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Administrative officer orders fired D.C. welfare officers back to jobs

CommentsComment on this article
Feb 28, 2008 12:00 AM (221 days ago) by Bill Myers and Michael Neibauer, The Examiner
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Related Topics: WASHINGTON
Sharlynn Bobo, left, Director of Child and Family Services, shares her regret in the murder of the Jacks sisters during a press conference in which D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty announced the firing of six people following the city government’s failure to help the four children of Banita Jacks. (Also pictured are City Administrater Dan Tangherlini, second from right, and Interim Attorney General Peter Nickles, right) – Andrew Harnik/Examiner

Sharlynn Bobo, left, Director of Child and Family Services, shares her regret in the murder of the Jacks sisters during a press conference in which D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty announced the firing of six people following the city government’s failure to help the four children of Banita Jacks. (Also pictured are City Administrater Dan Tangherlini, second from right, and Interim Attorney General Peter Nickles, right) – Andrew Harnik/Examiner

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - An administrative hearing officer has ordered three fired child welfare bureaucrats put back on the job, overturning a decision by Mayor Adrian Fenty who blamed them for failing to help four sisters whose bodies were discovered last month.

The employees, whose names were withheld, were ordered back on the job because Fenty had violated their due-process rights by summarily sacking them amid the Banita Jacks scandal, the hearing officer ruled.

Jacks is charged with murdering her four daughters. She and her family were reported to welfare agencies for years, but nothing was done to help them. In late April 2007, a school social worker begged a child welfare hot-line worker to take action, saying Jacks was holding her daughters “hostage.”

But the case was closed because no one answered the door of the row house in which Jacks and the girls had been squatting.

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Fenty and his aides said they were shocked by the rot in the system and fired six bureaucrats who they said failed Jacks and her family.

The city, already under federal court monitoring because of its child welfare collapse, now faces lengthy litigation over the reinstatements of the three employees.

Acting Attorney General Peter Nickles said the Fenty administration was unfazed by what he characterized as an “advisory” opinion and would fire the employees anyway.

“If we’re going to have accountability in this government, when people don’t do their jobs, we’re going to take swift and forceful actions,” Nickles told The Examiner. “We have to change the culture of a lot of agencies in this city.”

The hearing officer’s opinion can be rejected by the head of the agency which employed the workers. The workers would then have the right to appeal, a process that could ultimately end up in court.

For increasingly vocal critics of the Fenty administration, the decision was no surprise. Some suggested it showed an administration, helmed by the city’s youngest ever mayor, that is making up the rules as it goes along.

“Oversight is hard work,” said District Council Member Phil Mendelson, D-At Large, referring to Fenty’s own time as a council member when he had authority over the child welfare system.

“The problems with the hot line, the problems with having follow through from social workers has been identified repeatedly by the court monitor and would not have been a surprise to anyone listening,” Mendelson said.

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Comments from Examiner Readers

1:33 AM MST on Sun., Aug. 31, 2008 re: "Banita Jacks case: D.C. medical examiner can't determine cause of death"

 Betty, ( 9-08 ) said:
Hopefully, this has taught all of us to be a little more concerned. My heart goes out to Banita because we really don't know what happened. When I was a teen parent back in the 1970's I can remember holding my infant daughter and I would just reach into our freezer for icecream, and I would hear in my mind " why don't you put her in there and see what happens." Now, you may not believe in demon spirits. But, now that I'm older, and into church I understand now how these spirits operate. Yes, they do try to control our thoughts. I just thank God that I didn't yeild to the "VOICES!"

 3 agree | 3 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

8:46 AM MST on Fri., May. 23, 2008 re: "Woman charged in daughters’ deaths argued with eldest child, police say"

 Candii said:
I agree with the comments that the system needs a lot of improvements and change. However, we need to stop passing the buck as well. If you call and report something once and no one responds, keep calling and WRITE LETTERS until you get someones attention. Create a paper trail. That way when it's time to point fingers we all can show what we have done to correct the situation and not just TALK about who did and who didn't do. WE ALL SHARE RESPONSIBILITY AS A FAILED COMMUNITY (#1-relatives, neighbors, schools and government) ON THIS ONE.

