Philosophers' Cafe: What Responsibility Does Society Have Toward Children?- February 11th

The next Philosphers' Cafe will be held on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at 7 pm at Brewery Nonic. The topic will be What Responsibility Does Society Have Toward Children? moderated by Dr. Tina Lee (Anthropology, UW-Stout).

Since the 1960’s, all U.S. states have passed laws that require a large range of professionals to report abuse and neglect of children and created bureaucracies to field reports and investigate them. These child protective services (CPS) systems have the power to remove children from their parents and place them in foster care, with the stated aim of ensuring that vulnerable children are safe.

We know, however, that Black and Indigenous children are disproportionately represented in CPS caseloads and that most reports are of neglect, which is closely tied to poverty. We also know that the United States has abysmal rates of childhood poverty and does little to support families as compared to many other high-income countries. There is also evidence that children involved with CPS face many negative outcomes. Some scholars have thus begun to refer to CPS as “family policing” and call for its abolition. What responsibility does a society have to children? What is the best way to keep children safe in the context of rising inequality? What is the balance between safety and support for parents? 

Philosophers’ Cafés are public forums held at local pubs and coffee shops where community members engage in open, friendly, and respectful dialogue in a relaxed, informal setting. Meetings are led by faculty from UW-Stout and UW-Eau Claire, with topics ranging from traditional philosophical problems to pressing contemporary ethical issues.

Everyone is welcome to attend. A diversity of views and approaches is encouraged, and no formal training in philosophy (or anything else) is required – just an interest in good questions and good conversation.

From the UW-Stout website.