We were struck by the very troubling story that came out
of the State Auditor’s Office on Wednesday, 3/27 that a
recent internal audit turned up 119 instances where registered sex offenders were living
at the same address as licensed childcare centers.
Upon further investigation, we realized that the very state
agency that should have been providing the sort of oversight that would have
protected children from the threat of sexual abuse was the state agency being
run by Sherri Killins, the former commissioner who was recently reported in the press
to have been living in New Haven, CT while working at an internship job in Ware,
MA, and collecting $200,000 per year in salary for her full-time state position. Killins was appointed by Gov. Deval Patrick, and she recently resigned over the reports.But these facts do not stand alone. Back in September, John Burbine was arrested and charged with molesting 13 children in his wife’s unlicensed daycare center in Wakefield.
It seems incomprehensible after that arrest, conversations weren’t occurring at the highest levels of state government to ensure that licensure of daycare centers was being done effectively, and setting in motion checks and balances to ensure the safety of our most fragile citizens: our children.
Single Party Rule in Massachusetts is placing at risk our most valued things. We need to level the playing field and bring some accountability back to Beacon Hill by electing different voices and new faces. We have an opportunity to do just that by supporting Leah Cole in the Peabody Special State Election on Tuesday, April 2nd (www.coleforpeabody.com)
It is time to change the culture on Beacon Hill. One legislative seat at a time.
Dean Cavaretta
Chip Jones
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