 12 agree | 11 disagree
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8:06 AM MST on Fri., May. 23, 2008 re: "Fenty: City agencies failed Jacks' girls"

 Examiner Reader said:
It's so easy to point fingers at all the agencies that had minimal contact and little relationship with this family but, those who hold most of the responsibility for the death of these 4 innocent girls is their relatives who are now trying to cash in on their death. There is no way a grandmother, father or any other adult relative should have gone more than 2weeks without having contact with them. I'm sure Ms Jack's Mother had to know something was going on with her daughter or she should have. My Mother would be at my house with the police if she hadn't talked to me within a weeks time and didn't know where I was or my son. Times are so different now. Families need to get back to the basics(sticking together). Now that father of one of the girls-please!!!! When was the last time he paid child support or spent time with his daughter. I bet it was more than 4mo. ago. I wish they would award these people a dime or a penny!!

 15 agree | 12 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
2:14 PM MST on Mon., Mar. 24, 2008 re: "Privacy advocates pan bill to open records to child-welfare officials"

 Examiner Reader said:
This is a smart idea. Problems in coordinating information from the human services cluster of city government is frequent impediment to continuity of care. The advocates are simply out of the loop on this one. The information will remain private and only be used by those charged with the great responsibility to care for the city's neediest and most vulnerable citizens. Let's make a difficult task a little easier by removing artificial bureaucratic barriers.

 15 agree | 15 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
4:58 PM MST on Tue., Mar. 11, 2008 re: "D.C. child slayings spur increase in Montgomery County abuse probes"

 Examiner Reader said:
Why is it left up to the governement to run citizens lives most adults know what is right and wrong and if they don't they have friends and family members that do. Those people should do what they have to do to protect children. Much to everyones dismay CPS workers can do very little. Legislation needs to be changed. There was alot that went wrong in the Jacks case and we can only learn from that. We all want to blame someone when something happens and sometimes no one person or agency is to blame. We need to work together to protect children and vulnerable adults. Children will continue to get molested. abused and neglected. How many of you are willing to advocate for them? There are court appointed advocates (CASA) in every state.

 18 agree | 14 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
12:52 PM MST on Wed., Mar. 5, 2008 re: "Woman charged in daughters’ deaths argued with eldest child, police say"

 Linda Mann said:
I have sympathy for the entire family, the system is so messed up and no help is there to help the single parents who needs it.I have 3 daughters of my own and I know how much the responsibility is as a single parent. But what I am saying that there is no excuse regarding the unthinkable. We as americans should be there to help one another and know one should have to live the life they live. There are funds out there to help the people but when you need the help we can't be helped then that's where the problem comes in and becomes stressful. So lets not blame no one lets just take the time out to correct what is happening and change the way society is. We need more funds now, not a waiting list, it should be an emergency crisis for help now not when it is to late. America is the problem we live here and spend to much time on non-sence instead of helping our own. I hope for a change so there will not be a next time something like this happen. MY love goes out to all the Victims.

 17 agree | 17 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
8:17 PM MST on Thu., Feb. 28, 2008 re: "Administrative officer orders fired D.C. welfare officers back to jobs"

 Examiner Reader said:
Let us look at this DC citizens – the children are dead and no one is responsible – even their mentally ill parent who received federally funded service via your tax dollars for assistance to help herself and children. We all want our children safe – so why not other peoples children? I will say this again: I have personally called child welfare and NOTHING was done. I called them to say that a number of boys raped an MR 13 YO girl and to date – NO INVESTIGATION – NO REPORT. People/Employees of the DC govt – do not work within the system, they are accountable to NOONE – they are afraid of losing their income and they are put in- check by those that supervise them. Avoid the district altogether folks and instead start calling THE CONGRESSIONAL reps and make written complaints. It is time to let those that make fiscal appropriations aware of the crap people with disabilities are handed in the district.

