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View Full Version : Many reasons for Bush to send DCF chief packing


Wex Wimpy
August 20th 03, 05:47 PM
Many reasons for Bush to send DCF chief packing
15 Aug 2003
Carl Hiaasen Miami Herald
A year ago, an Oklahoman named Jerry Regier was brought in to run
Florida’s Department of Children and Families, the scandal-ridden
agency that’s supposed to protect abused and neglected children.

That Regier still holds the job today is astounding, considering the
frequency with which he embarrasses both the DCF and Gov. Jeb Bush,
the man who recruited him.

Regier’s latest bonehead escapade was to sign on as co-chairman of the
election campaign for Denise Crosswhite, a Republican candidate for
the state Senate - back in Oklahoma.

Considering the brutal workload of the average DCF caseworker - and
Florida’s ongoing crisis in foster care - it seemed peculiar that the
chief of the agency would have enough free time to immerse himself in
a political race halfway across the country.

Child-care advocates were not shy about voicing their concerns.
Neither was Bush. He said publicly that Regier’s “focus needs to be on
vulnerable children and citizens in our state.”

After what was surely a blunt chat with the governor, Regier bailed
out of Crosswhite’s campaign on July 31. In the aftermath, Crosswhite
insisted that Regier’s chairmanship role was to have been limited to
giving advice and conducting “a little fund-raising” during his
off-hours from DCF.

That Regier didn’t bother to notify Bush about his free-lancing was
arrogant, but not out of character. In advance of being named DCF
secretary, Regier neglected to provide the governor’s staff with a
1989 article, carrying Regier’s byline, that said that spanking
children was acceptable - even if it caused welts and bruises.

Although Bush was aware of Regier’s conservative Christian views, the
welts-and-bruises reference might have made him reconsider appointing
a person with that outlook to the DCF - the agency charged with
rescuing children who are beaten viciously in the name of discipline.

When The Miami Herald uncovered that controversial article, Regier
denied being the author and said he disagreed with the section about
spanking. It wouldn’t be the last time that he would back-pedal to
save his own butt.

Back in March, six employees from the DCF’s Hialeah office were
summarily fired after state Sen. Rudy Garcia complained that his
grandmother was treated rudely when she showed up to discuss a problem
with her food stamps. Interestingly, Garcia sat on the Senate
committee that was due to vote on Regier’s nomination as DCF
secretary.

Negative publicity

The mass firings sparked an angry outcry, so naturally Regier denied
that he had anything to do with it. He said that decision was
independently made by the DCF’s Miami division chief, Chelly
Schembera.

Completely untrue. Interoffice e-mails confirmed Schembera’s claim
that she had strongly opposed the firings of the six workers, most of
whom had many years of experience. Regier flatly told her to get rid
of everybody in “the chain of command” involved in the incident with
Garcia’s grandmother.

Because of the negative publicity, all the employees were later
rehired by the DCF with back pay and benefits. When Regier’s
nomination was approved, Garcia wisely abstained from the vote.

Regier’s ham-fisted firing of the so-called Hialeah Six was the work
of a political hack, trying to curry favor with an influential
senator. It was even more inexcusable considering that one of Regier’s
most important missions at the DCF was to restore morale, not make it
worse.

A year after taking the job, Regier can claim credit for pushing the
agency to drastically reduce the backlog of open child-abuse
investigations. In other areas, though, no progress had been made.
While the number of children in state care has declined slightly, it
has increased in districts that have switched to privatized foster
care. The opposite result had been promised. Likewise, the number of
adoptions are far below expectations.

Turgid bureaucracy

No mere mortal could fix the DCF in a year, or even two. It remains a
huge, turgid bureaucracy that can wear down the most dedicated,
tireless people.

Floridians didn’t expect Regier to come in and work miracles, but they
did expect honesty and professionalism. Instead he has become a
distraction, a sideshow.

Last week, a 2-year-old Miami boy died after being beaten severely for
what police say was a potty-training mishap. Charles D. Byrd, the
boyfriend of the child’s mother, now is charged with the murder.

Predictably, Byrd is no stranger to DCF. He was investigated in 2001
for allegedly harming one of his own sons, but the case was closed
with no charges filed.

As DCF chief, Regier ought to be working late every night, agonizing
over such tragedies. That his schedule is loose enough for him to
dabble in Oklahoma politics is reason enough for Bush to send him home
- the sooner the better.

http://www.oscnewsgazette.com/index.php?option=news&task=viewarticle&sid=6596