John Schotzbarger was kind, quick, thoughtful and very active in Minneapolis' progressive community. He was an eager educator, even outside the classroom. Besides working as a massage therapist, and then as a substitute math teacher for decades, he volunteered with the Universal Health Care Action Network, Communities United Against Police Brutality, the People of Faith Peacemakers, and weekly donated food to poor families he knew. He would happily talk with you knowledgably about the Constitution, our rigged banking system, or strategic planning.
He passed on in March 2011, despite frequent attention to alternative healing modalities and the best efforts of his caregivers.
A year later, his caregivers, Miski and Shawn, faced very publicized charges of neglect. As if his death were their fault.
See: http://www.kare11.com/news/article/972207/0/Caregivers-charged-in-death-of-vulnerable-adult-
Caregivers, or Direct Support Professionals, often come under fire in the news because there are some very bad ones out there. But most of us work hard and give our hearts for our clients. The media feeds a general distrust for low-income working people like us. Last July the state cut our pay-- a deeper cut for those caregivers who work for their family members.
See: http://www.twincities.com/legislature/ci_20284754/house-unlikely-restore-pay-cuts-personal-care-assistants
Now it's like you need insurance on your care of a client, in order to help out even in those impossible situations!
John's death was used as fuel for a bill in the Minnesota legislature that would make Miski & Shawn's inactions a felony, not a misdemeanor.
In April, Governor Dayton was signing bills left and right, trying to make Minnesota a safe & productive place despite budget gridlock. One such bill had been a hope of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman for years.
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