 62 agree | 55 disagree
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12:55 PM MST on Thu., Feb. 28, 2008 re: "Administrative officer orders fired D.C. welfare officers back to jobs"

 Examiner Reader said:
The city worked fine, better actually, before "Home Rule". All "Home Rule" did was to bring higher & higher taxes to pay for employing over 50,000 people, most of which could not get employed in the private sector, to leech off the working tax payers hard earned income. And the school system, haha, yeah, money keeps pouring into that rat hole year after year, never enough, and yet always ranked in the bottom 5 of the country year after year ... Get rid of Home Rule !!!

 57 agree | 48 disagree
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9:23 AM MST on Thu., Feb. 28, 2008 re: "400 D.C. child abuse, neglect cases pass legal time limit"

 Joe said:
Everything thing in D.C. is corrupt. You can't even fire anyone and when incompetent government employees screw up, the taxpayers get sued. The taxpayers are the only innocent parties in this, but perhaps if they quit electing scumbags to positions of authority their liabilities would go down.

 45 agree | 57 disagree
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9:23 AM MST on Thu., Feb. 28, 2008 re: "400 D.C. child abuse, neglect cases pass legal time limit"

 Joe said:
Everything thing in D.C. is corrupt. You can't even fire anyone and when incompetent government employees screw up, the taxpayers get sued. The taxpayers are the only innocent parties in this, but perhaps if they quit electing scumbags to positions of authority their liabilities would go down.

 57 agree | 50 disagree
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8:49 AM MST on Thu., Feb. 28, 2008 re: "Principal shrugged off in reporting alleged molestation"

 Examiner Reader said:
I would like to know what this has to do with P.G. county and why you are bring them up. Prince georges county govt works Social works dept works fine. Our Motor vehicles dept works fine. And my trash gets picked up twice a week, every week. Maybe you should concentrate on your city of DC and leave P.G. alone, and beside anyone working in DC govt. was probably rasied in DC, and schooled in DC not P.G. county. you created the problem dont bring other districts up to try to cover it

 41 agree | 47 disagree
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6:32 AM MST on Thu., Feb. 28, 2008 re: "400 D.C. child abuse, neglect cases pass legal time limit"

 Bgirl said:
I'm just glad somebody turned the lights off on the dc welfare system. That place has been bleeding funds and lapsing in help for children for years. Fenty did the right thing CLEAN HOUSE!!!! All of you fall in line Negros for the social left need to go PG with the rest of them. Get rid of the folks at the Tax office next. Move on the Public Schools and CLEAN HOUSE!!!! Get rid of welfare anyway, get a job and try to live on your own. Close all of the public housing and have a section 8 system that works. In the greatest country in the world we cannot accept laziness anymore!!!!

 65 agree | 50 disagree
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4:49 AM MST on Thu., Feb. 28, 2008 re: "Administrative officer orders fired D.C. welfare officers back to jobs"

 KMA CLUB said:
Hey DC taxpayers, do you now understand why your MAYOR is a Moron? Let's see if I can make it any clearer: "two lawyers used the mayor's public statements to make a case that city agencies had warnings that the children were in trouble but failed to act aggressively to get the girls away from their mother." FENTY you should keep making public statements to make your baldheaded self look good in front of the cameras you incompetent moron. Don't worry the taxpayers of the District will continue to pay for your arrogance in the form of time spent to defend the lawsuits and settlements.

 50 agree | 52 disagree
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9:35 AM MST on Wed., Feb. 27, 2008 re: "Principal shrugged off in reporting alleged molestation"

 Reader from Houston, Texas said:
I am really disappointed in all adults who dont care about children. They are our pride and our future. Just because you were neglected doesnt mean you have to take your rage on a child. I have a wonderful daughter and I'd rather cut my hand off before I hurt her in any brutal way. I didnt come from a Brady Bunch family but I know what was it like to live with my mom raising us by herself. I tell my child that no one should put a hand on her that makes her feel uncomfortable. I take the time to give her guidance through all the fears children now face today. I am not saying I am a perfect mother but what I am saying is that we adults need to give change on the way we make our children today. All we need to do is be involved with what is it they do and help them. It is a tough job but one thing I dont regret is giving her a life that she deserves.

