Charge social workers
The state of Colorado should hold the social workers assigned to the case of Chandler Grafner accountable for his death (“Denver officials determined Grafner boy was healthy,” May 12). They are just as responsible for the child’s death as the two people who have been charged.
As taxpayers we should ask for a complete investigation into the qualifications of these so-called social workers who keep dropping the ball.
Sharon Nuanes, Centennial
they did investigate them selves and found out they followed the rules and are clueless as to what happened. imagine that.
Posted by [not Sean] fish on May 30, 2007 07:02 AMIt wasn't THEIR kid why would they care?
I'm sure they DON'T "drop the ball" when they rush to spend their undeserved paychecks!!
Maybe they should be replaced by illegal aliens. An investigation would probably show that illegals could do a better job even with their 3rd grade educations.
Posted by A on May 30, 2007 07:23 AMEven though we spend over 3000 hours earning our licensure, education and actually spending more on education than we get paid annually, we certainly drop the ball after all that don't we.
Posted by angry on May 30, 2007 08:25 AMWe live in a state that cares more about some poor little puppies from a puppy mill than it's children.
Posted by Can I get an AMEN! on May 30, 2007 08:47 AMSeveral years ago I needed help with my son. Adams County Social Services got involved. On a daily basis they asked me if they could supply cigarettes to my under age son, because he would be easier to control. I pointed out that cigarettes are harmful to the child’s health and what part of being a danger to a child did they not understand. That was Child Abuse under the statues and it was being committed by the ones who enforce the laws, Social Services. So why should they take the blame for anything else?
Posted by Mark A. Golden on May 30, 2007 09:12 AMAre you people serious? Their undeserved paychecks? Yes, because they make 35/k year and have usually 3 times the case-load that they should...most of you would be the first ones screaming if they were going to raise your taxes to hire more social workers to reduce the case load...
Also, I've said this before...none of us have a CLUE as to the real story here. Remember, an officer noticed these kids were emaciated well before they were placed into the care of the two who were arrested. Now, the maternal grandmother and biological mother are media-whoring themselves out to anyone who will listen -- they are trying to sound like innocent victims, like they cared so much about Chandler and his brother- I suspect that when the records are unsealed, we will see that both of these women are far from innocent -- Just take a brief look at either of them and you can tell they are far from "responsible, caring and respectable" people. The system might have broken down, but it really looks like these children's problems started with these women.
Posted by on May 30, 2007 09:20 AMNo, you've got it all wrong. The fault rests on the pro-lifers! Here was their chance to put their time and energy where their mouths are, and they didn't do a damn thing! This was their chance, and they didn't even show up! Imagine how many more emaciated kids would be in this world if abortion was outlawed. Imagine how many more heart-breaking cases like this we would have to read about. Imagine all those whack-jobs putting down their picket signs and actually caring for a kid who needs caring for. Where were they on this one? Probably planning to kill more abortion doctors.
Posted by truth hurts on May 30, 2007 11:28 AMMark 9:12 - mayyybe you don't want to be giving out advice on child-based topics. Just a thought.
Social workers have an impossible job. When they remove a kid from their parents a certain percentage of society (maybe some on this very blog?) will scream that they're removing parental rights, and the government has NO authority to do that. If they guess wrong or something slips through the giant cracks, they get the blame. It's simply a no-win job.
They're underfunded and understaffed. They have to play guessing games every day about what's best for kids who have already been failed by the ones who should be taking care of them. I don't envy them their job one bit. I'm just happy somebody is willing to do it.
Posted by Tim on May 30, 2007 12:53 PMTim 12:53 - I think I can give some advise. I got divorced and the ex got the kids. For one year she locked them in closets, set their toys and clothes on fire and beat them with the buckle end of a belt. It took me a year to get them back and get them mental help. I ran out of money and needed to continue treatment for my kids. Social Services was the only way to continue treatment. So don't blame the wrong person.
Posted by Mark A. Golden on May 31, 2007 07:32 AMTim 12:53 - I think I can give some advise. I got divorced and the ex got the kids. For one year she locked them in closets, set their toys and clothes on fire and beat them with the buckle end of a belt. It took me a year to get them back and get them mental help. I ran out of money and needed to continue treatment for my kids. Social Services was the only way to continue treatment. So don't blame the wrong person. Social Services added to the problem with the approach of letting him smoke while in treatment, etc. It took a Court Hearing to get them to stop and place him somewhere he could get help.
Posted by Mark A. Golden on May 31, 2007 07:34 AMMark - fair enough. My apologies.
Posted by Tim on May 31, 2007 07:51 AM