For years, the state of Georgia's child support laws have crippled the efforts and relationships between countless children and fathers. Children who had no deciding vote in choosing who their mom and dad was, but have been subjected to being used as pawns and access tools to a state regulated system, as well has House Bill 96. All in an effort to diminish the role and presence of the father, by a disgruntled custodial parent. 

This fight isn't to say, fathers should not be held responsible for their financial duties as a parent and provider for their children. Instead, a fight saying, if you (The State) feel obligated to tell me what I should pay, while taking your cut (fees), give me legitimization, custody options, and/or visitation rights. Fathers are more than "producers", we have a required participating role in the development of our children's lives and neither disgruntled custodial parents nor the State has any legal and ethical standing to interfere with that process. 

I had my inaugural introduction to the Child Support system in 2019, WHILE being the sole provider for all of the necessities my children required, but was told the items were now "immaterial" and money was needed. My income went from $2,000/Bi-Weekly to $600/Bi-Weekly, I worked 50+ hours weekly, commuted 84 miles daily, while attending school and fighting for time and participation in the lives of my children. All because of an easily accessible system that has been weaponized for too long against fathers across this state and country. 

Surprisingly, the State has their hand in every area affecting the lives of fathers, except for ensuring that the process is fair for the fathers and the children. 

My daughter began asking me questions like, "Why were you not there?", I wasn't allowed to see my daughter in school or participate in her development, and due to the attachment we built from birth, the separation brought on anxiety and depression, issues I had never dealt with before. 

I am now the full time parent of my 3 year old son, with no support and having to bear the cost of all things relating to the livelihood of my son, despite being tarnished and lied on, two years prior as a "deadbeat" dad. 

We have elected official, like my own state Representative, Rep. Noel Williams Jr., who has shown little to no interest in alleviating the pain of the same constituents he campaigned and vote he asked for. Or Representative Micah Gravley, who called me to justify the lack of appropriate attention to this issue with, "things like this takes time". While the state worked rigorously to change state laws to suppress votes after suffering an upset in the previous election. We are more important than fixing elections. This is our REAL life! 

If we are good enough to ask for our vote for you to play politics, we are important enough to hear our concerns and pick up the torch and fight our fight, as our state representatives, you are our VOICE, start acting like it! 

Some of the changes we'd like to see: 

v  Modification Time Frame- Life happens and jobs change, especially in the light of COVID. I do not think that the process for modification should be as hard as it is or as spread out as it is (3 years). I think there should be an exclusion for non-custodial parents who have fallen on hard times and cannot afford to pay the allotted amount set based on their current order.

v  State Imposed Fees- Aside from paying child support, there are fees associated with the child support order and the father is basically liable for the fees for paying child support, imposed by the employer and the fees imposed by the state agency. That is furthering the burden and taking more away from the ability to sustain.

v  Child Legitimization & Joint Custody- I believe that if a father is going to be ordered to pay child support for a child, in the same manner, that father should have rights to the child and not just looked at as pay day. Fathers want relationships. Fathers want quality time and it not having rights to spend time or see your child when you want should not be a penalty or deemed a separated entity from the child support order, children need relationships more than they need money. My child is currently being held away from me, but I’m sinking in child support (unemployed). It’s not fair and that’s not child support. Also, if the issue is financial support, then I think it would be appropriate, if the non-custodial is deemed safe for the child’s well-being, to grant joint custody to share the cost of the child’s living and that would alleviate the said “financials” related to the child that the custodial parent is seeking support for.

v  Child Support Order Processing- When a mother files for child support, that is the only thing that is required of them. They do not have to do anything else. Meanwhile, the father is pulled into court to plead his legitimacy as father and provider. Even when filing for custody, the father has to prove why the mother is unfit and custody should be changed. I think the same thing should be required when filing a child support order. What this has caused is, most women are using child support as a weapon when they are not happy with their personal relationship with the father. Something that I have experience with both my kids’ parents. One of which admitted that she was wrong and solicited my support to take on full responsibility of my child, after using this administration as a tool to tear me completely down. That is not right, and this administration should not be a weapon for a woman’s vengeance.

v  Punishment for not being able to pay child support- Currently, if a father is not able to pay child support, they get behind, they lose their license, and a warrant is issued for their arrest. That is outlandish and makes NO sense at all. If I lose my job, can’t pay child support, I get behind. On top of that, I lose my driving privileges, which limits my chances of being able to go out and find employment. On top of that, a warrant is issued for my arrest and now I am incarcerated, have a criminal record and limits my chances of landing a decent job even further…. How is that child support? The state is using this agency as a way to limit black fathers who are already at a disadvantage in the criminal justice system, job market, and child support administration. That is creating statistics, not better families and parents.

v  Child Support Funds Allocation- I have witnessed first hand that not only is child support is being used as a weapon for a mother’s vengeance, but I have also witness those funds being used to support a personal livelihood and not for the betterment of the child. I think that the funds should be allocated and monitored and used specifically for the needs of the child. We all have living expenses and it is not up to the father of the child to fund the livelihood of the mother, but for the needs of the child. We all have living expenses, it is not fair to take from a father to provide a particular lifestyle for a father while he struggles, not to mention I am a full time dad to another child.