 56 agree | 58 disagree
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9:27 AM MST on Fri., Feb. 22, 2008 re: "D.C. Mayor to fire 6 workers in Banita Jacks murder case"

 Richie J said:
Benita Jacks killed those precious children. The workers were not the ones to blame. It is a government that believes in keeping people dependent on its short term help rather than leading people to independence. Adrian Fenty you were elected to fix that and bring change. You have failed. It is business as usual. Fire yourself!

 70 agree | 66 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
8:54 AM MST on Thu., Feb. 21, 2008 re: "Banita Jacks case: D.C. medical examiner can't determine cause of death"

 Examiner Reader said:
ugh it keeps getting worse the more we learn :( insects? maggots? left there for months. This lady needs a lethal injection and pronto. those poor children.

 50 agree | 55 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
7:06 AM MST on Tue., Feb. 12, 2008 re: "Woman charged in daughters’ deaths argued with eldest child, police say"

 Elaine said:
There is no possible reason for the deaths of those beautiful girls. The fault falls on the case workers for not following the case in a timely manner and throwing the case aside. Also,where is their compasion and concern? Is it that the case workers are only their for a pay check or is their case load is so heavy they can't handle each and every one of them?? Who knows.. My heart bleeds for the mother of the girls whom she murdered. Sometime pressure can drive a person to a point where they feel helpless and a person lose their minds . I thank God Almighty for bringing those girls out of such misery and to Him. The girls are at peace now.

 63 agree | 72 disagree
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6:26 AM MST on Sun., Feb. 10, 2008 re: "Fenty, Nickles promise push on child-welfare reforms"

 Examiner Reader said:
So, did Nickles appear as the acting attorney general or the general counsel for the mayor? I am surprised by the Council's willingness to turn a blind eye to an apparent blurring of lines between the executive and the judiciary branches of DC government. “My appearance signaled the mayor’s commitment,” Nickles told The Examiner after the hearing. “I was not satisfied that the folks who were working at the Child Fatality Review Committee were getting through to the bureaucracy.” This statement alone signals that Nickles still doesn't care that he should be protecting the interests of DC residents not the interests of the mayor. Wow . . . how long will this continue??????????

 76 agree | 69 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
10:41 AM MST on Tue., Jan. 29, 2008 re: "Child abuse referrals up in D.C."

 JDB OF SE said:
I just feel like many citizens You cannot blame the Mayor for the lack of dedication that alot of these lazy government workers display on a daily basis. The ball cannot ever get dropped where children, disabled or elderly are concerned. There is no excuse and as for Mr. Fenty you keep on keeping on and you will see another term. As for the workers that were let go maybe they can take this experience and really go out and contribute something to society. Who knows maybe getting fired was the out they were looking for. If it were not for the loss of wages they are probally grateful not to have "SOMEONE ELESE'S PROBLEM TO DEAL WITH"

 70 agree | 89 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
9:33 AM MST on Tue., Jan. 29, 2008 re: "Report: Many youth die horrific deaths"

 Tameka Williams said:
Mayor Fenty I moved to Washington DC five months ago yes, I had to apply for public assistance to get me on my feet. The experience with Congress Heights Service Center was poorly. When you needed to get in contact with your case mananger you call and they have to return your message within 24hrs no one doesn't call back at all so then that forces you to go back up there and ask to speak to someone then the workers have very negative attitudes about concerns that you have as a client. The Housing Authority waiting list is outrageous.Some residents want the help would not mind going into shelters but the have kids and some shelters arent good to go into due to health issues. So what are low-income families to do.

 78 agree | 84 disagree
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5:45 AM MST on Tue., Jan. 29, 2008 re: "Report: Many youth die horrific deaths"

 Truth Not Headlines said:
Of these 59 youngsters, none died from abuse or neglect as defined in DC code. Cause of death was: 29, natural causes; 17, gunshot homicide; five, accidents (mostly traffic-related); eight, medical examiner could not determine cause. Headline should have been: District Dangerous Place for Kids Due to Infant Mortality and Street Violence. Stay skeptical of what you read in this newspaper.

