Letter to the editor: Pa. Department of Human Services protects children best

Some politicians may be right about eliminating the Department of Education (DOE), but not for all the right reasons. I think this department should be eliminated in the federal and maybe all state governments or integrated with more effective departments of human services, like the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS).

The PA DHS requires more clearance information than the PA DOE, like the National Sex Offender Registry Letter, to protect children, families and communities in Pennsylvania.

The PA DHS inspects all licensed child care programs, at least annually. The PA DOE usually only inspects schools by submissions of paperwork.

The PA DHS investigates makes the investigation of most all complaints an on-site and unannounced priority. The PA DOE allows schools to do their own investigations internally.

The PA DOE allows schools to operate with taxpayer funding and grants that may not require any oversight, explanations or right-to-know law requests. The PA DHS expects all funding and grants to meet stringent health and safety compliance and regulations.

These are just a few examples of injustice, in my opinion. So, who do you want handling your taxpayer funds and helping all children get a head start, the DOE or DHS? The DOE schools say they care about children of all ages and stages, but the DHS programs do more for the whole child, physically, socially, intellectually, emotionally, recreationally and mentally and could do more if they had more financially.

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Dennis Smiddle

Canonsburg The writer is a former DHS inspector/investigator.