Saturday, February 23, 2008
Wessler finds words more damaging than actions over King School flap
Enough! The inactions of the AG's office regarding mandatory abuse report filings are a disagrace, yet a former staff member thinks CCL leader Mike Heath should be censured over his words about the King Middle School controversy. Of course, this is what we the people get when we keep allowing public officials to put petty, personal, political agendas ahead of principle.
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19 comments:
Hi Ray
It would be a waste of time to censure an ideologue like Mike Heath over anything he said.
Wouldn't you agree?
Bruce
Bruce,
I don't always agree with my friend Mike Heath, however, I believe he has the right to say and write what he believes is true.
He has been a consistent voice for the ideals and beliefs he holds, clear evidence that he believes devotely in what he is doing.
Yes, I agree, censuring Mike would not only be a waste of time, but a condemnation from the Maine Legislature would only add to their Keystone Cop act.
Mike has a right to speak out, by voice or by pen. Mr. Wessler has a right to disagree with him.
Typical of a big government liberal, however, Mr. Wessler wants his big government to punish a private citizen for expressing his thoughts about an issue of the day.
I disagree with Mr. Wessler, however, I am not looking for the government to censure or silence him. I only wish he was as concerned about the lack of action by his former employer as he is about silencing a private citizen.
Ray
I tried to listen to "understand" your audio tape. However it was difficult.
You seem to be "embarrassed" about our legislature, our AG, and everything to do with the way Maine is run.
Wessler is no longer with the AG so I don't know why you were linking his statements with the AG's failure to do your bidding.
Seems odd to me that you are now so fired up over making sure abuse gets reported.
I wonder this
What will you do to 2 12 or 13 year olds who have been reported as having sex?
Crimes must have punishment right? What will it be? Or do you just want to know?
Maybe we should let the ccl decide the punishment.
Yes Mike Heath can say what he wants just as private citizen Wessler can.
As for King middle school, I believe they have made the right decision for the students.
Home schooling is the answer if someone wants 24 7 control with their kid. Otherwise give them your values and send them to public school safe in the knowledge that you have done a good enough job so they will not be doing the bad things that some of their classmates might do.
Bruce
Bruce,
With all due respect, are you really this un-informed about the situation?
No Bruce, I do not want to know who the kids are. I am not the legal authority.
The law (yes, I am aware some laws in Maine are important and others are not) anyone engaging in sexual activity with a child under the age of 14 is committing a crime.
The law says that there are mandatory sexual abuse reports that have to be filed with the authorities.
According to Cumberland County District Attorney Stephanie Anderson, those reports are NOT being filed. I asked her that question last October and I asked her that question last Thursday. The answer was the same ... the mandatory reports are NOT being filed.
An inquiry went to the AG's office. It is, afterall, a STATE law.
No action ... nothing. Stephanie said so again this past Thursday.
I called the AG's office last October three times and asked if Portland added an opt-out clause on their clinic consent form, would it comply with HIPPA laws. No answer.
Now I realize that giving driver's licenses to illegals, birth control to little kids and banning energy drinks for those under the age of 18 are issues that supposedly have two sides to them.
Maine statuette says sex with a child under the age of 14 is a crime.
Maine statuette requires the filing of mandatory sexual abuse forms when such activity is suspected.
It is not being done.
It is the AG's office who must weigh in on this issue.
Do you think their silence is okay?
This is not a bill we are debating. This is already Maine law.
The real question is, if this law can simply be ignored because it is embarassing to one who is running for Governor or it might impact a particular community, what other laws can we ignore?
Who gets to decide?
By the way, YES .... I am embarassed about our government.
I love our state and its people.
Our government is not a reflection of the great people who live here.
Much like Washington DC, it is out of control.
Maine's government is growing poverty and it appears to be its goal. In doing so, it keeps Maine people dependent on government, therefore increasing the need to grow government so we can "serve Maine's most vulnerable."
Maine's government is actually undermining Maine's most vulnerable and they are so frightened by the rhetoric, they cannot see this.
The social safety net is only so big. When you needlessly continue to add more and more to it, you stretch it to the point of breaking.