 84 agree | 70 disagree
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5:12 AM MST on Tue., Jan. 29, 2008 re: "Murders may lead to overhaul"

 Bob said:
In the past I would have blamed the system, but now I blame the mother, the fathers, and their families. How pitiful. It's your job to take care of your own.

 79 agree | 79 disagree
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6:13 PM MST on Wed., Jan. 23, 2008 re: "6 face the ax in murder case"

 From Someone Who Knows said:
I must tell you that we are broken in pieces over the tragedy of the four children and the firing of our beloved colleagues. It appears that few people in the general public believe we did anything at all to reach the family. I wish that Mayor Fenty and Dr. BoBo could have handled things differently and at least reserved action until a full investigation was conducted. I wish we weren't a government that operated so reactively out of fear; especially when its the easiest action to fire people, but far more exhaustive to be a critical thinker and inform the public truthfully. No other agency is being scrutinized in the way CFSA is; and even more assalting, the social work profession. Who will ever know the tremendous good the six who were fired performed everyday? This one horrific moment in time has erased years of dedicated service and silenced the countless numbers of children and families they helped everyday. The public should be demanding to know the facts. You've been lied to

 105 agree | 88 disagree
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3:25 PM MST on Thu., Jan. 17, 2008 re: "Fenty lauds worker for sense of urgency"

 Examiner Reader said:
Interesting.. if you look at the dates... incidents were called in April of 2007.. the children died last week?? so how was not following up or seeing a family almost a year ago the reason for the current situation... the children were murdered... sad... no one wants to see that... but the police supposedly saw the children in April and they were well... if CFS had seen them... they would have probably been well to them... hindsight is beautiful... but can't change what happened... the mother killed her children... and the mother is the one responsible... as is anyone who had direct knowledge of the mothers state of mind RECENTLY... not 9 months ago... so easy to try and blame public agencies... but the second someone from an agency is knocking on your door... you cry that it is unjust... can't have it both ways... either they have the right to be in peoples lives or they don't regardless of the situation....

 93 agree | 127 disagree
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3:10 PM MST on Thu., Jan. 17, 2008 re: "School system lost track of 4 sisters"

 louisiana said:
This is sad we see it all the time my husband is goin thru the same thing w/ his x wife. It seems no one wants to listen kis x wife will beat her kids if they make a mistake and mentions us it verbal, physical and mental abuse that's how it starts off and when they feel that's not workin they turn to something else they feel the kids is the reason he's not there they take all anger out on them and when a normal person blow the whistle the state looks at us like we are crazy without checking this person mental background.

 104 agree | 99 disagree
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12:11 PM MST on Thu., Jan. 17, 2008 re: "Fenty fires 6 in girls’ deaths"

 T.Bryan said:
Mr.Mayor,I am going to place the blame on the various DC government agencies that failed to do their jobs. That includes the director of the Child and Family Services Agency. As well as the DC Courts.This mother was in dire straights! She needed everything---food,electricity,and mental health care however, she did not receive help.We need to stop making assistance so darn difficult to receive!The main problem with the agencies was follow through no one wanted to take the time to go into SE to help this family! I have one suggestion for the DC child welfare Agency. As you can see having a Masters degree or higher does not mean that you know what you are doing.I say you need to look for people who has proven experience working with adolescants and the family. They can be required to get their masters degree within a certain period of time.All of these employees had their masters degrees and look what happened. Let's cut out the red tape and hire people with experience.

 71 agree | 65 disagree
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8:11 PM MST on Wed., Jan. 16, 2008 re: "Murders may lead to overhaul"

 Just wondering said:
What kind of woman has 4 children by 3 fathers, none of whom provide financial support for the children? What kind of woman expects others to finance the raising of children she chose to bring into this world? What kind of woman continues to have children she can't care for instead of getting her tubes tied or using some sort of birth control method? What kind of woman takes her children out of school and kills them? What kind of society allows a woman like this to continue having children?

