Louisville Courier Journal: Secrecy And Abuse.
Secrecy and abuse
If one believes the truth behind the saying, “You’re only as sick as your secrets,” then Kentucky could be taking its initial steps onto a healthier path with the belated opening of state records dealing with child abuse deaths. But there’s a long way to go and how far the state steps into the sunshine depends on what happens next.
The people of Kentucky deserve to know about the depth and breadth of tragedy involving the deaths and near-fatal injuries of children. A wake-up call came in the horrifying death of 9-year-old Amy Dye, who died at the hands of her adoptive brother. Her death came after numerous attempts to draw the attention of state workers to her abusive home life.
More than deserving to know, the people of Kentucky, and their elected officials, also must know what state agencies, funded by tightening tax dollars, have done and haven’t done in the name of protecting children. Only then will the state have the opportunity to learn from what didn’t work, and perhaps what did, and rebuild the efforts to save children.
Those efforts must be bold and sure, and unhobbled by the secrecy of the past. That secrecy may not have been created to cloak official lapses or misdeeds, but cultures of secrecy feed on themselves and in the end that secrecy covered for the system, too.
For instance, Amy Dye’s death was not counted in the state’s annual report on child abuse deaths because she died at the hands of a sibling, not a parent. That is an outrageous distinction without a difference to anyone other than bureaucrats who keep the count — and the lower the numbers, the better they look.
This parsing of the law — which a judge has ruled as a misinterpretation — smacks of gaming the system. Is there any surprise, then, that the numbers finally produced by the Cabinet for Heath and Family Services were markedly lower than last year’s? Or that advocates, officials and others are calling the state’s protective arm for children “rogue,” arrogant and placing itself above the law?
This moment approaching truth came only after a protracted legal battle between The Courier-Journal and the Lexington Herald-Leader, which wanted access to the records, and the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which fought releasing them, even dragging its feet after two court orders to release the records.
It eventually involved Gov. Steve Beshear, who waited too long to intervene but finally did the right thing.
And in recent days of growing criticism, Patricia Wilson, Kentucky’s social services commissioner, abruptly resigned her position without stating why.
The announcement of Ms. Wilson’s replacement is expected by Dec. 19, the same day the state’s House-Senate Health and Welfare Committee will go over the annual child fatality report.
If Kentucky is to move forward from the sickness that accompanies secrecy, that replacement must be committed to a transparency that will save and serve children, and the questions for the cabinet from elected officials and citizens must be tough and unsparing. Then, and only then, will Kentucky be on that healthier path.
If one believes the truth behind the saying, “You’re only as sick as your secrets,” then Kentucky could be taking its initial steps onto a healthier path with the belated opening of state records dealing with child abuse deaths. But there’s a long way to go and how far the state steps into the sunshine depends on what happens next.
The people of Kentucky deserve to know about the depth and breadth of tragedy involving the deaths and near-fatal injuries of children. A wake-up call came in the horrifying death of 9-year-old Amy Dye, who died at the hands of her adoptive brother. Her death came after numerous attempts to draw the attention of state workers to her abusive home life.
More than deserving to know, the people of Kentucky, and their elected officials, also must know what state agencies, funded by tightening tax dollars, have done and haven’t done in the name of protecting children. Only then will the state have the opportunity to learn from what didn’t work, and perhaps what did, and rebuild the efforts to save children.
Those efforts must be bold and sure, and unhobbled by the secrecy of the past. That secrecy may not have been created to cloak official lapses or misdeeds, but cultures of secrecy feed on themselves and in the end that secrecy covered for the system, too.
For instance, Amy Dye’s death was not counted in the state’s annual report on child abuse deaths because she died at the hands of a sibling, not a parent. That is an outrageous distinction without a difference to anyone other than bureaucrats who keep the count — and the lower the numbers, the better they look.
This parsing of the law — which a judge has ruled as a misinterpretation — smacks of gaming the system. Is there any surprise, then, that the numbers finally produced by the Cabinet for Heath and Family Services were markedly lower than last year’s? Or that advocates, officials and others are calling the state’s protective arm for children “rogue,” arrogant and placing itself above the law?
This moment approaching truth came only after a protracted legal battle between The Courier-Journal and the Lexington Herald-Leader, which wanted access to the records, and the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which fought releasing them, even dragging its feet after two court orders to release the records.
It eventually involved Gov. Steve Beshear, who waited too long to intervene but finally did the right thing.
And in recent days of growing criticism, Patricia Wilson, Kentucky’s social services commissioner, abruptly resigned her position without stating why.
The announcement of Ms. Wilson’s replacement is expected by Dec. 19, the same day the state’s House-Senate Health and Welfare Committee will go over the annual child fatality report.
If Kentucky is to move forward from the sickness that accompanies secrecy, that replacement must be committed to a transparency that will save and serve children, and the questions for the cabinet from elected officials and citizens must be tough and unsparing. Then, and only then, will Kentucky be on that healthier path.
Labels: News reporting
posted by KYJurisDoctor at 10:32 AM
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