Our liberal requirements for social services actually undermines those that are truly in need.
MaineCare is the greatest example of such lunacy.
It is not noble that 23% of our citizens are on government sponsored health care. It is an embarassment.
Don't take my word for it. Just look at the recently released report on incomes.
Look, government cannot create prosperity, but it should not be preventing it.
We have all of these wonderful Maine citizens who could and should be living in prosperity, but the vaunted Maine Legislature continues to craft policy that prevents an environment where prosperity can be created.
You may think this is okay. You may think it is good that government has this much influence into the daily lives of our people. I find it disgusting.
Troy Jackson's bill about energy drinks sent me over the top with this crowd.
They should be ashamed of what they have done and how they are enslaving good, hard-working Maine people to a life of the working-poor.
Unfortunately, the collective group doesn't even recognize that is what they have done.
I still respect the Maine Legislature as an institution.
This current, collective crowd, however, has my undying contempt.
Ray,
Lots of laws are ignored every day.
Since you know so much more than I about this law, do you really believe it refers to 2 13 year olds having sex or is it geared towards a person over 14 having sex with someone under 14?
I will ask again
What is the penalty for the crime?
When the bible was being written by humans,13 year olds were starting families. It's too bad the age of puberty did not go up as our life spans did and our social values changed.
Then we would have to find something else to worry about.
I guess I am not as informed as you, but then keeping up on this stuff is your job. The rest of us have to do it in addition to our reg. jobs. Keep wondrfully subjective work.
Bruce
Bruce,
Are you really this cavalier with the sexual abuse of a child?
The worry in Portland is that this IS NOT two 13 years olds.
The worry is that is a much older actor with a young child.
By the way, I keep up with this stuff because I love it, not because it is my job. I stayed on top of this stay for many years before the show.
I also have a job outside of the morning show.
Who could sit around all day and just do nothing? I am finished in the morning by 9:30a
Ray,
I figured you would start trying to paint anyone who sees through your "concern" as being "cavalier".
But this is what you guys do in the talk radio business.
I believe that what King Middle School is doing is in the best interest of those few kids who do not have any type of guidance at home. Also, I bet it has sparked some discussion at home with the families that do care for their kids. Hopefully they are carrying on a dialogue with their children which will have a bigger impact on them than their classmates.
Why did it take the birth control issue to get you to want this law enforced? It's been on the books for awhile.
I applaud the Portland School board for standing up to you and your supporters. Recall went well didn't it?
I realize your producers don't care if someone agrees with you or not, as long as they respond, so, You are welcome. from me helping your blog. Seems like things are slow.
As for your remark about Maine Care
Single payer nationwide universal is the way to go. We would then be able to get rid of Workers Comp .
I have a friend who is as right wing as you. He loves your show. He has two kids on Maine Care.
The right seems to be only against monetary things that do not directly benefit them. Your "cavalier" attitude about those that do not live and eat as well as you is sad.
Bruce
Bruce,
Your true colors are showing.
What does giving birth control pills to minor children have to do with whether "mandatory" sexual abuse forms are being filed?
The answer .... nothing, it is a smoke screen.
The reports must be filed by law. They are not and those who are responsible should be held accountable.
The answer to your "Why now?" question is simple. I assumed these reports were being filed. I assumed that any adult who cares about the well-being of children would not put their social agenda above the well-being of the child.
When I became aware of the King situation, my first question was, "How can you give these kids birth control pills if you are filing the mandatory abuse reports?"
School officials refused to answer the question, so I called Stephanie. The contrversy had not yet reached a fevered-pitch and she was unaware of it. I asked her if her office was getting the mandatory reports. She said she would look into it and get back to me. She did and the answer was "No, they are not."
By the way, my friend, I did not lead a re-call effort, nor did I organize it. Nick McGee and his band of Merrymen did. I gave his effort publicity, once I became aware of it. I thought it was a good idea.
I have said from the beginning that I think this is bad policy. I have also said, that regardless of where you stand on this issue, how the policy was created should give you pause.