 101 agree | 106 disagree
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4:57 PM MST on Wed., Jan. 16, 2008 re: "School offers defense in Jacks case"

 salemoaktree said:
All day long our administrators were running around trying to get the attendance records corrected. They don't know at any even time where the children are -- and when you request the attendance counselor to check they get a serious attitude. I was asked "why do you care?" There are employees who stand around all day long "chillin" - totally unresponsive to the needs of the children they serve. There are two many "home-boy/girl" relationships in southeast school. Totally unprefessional people who only care about their paycheck. The pre-scheduled audit was a joke. The highly paid central office staff need to just "show-up" to see the atrocities in southeast schools. Keep the pressure on Fenty.

 96 agree | 82 disagree
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4:35 PM MST on Wed., Jan. 16, 2008 re: "Cops: Row house bodies found"

 La'Monica Jones said:
This is Ridiculous. I'm not understanding How the Kids were out of school since Spring. And no teachers or anybody took the time to call home or get in touch with the parents of the kids. Me personally i think Bonita killed those children. reasonings because the children's bodies were decayed Upstairs in Her home. But she wasnt telling anyone they were dead. She was obviously keeping a secret. Where were All her family And friends during all this ?

 156 agree | 102 disagree
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1:53 PM MST on Wed., Jan. 16, 2008 re: "Fenty fires 6 in girls’ deaths"

 Examiner Reader said:
Mr. Mayor, Please enjoy your one & only term. As the details become available, it appears that many share the blame for this tragedy. Now even the District Court is acknowledging that they acted insufficiently. Will you fire those personnel also ? I hope that you REALLY expect the support of DC workers and others that you have alienated in your efforts to demonstrate political muscle. Although, you may be young (and it becomes more apparent everyday), you've been around long enough to know what they say about payback.

 77 agree | 77 disagree
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10:46 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 16, 2008 re: "Fenty criticized on murders"

 Examiner Reader said:
Mayor Fenty, you did the right thing, and do not let anyone tell you different, these people should be fired. The women who work in Federal Offices in D.C. are terrible about doing their jobs, it doesn't matter if it is social services or I.R.S. or what ever , ir you have to call one of these places, they act like you are bothering them, they are cold and indifferent Human Beings and I am glad the Mayor showed them that their attitudes will not be tolerated.

 86 agree | 88 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
10:29 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 16, 2008 re: "Fenty criticized on murders"

 Examiner Reader said:
Mayor Fenty did what should have been done! The DC government is filled with people collecting pay checks and not earning them at all. They all have Unions which is the reason they hold onto these jobs. They would never make it in the real world!

 85 agree | 81 disagree
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7:52 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 16, 2008 re: "Fenty challenged in Banita Jacks case"

 Examiner Reader said:
I wonder how the school's social worker feels after trying to get help? This is just truly sad. There's more that could and should have happened to prevent this tragedy. May we learn and try to make sure this does not happen again.

 98 agree | 87 disagree
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7:46 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 16, 2008 re: "Fenty takes heat in girls' deaths"

 D. Seals said:
Will mental/grief counseling be available to fired employees? The horrid details in this case are alarming; however it is one of many in the caseloads of the involved employees. No one broadcasts the success stories. Imagine having a position in which you may not only lose your job because of an error but have death(s) occur due to that error - i.e. doctors, police officers, pilots etc. Let us not judge. We’re all to blame: family, friends, neighbors, church outreach, and neighborhood commissioners. Releasing someone from a job may clear one’s conscience in the short run but in may result in another family living in a van.

 93 agree | 93 disagree
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1:55 PM MST on Tue., Jan. 15, 2008 re: "Fenty: City agencies failed Jacks' girls"

 T brown said:
We can continue to play the blame game,but the fact of the matter is that this is not the first time a mother has killed her children and I'm certain not the last. We need to pay attention to the mentally ill.THAT is the real issue here,not 6 people losing their jobs or who we think is responsible for Banita Jacks losing her mind. Mental illness is not something to be ignored,it needs to be addressed and the people who are suffering from it need help.I think people treat this illness as a dirty little secret best kept swept under the rug.

