansons were wrong. They broke the law of children protection and medical treatment, and they abused their child. If the Hermanson are not sent to jail, other people might do the same thing. Other people will just pray to cure their children who are on sick without trying to bring their children to a doctor. That is why Amy’s parents should have been sent to jail.