Sunshine Hits Cloud In Judiciary Committee
A bill that would open up some family court hearings has been rejected by the House Judiciary Committee.
The bill is supported by Kentucky's Chief Justice and judges who say there are enough protections for juveniles in the legislation. But the lawyer-dominated committee didn't buy it. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Susan Westrom of Lexington who proposed it after a number of complaints and investigations about social workers and judges improperly separating children from their parents or vice versa.
Comments
This is such a sad thing. The newspapers for the last 2 years have been full of stories about abuses related to the removal of children from their homes. The Fletcher administration responded by ordering an investigation, by changing policies that could be changed without legislation, by adding more social workers, by giving the Ombudsman's office actual enforcement power, and by creating a Blue Ribbon Panel to study the system and recommend legislative changes. But those reforms are getting nowhere. And where are the so-called advocates who whipped up these issues? Why are they not backing the reforms? Why are they quiet now? Why is no one pushing for change that was within reach? Has the casino issue sucked the breath out of us all?
Bravo to Sen. Westrom. She is right. And shame on the others, shame on the current DCBS leaders and managers, and shame on advocates who are not pushing for reform.
Posted by: lily | March 6, 2008 3:40 PM