 115 agree | 82 disagree
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1:24 PM MST on Tue., Jan. 15, 2008 re: "Fenty fires 6 in girls’ deaths"

 Reader in Nevada said:
Unfortunately I don't think I have the whole story. What I think I am reading is we have a woman, age unknown, who had 4 children by 3 different fathers, who was homeless but lived in a house, was in the "welfare system", had a loser drug dealer boyfriend?, husband? who died of cancer, an entire circle of friends and family, whom for whatever reason lost complete touch with any and all of them, apparently not working, the "system" thought that she had moved and/or with communication were under the assumption that the children were alright because they hadn't bothered to physically see them. I hope I am on track so far. So now the mayor is stepping in, for polital or other reasons, and blaming his staff, well some of his staff, for something that a demented, sick woman did. Why were the children not removed when they were homeless? That would have eleviated all of this. Why didn't anyone listen to the teacher, who obviously was the only one showing concern? God Bless those babi

 111 agree | 70 disagree
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1:20 PM MST on Tue., Jan. 15, 2008 re: "D.C. assumed family moved away"

 Examiner Reader said:
Someone asked the question did anyone take into consideration that this young woman had a mental problem.Of course someone looked into that. It was the social worker from the oldest child's school who made that phone call you hear all over the news.What about the nurse who called someone when the father of the 2 youngest was being treated at the hospital? All of this was long before these children died.They thought she moved to Waldorf? She was there the whole time. The School social worker said it all and nobody took it seriously. Who's to blame? The mother, the many fathers, the city workers, how about Ms. Jack's family? You can't always control what other people are going to do.No one would imagine a mother killing her children. I strongly believe this could have turned out differently if that social worker's call was dealt with immediately. People should have been fired.

 102 agree | 91 disagree
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12:43 PM MST on Tue., Jan. 15, 2008 re: "Fenty lauds worker for sense of urgency"

 GAB said:
I find it astonishing that 1) someone in the District government was fired; 2) someone feels this is unfair. Marion Barry is no longer Mayor. Jobs are not automatic and they are now linked to performance. Note, however, someone who did their job got public praise for her work!

 114 agree | 96 disagree
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11:45 AM MST on Tue., Jan. 15, 2008 re: "Fenty lauds worker for sense of urgency"

 Examiner Reader said:
I wish Provocateur were right. Unfortunately, this may result in the employees in the immediate circle around those who got fired to start performing better, but I doubt it will go much beyond that. The type of "bare-minimum" performance that got Fenty so angry is happening in every D.C. agency all day, every day. There's just no accountability in D.C government. To get fired, you have to either get caught stealing tens of millions of dollars or you have to contribute to the deaths of children. You can do anything short of that and have employment for life with D.C.

 93 agree | 95 disagree
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11:16 AM MST on Tue., Jan. 15, 2008 re: "Fenty fires 6 in girls’ deaths"

 Provocateur said:
This is designed to light a fire under all city workers. If you don't know, this is the way it works in private enterprise - someone takes the fall and everybody perks up. Welcome to a new era.

 101 agree | 101 disagree
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9:47 AM MST on Tue., Jan. 15, 2008 re: "Fenty fires 6 in girls’ deaths"

 Jonn Lilyea said:
Examiner Reader said: Thank you Mayor Fenty.... Our guilt is assuaged. We feel better about ourselves because our lord, Mayor Fenty, has crucified six workers for our sins. Now, quick...raise our taxes while we feel guilty about not having pumped enough in to save those four children.

 114 agree | 107 disagree
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9:26 AM MST on Tue., Jan. 15, 2008 re: "Fenty fires 6 in girls’ deaths"

 Joe Jena said:
This is the long term result of deluding the public into believing the government is your mommy and daddy. It will happen again.

 111 agree | 105 disagree
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9:09 AM MST on Tue., Jan. 15, 2008 re: "Fenty lauds social worker for sense of urgency"

 Examiner Reader said:
No one is saying that the lives of this family was anyone else's responsibility. But, people, do YOUR job. On the education end there should have been follow up. And on the Social Work end there should have been an urgent response to the urgent 911 calls. On the family's end the mother should have either been receiving assistance with the children from other family members or they should have helped her seek assistance. They had to have known that the children were away from school and in less than par living conditions. Unfortunately this is a society where there are so many horrible news stories that many become numb and just mind their own business to try to keep themselves and their own families out of the news. We need to go back to taking a village to raise each child. There are serious deep-rooted issues to be oversome to get back to that level of a family oriented community.Many would like to do something to make a difference-such as teach in DC but are scared for their live

 92 agree | 88 disagree
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8:27 AM MST on Tue., Jan. 15, 2008 re: "Fenty lauds social worker for sense of urgency"

 Examiner Reader said:
all this finger-pointing is not going to bring back these little girls. The city, schools and the community need to come together and make sure that this doesn't happen again.

