Last fall, after the tragic death of Zymere Perkins, a child whose family was repeatedly investigated by the NYC child welfare system, many news outlets advanced a familiar narrative of monstrous parents and failing caseworkers — and suggested that investigators had become too hesitant about removing children from their homes.

But recent reporting has captured the opposite reality–that child welfare investigations and removals are a constant, terrifying presence in the lives of poor parents.

Now Jezebel is publishing a five-part series drawn from Rise to get at the real stories of families under investigation, writing: “For poor women and children of color, child welfare is perhaps the most invisible civil rights issue of our time.

READ THE SERIES:

‘In One Day I Had Lost Everything Important to Me’

‘I’ve Always Been a Lioness When It Comes to My Children’

‘Having That Guilty Plea on My Record Feels Horrible’

‘When My Son Was Taken, I Felt Like a Failure’

‘They Told Me They Knew What Was Best for Him’

In the comments section, discussion was harsh and uninformed. We hope our readers will share, tweet and discuss this series widely to contribute to a growing dialogue about the role of child welfare in poor families and communities.