31 fired in Army day care scandal

After two day care workers were arrested for assaulting children at a Fort Myer Va., Army day care center about three months ago, additional background checks found a few-dozzen workers with criminal convictions.

By Lolita C. Baldor,?Associated Press / December 19, 2012

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta speaks at the National Press Club in Washington, Tuesday. On Tuesday, Panetta ordered a worldwide review of hiring practices at all military child care centers, schools, youth centers and other facilities that involve children.

Jose Luis Magana/AP

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At least 31 people were fired from two Army day care centers at Fort Myer, Va., last week after officials scrutinized their backgrounds and found criminal convictions ranging from fourth-degree sexual assault and drug use to other assaults, a defense official said Wednesday.

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The escalating scandal surrounding the Fort Myer Child Development Center has triggered a review of hiring procedures, angered defense leaders and prompted a late-night telephone call Tuesday from President Barack Obama to the Army secretary to express concern and urge a speedy and thorough investigation.

Details of the scandal emerged this week, nearly three months after the arrests of two day care workers on charges of assaulting children at the Fort Myer center. The slow pace of public revelations enraged Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who on Tuesday ordered a worldwide review of hiring practices at all military child care centers, schools, youth centers and other facilities that involve children.

According to a defense official, 10 of the 31 dismissed workers were involved in minor criminal offenses, 13 were involved assaults, six were involved in drug use and two were involved fourth-degree sexual assault. The official noted that neither person with sex assault charges ever ended up on a national registry of sex offenders. In some cases, sexual assaults can involve people over the age of 18 who are having consensual relationships with someone under the age of 18.

After the arrests, the youth services coordinator and deputy at the day care center were reassigned. The center was shut down last Thursday.

The defense official also said the approximately 100 remaining child care employees at Fort Myer are caring for the children at the Cody Child Development Center, also on the base.

Coming on the heels of last week's massacre of 6- and 7-year-olds in a shooting at their elementary school in Newtown, Conn., the day care scandal caught Obama's attention and prompted a 10 p.m. telephone call Tuesday to Army Secretary John McHugh.

A White House official said the president relayed his concern about reports of abuse at the day care center and made clear that there must be a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to protecting the children of service members.

The official said Obama urged McHugh to conduct the investigation into its hiring practices quickly and thoroughly. Officials spoke about the investigation and the phone call on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss them publicly.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/7QYqME7nTGE/31-fired-in-Army-day-care-scandal

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