News, Ky. sisters sue to get Social Security numbers. (Louisville: employment, public school)

[JD59]

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — According to the federal government, two sisters in rural Kentucky do not exist.

The women weren't born in a hospital, never went to public school and only recently obtained birth certificates after they sued the state. Still, that's not enough for Raechel and Stephanie Schultz to land legitimate jobs. The sisters need Social Security numbers, so they have sued the federal government.

Ky. sisters sue to get Social Security numbers - Yahoo! News

[Off Topic]

Well, maybe it shouldn't be enough. Apparently they've lived off the grid all their lives, so it really isn't much of a surprise that it's going to take a little time and effort to get back on. And with about 300 million people to deal with in our country, these situations are going to happen.

Not trying to slam you (honest) but I don't see the point of this post. I don't see any great injustice here.

[Orgetorix]

To me, it feels like the point of the post was "look how backward people in Kentucky still are," but maybe I'm just being uncharitable.

[DubbleT]

Originally Posted by Orgetorix

To me, it feels like the point of the post was "look how backward people in Kentucky still are," but maybe I'm just being uncharitable.

John scours the internet for interesting or oddball headlines and posts them in forums where he thinks people mind find the topic worth discussing. He rarely adds his own commentary.
Not to mention he's from TN, so not likely to be casting aspersions on Kentucky.

[mco65]

Interesting story, I appreciate such postings!

[CraigCreek]

Why is this posted in the Louisville forum? Had the OP read the linked article more closely, he might have noticed that these sisters live in Lily, which is in southeastern Kentucky, over 150 miles from Louisville...

My sympathies to the sisters, btw - I doubt if their parents realized the difficulties their daughters would face later in life from their decision to go completely off the grid and more or less underground.

[JaxRhapsody]

No sympathies here. Since conception you've had no contact with the outside world(KY at least) but want to sue for a SS card. There's no legitimate proof they were born here.That tihs is handed out when you are registered/born in a hospital. Technically, no. You don't exist. The parents are at fault. The state shouldn't get sued for something they had no knowledge of.

[Orgetorix]

Nor should private citizens have the burden of proving they were born here. One should not have to pay a private business (hospital) to ratify a birth. A SS card is an entitled right of every US citizen, and these girls are citizens because they were born here.

[JaxRhapsody]

But where's their proof?

[CraigCreek]

That's just the point. Without such proof, life in the US is very hard, indeed, when it comes to employment, higher education, health care, etc.

The sisters have finally obtained birth certificates, after much trouble and personal expense - they used family photos, a family Bible which included records, and I think certified statements from other family members in order to get birth certificates - but as far as I know, they are still attempting to obtain Social Security cards. They should not be blamed for their parents' impracticality and lack of foresight, however, and certainly have both my sympathy for their many resulting difficulties and my admiration for their tenacity and ambition. Both want to work but have found obtaining employment extremely difficult due to their lack of personal records. One of the sisters sells handmade craft items she makes but would prefer a full-time job, as would her sister.

My best wishes to these deserving young women.