The process was poor and one sided. The asked for input from three people who were either directly or indirectly involved in the clinic. They did not ask for a legal opinion, did not inform the legal team at the city of Portland, nor did they have anyone who dissented on this policy involved in the discussion.
Many noted phyisicians who specialize in pediatric gynecology raised tremendous concerns. None of those voices were consulted in putting this policy in place.
The meeting lasted one hour, did not hear from both sides and they crafted a new policy that undermined parental rights.
Regardless of where you stand, that should concern you.
The mandatory abuse reports should also concern you.
Yes, I think your attitude is cavalier. That has nothing to do with me being on a talk show. I would have thought so six years ago, when I simply wrote a newspaper column.
I'm torn.
On the one hand:
I agree with Ray on many points, especially when in pertains to children, but resignation or calling for one's resignation is not the answer. I've been in a position before where someone asked me to resign over differences of how to manage. I may have been right, I may have been wrong, (that argument isn't for here) but I didn't resign. I took steps to rectify the situation and ended up being voted in 4 more times. If a person does something that someone doesn't agree with or makes a mess of a situation, the chicken way out is to bolt and leave the mess for someone else to clean up.
If a person's core of beliefs differ in such a way that you don't want them holding a position, the only proper way is to have them removed from the position in a democratic fashion.
On the second hand.:
Many times in a lot of these positions, the person who gets the job may not be the best person for the position. Unfortunately, more qualified people don't WANT it. Many of these positions are thankless positions - one can never satisfy everyone and will always be someone's enemy.
My best advice is if a person doesn't like how a position is being ran - vie for that position or find someone to do it who shares your views.
On the third hand (which all mom's possess):
Ray I commend you for your loyalty and dedication to your friendship. It's a rare thing now-a-days to find someone willing to stand up for you publicly and risk ridicule. Mr Heath has a great friend in you. We should all be so lucky.
Have a quality Day!
Jenny
P.S.
What a great idea! Schools giving birth control to children because [they are going to have sex anyways].
While they are at it, they should also give out cigarettes and alcohol. Kids are going to smoke and drink anyways!!
I think it's despicable that I cannot send cough drops to school with my child, but the school wants to give my child a prescription medication without my consent or even knowledge.
If they focused their efforts on developing an abstinence lesson plan, they wouldn't have to spend so much time creating a solution for teen pregnancy.
Jenny
Ray,
Pray tell, what are my true colors?
Bruce
Figure of speech, but it essentially means that you are diverting the issue because it does not suit your social goal.
The filing of the mandatory abuse reports has nothing to do with giving out birth control pills other than the birth control issue brought to light that officials are not meeting their duties to protect children who are potentially being abused.
Again, I disagree with giving a child any prescription drug without specific parental consent, but that issue is completely seperate from the issue of the lack of compliance with mandatory abuse reports.
Further, the AG has been silent on this issue, even after an inquiry by the CC DA.
That alone should be very troubling to Maine citizens.
Ray,
You just described your colors.
You should remember what "assume" stands for.
You only chose to bring up the abuse notification law after the birth control issue came up. I would say you never assumed before,you just had no reason to care about it.
Please tell me.
How does this abuse notification law work in regards to the 13 year old girl who comes in asking for contraceptives and says she is having sex with a fellow 13 year old?
As you pointed out ,I am uninformed so enlighten me.
As for parental notification. If you are against the issue, then don't give permission for your child to be treated at school. Maybe we should do away with school nurses alltogether and just send the kids home everytime they have any health issue.
What I find interesting is that the principal said most of the comments against the decision have been coming from outside Portland.
So it seems the school board does reflect the wishes of its voters.
Not Westbrook's voters and not you.
Bruce
PS
Ray
You can't seperate the two issues.
Maybe King Middle School has nothing to report.
How do you know they have kids under 14 having sex. Just because the middle school has 11-15 year olds does not mean that 13 and unders have applied for the contraceptives. Since the dispensing of medication is confidential, how would you know? Could you share some inside knowlege with us oh omniscient one?
Bruce
God forbid an average citizen question government in Maine. Clearly, we have the most efficient and competent government in the country that is mistake free.