 101 agree | 80 disagree
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7:41 AM MST on Tue., Jan. 15, 2008 re: "Fenty fires 6 in girls’ deaths"

 Jonn Lilyea said:
The majority of the comments here are what I've come to expect from the denizens of DC. More money, more government, more education - less community responsibility. Look at the disfunction in your own families and stop demanding more intrusive government band aids. At some point we have to realize that government is an inefficient entity that can't do what we should be taking responsibility for in our own lives, and the lives of our own families. The mentality that pervades DC reminds me of the stranded people on their rooftops in New Orleans waiting for the government to rescue them, instead of taking the preventative measures they should have considered before tragedy struck. Can't you see the same thing happening here? Or are you so blinded by your political correctness and your intellectual sloth that you're willing to accept the firing of six people as a fair trade for four young lives?

 112 agree | 97 disagree
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7:39 AM MST on Tue., Jan. 15, 2008 re: "Fenty fires 6 in girls’ deaths"

 Examiner Reader said:
Mr. Fenty is a hypocrite, he forgets that as a council member the committee he chaired had oversight of this agency. Why didn't he exercise that authority then? How is it possible that the head of the agency who sets policy survives while the little people get fired. This is the same approach he used with the scandal at the tax office. This is not reform, just grandstanding for the cameras. Finally, remember there are personnel rules that govern employee discipline. These employees did not receive due process and will be reinstated.

 114 agree | 78 disagree
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11:01 PM MST on Mon., Jan. 14, 2008 re: "Murders may lead to overhaul"

 Examiner Reader said:
and what about the rest of Banita Jacks family? About 20 of them showed up at her arraingment and most of them knew she was "crazy." Did any of them make a call for help or did they expect someone else to do their work for them and call social services? did none of them have a phone in their house to call city services? someone had a cell phone and could have. You know they could have and THEY DIDN't. Why didn't they take the kids in or call social services? Plenty of nurses and school peole called but NO ONE IN THE FAMILY of this young lady with a severe mental illness!!!

 136 agree | 104 disagree
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10:03 PM MST on Mon., Jan. 14, 2008 re: "School system lost track of 4 sisters"

 Examiner reader said:
6:21, Larry, Check out the Marine who murdered the pregnant women he raped. Then burned her body with the 8 1/2 month fetus she was carrying, which is a full-term baby, in the back yard of his home. Then writes a letter to his wife LYING about how the woman he had an adulterous affair with died, blaming it on the woman, IMAGINE THAT! Then there is the man who threw 4 children off a bridge to drown, an infant and toddlers that had no way to protect themselves. Oh, lets not forget that a portion of this women Jack's problem was related to absent father(s) who didn't care about leaving their children stranded without any financial, emotional, or loving support. You want to tell me again that men are not a** h$%&s!! I think NOT!

 97 agree | 108 disagree
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7:35 PM MST on Mon., Jan. 14, 2008 re: "Murders may lead to overhaul"

 Examiner Reader said:
first of all we need parental classes and councelling courses for single parents who are on city assistance.

 92 agree | 102 disagree
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5:20 PM MST on Mon., Jan. 14, 2008 re: "Fenty: City agencies failed Jacks' girls"

 Examiner Reader said:
Ok you have a woman that has lived with badly decomposed bodies for god knows how long and she is convicted of murdering her children. Is Mayor Fenty as bad as the workers he is firing? Has anyone even given the thought that something is wrong mentally with this woman? Or is it politics as usual? Yes City agencies failed the Jacks' girls but isn't the Mayor failing them again and the city by not finding out why the mother did what she did? Fail the children again by failing the mother?

 127 agree | 107 disagree
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