Washington State shuts down Spokane day care - News Story - KXLY Spokane

State shuts down Spokane day care - News Story - KXLY Spokane

I'd like more information from the Department of Early Learning (DEL) on this Spokane child day care provider and facility.

This from the linked article (bold is mine):

"State officials repeatedly cited Berland for violations that included allegations that a staff member "threw a child to the floor" in 2002, a child was unsupervised and left the facility without the child care filing a report; garbage, including human feces, was within children's reach and hadn't been emptied in three weeks; and the children were not properly disciplined or, on other occasions, comforted by staff members."

Now is the time for DEL managers to become clear and transparent; and own any past mistakes so that when the new regulations are implemented in March 2012 everyone starts with a clean slate. That tendency of DSHS and DEL to cover up their mistakes must stop or it will devolve back to its managers' risky behaviors.

"threw a child to the floor" in 2002. That's like almost ten years ago. What did that episode look like? What specifically does that mean? If children don't get maimed or dead from being thrown to the floor, the provider gets to keep her license? We need more information here. Two years after this reported incident is when Spokane day care provider Danette Zaring "threw" two year old Hailee Rhodes to the floor. Is Zaring out of prison yet?

If DEL is taking steps now to protect children and follow RCW 43.215.005(4)(c) then kudos to them. The Washington State Supreme Court affirmed in July 2011 that the legislature's "intent" indeed was that health, safety and well-being of the child is paramount over a person thinking they had a right to a license.

Perhaps with the Washington State Supreme Court weighing in DEL will follow that law, but one has to be suspicious since DEL has not been obeying RCW 43.215.370 that got passed in 2007. I've posted an email from the Attorney General's Office that showed the AGO advised DEL, yes, you "shall", it's a must; you "shall" post revocation, suspension and denial information on your website.

DEL hasn't been doing that now for almost five years. If DEL managers remain in a state of mind that they will pick and choose which Washington State laws to obey or not, the risk factor is still there.

I've been posting information here via my blog to get out what I can to the public and to parents in Washington State.

More to be revealed.