With that said, I asked the DA. Bruce, they do not report to me, they report to the DA and the DA said the reports are not being filed.
By the way, if you took the time to read the law instead of just opposing what I am saying, you would realize the law does not give discretion in this area. The reports are required so that the DA can investigate and then use his or her discreation based on their findings.
Do you believe it is okay for two thirteen years old to be having sex?
Maine law says the answer to that question is no, it is not okay.
Yes Bruce, I did assume that professionals would fulfill their professional duties and not interject their personal agendas.
You only think this is okay because you side with the policy. If I interjected my personal agenda policy at King Middle School, I seriously doubt you would be so supportive of a personal agenda being interjected.
By the way, over 500 Portland residents expressed their concern to King Middle School. Apparently the principal there does not consider 500 Portland residents worth his time.
Ray,
With your disdain for our judicial system, You said it on your show a couple weeks ago that our judicial system was a joke, I am amazed you would want the D A to be able to use discretion on anything?
Stephanie Anderson has been quoted as saying she is not sure what she would even do with the info if it involved two kids under 14.Which one would be the victim? Crimes do have to have a victim right.
Gotta go now
have a good evening.
Bruce
PS I hope you are not calling yourself "average" You are above average, just misdirected.
I have not found the actual law. Can someone point out a URL for me?
I have to agree with Bruce on this, reporting of underage sex and giving of birth control DO go hand in hand. The school staff know darn well who is going out with who. They see it every day within the school community. The question is, how do they know the kids are actually having sex?
Why aren't schools filing the reports? How do you find out if a child is telling the truth or just exaggerating about their sexual experiences? Where does one draw the line on age? As Bruce said, who's the victim when both kids participating in the act are under age according to the law?
Ray, as you pointed out during your spiel on the kid with the cross... You can't have one policy for one child and another for a different child. One person's discretion many times differs from another's and sometimes it is discriminatory. What if the DA doesn't like the kid with the earrings so poor Joe gets prosecuted while the honor roll kid gets a "no, no, now don't do that..."
It doesn't take a Master's to figure out "who's gettin' it on with who" if a girl is kissing and holding hands with Joe Droopy Drawers in the cafeteria and hallways, then goes and asks for contraceptives. The school staff couldn't say they didn't know or suspect. Their whole birth control project would fall on it's proverbial butt if they start reporting kids who have sex. Kids won't utilize the service if they knew they would get reported.
Right now the schools aren't filing mandatory reports of suspected sexual encounters by children under the age of 14. Was this law put in place to protect children who are being abused or was it meant for school staff to violate the trust of students by reporting suspected consensual behavior among classmates? As a parent am I obligated to file reports of suspected consensual sexual behavior among my daughters friends? Where does it stop? Anyone can SUSPECT anybody of anything. Doesn't mean it happened. Maybe someone needs to look closely at the wording and bring that law up to date.
I'm gonna have to ponder this some more. Thanks for an interesting blog, Ray.
Jenny
Ray, I hope you know you're banging your head against a brick wall trying to explain this issue to Bruce and other far-left liberals. Whenever I look into an issue such as this, where liberals in their mis-guieded efforts to make the world such a Shangri-La the term "Liberalism is a mental disease" just seems to fit. This is total insanity. I also agree with Jen's comment about "the school should hand out cigarettes and alcohol cause they're going to drink and smoke anyway". Another example of liberalism run amuck. We all the right to speak our minds and take stands on issues that we feel are important to the health, safety and welfare of our family and loved-ones. However, the liberal doesn't want to hear any voices raised that are contrary to their Keystone Cops routine and will do everything they can to remove those voices of opposition from the public square. Mr. Wessler is a prime example of this. On this issue the King Middle School Administration is wrong, the Portland School Board is wrong and the Attorney Generals office might as well be non-existant. And Beth Edmond's refusal to allow the State Legislature to consider the Parental Notification Bill just made me livid! There are many in our community and state governments that are doing great harm to this state and its people. The tragedy is that they are totally uncaring about that, so long as they are able to continue to shove their liberal agendas down our throats.
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