Tallahassee Democrat Reporter Declares “Dire” Situation for Children in Leon County

Tallahassee Democrat Reporter Declares “Dire” Situation for Children in Leon County

Despite the current debate over the need for a Children’s Services Council, Tallahassee Democrat reporter TaMaryn Waters let readers know that her assessment is that there are “dire needs impacting Leon County children.”

This is not a quote from an elected official or a children services professional, it is the assessment by Ms. Waters of a 1,400 page report provided by county staff addressing children’s issues.

The problem is, as Leon County Commissioner Bryan Desloge pointed out, the report provides conflicting information with regards to the specific needs of children in Leon County. Desloge citing the report, said that Leon County ranked 10th out of 67 Florida counties in one measure of children services. This placed Leon County ahead of some counties that have a CSC in place.

Hardly a “dire” situation.

Other information in the report on the education and economic well-being of children shows positive rankings for Leon County.

An unbiased review of the 1,400 page report reveals that the county staff provided reams of information that highlighted both the needs and the successes with regards to the status of children in Leon County.

 

 

16 Responses to "Tallahassee Democrat Reporter Declares “Dire” Situation for Children in Leon County"

  1. A 1,400 page report is just sloppy and the same as no report. If you want to make an argument for the need for such a body, it must be concise and prioritized, not just a collection of everything that could be said. And it has to describe its value added in an evidence-based manner.

  2. A good, ethical journalist never editorializes.
    A BIG no-no.
    She should have stuck to food reviews. Which nobody read.
    Calling T-Flub a journalist is like calling Stormy Daniels a virgin.
    Not the worst scribbler they’ve had over there though. That person, who had the FSU (non-sports) beat, was so bad, her sources got together and called a meeting with Gabordi to tell him they would no longer talk to her.
    Ouch.
    So Gabordi had no choice but to fire her.
    (After hiring her, bragging at the time how multi-talented she was.) Whoops.

    1. Jeff Burlew is not an investigative reporter. He published everything that Rocky and his “people” gave him while never fact checking. He was used by Rocky Hanna and his “advisors”. Jeff Burlew should print the absolute sobering facts about Rocky Hanna. The community would be outraged if they read the affidavit on file from the teacher he possibly assaulted, then dated, the had transfered with a monetary settlement. Look at the calls that he chdhood friend who is a current middle school principal made to intimidate school and district staff during the election. Print the findings from Mr. Coxe who detailed that Rocky fabricated everything in the notebook which is an ethics violation. Detail a school board that refuses to hold Mr. Hanna accountable for proven ethics violations. Dire indeed.

    2. I agree. How is it that a journalist is pushing their opinion as fact? Moreover, how is it that the Democrat allows this type of journalism to continue? Isn’t there some universal ethical code for journalist? I am constantly amazed that this behavior is tolerated again, and again, and again.

      1. Journalism used to be about comforting the afflicted, and afflicting the comfortable.
        Now, it’s about advancing the liberal, progressive, socialist agenda.
        Can’t let ethics get in the way of that.
        Weak leadership at the local rag is more than happy to comply, as per the directives of their slaveowners at the home plantation in McLean, Virginia.

  3. Dire condition is the Tallahassee Democrat! They publish over 50 articles related to Rocky Hanna’s admitted false and misleading notebook, NEVER fact checking one thing in the notebook or any of Hanna’s campaign lies. Hanna demoted or non renewed his “enemies”, promotes 5 people to Assistant Superintendent without interviews and never a story. He dated his teachers, broke numerous ethics policies with no coverage from the Tallahassee Democrat!

    1. What you are talking about is in the past but the behavior did not stop once the election was over. A public records search on legal fees in 2017 will show how much money was spent going after an elementary school child because their parent complained to FDE and received favorable findings. He allowed his asst. superintendent full ammunition which included over 100K paid to the Ausley law firm for a “hearing” that had the sole purpose of attacking a child to get even. Teachers were made to blatantly perjure themselves under oath. Rocky is fully aware of all of this and instead of addressing his staff and their actions, turned his attention to attacking the family. He incredulously blamed the parents for causing the attack and the malfaesance that took place. People may tire of hearing about the notebook, but it is indicative of a wider pattern of behavior and one which goes beyond just a political foe to actual innocent families who want nothing but to get an education for their child.

  4. Last time I checked we had between 500 and 800 Not for Profits in Tallahassee I don’t remember how Many where, for the children.. I am sure there are a lot.. and many of them do not want to have to answer to a big brother organization like the Children’s Services Council.. just my thoughts ..

  5. This reporter is obviously closely related to a California woman named Maxine. She should be fired writing an opinion piece, and publishing it as a bona fide news article. Now the unbiased truth of every future article she pens will be in question.

  6. If we have a dire situation for children services in Leon County, then the Democrat must be urging us to vote out all elected officials. The City, County, Supt. And School Board created this crisis.

  7. If there is a “dire” situation for the children in Tallahassee, it is not something that throwing money at will fix. There are funds for children coming from so many different programs as it is and they seem to competing for available funding. This appears to me to be someone’s pet project and jobs for friends or students. They certainly put together a 1400 pages of blather very quickly. I am against this and hope that residents come out against this additional tax. I am so darned tired of our city and county government wanting to increase taxes for every idea anyone comes up with using “the children” as an justification. Give us a dad-burned break. If you are rich and want to fund this fine. Leave my fixed income alone.

  8. Oh boy – I hate to be so negative all the time but I csn not control the truth. I can react to it.
    So if there is anybody out there who really feels the reporter read the 1400 page report I feel sorry for you.
    I will pray for you.
    Same for anyone who thinks the “Dire Situation” is real.
    Prayers for you too.

    1. Ms. Waters is acting as a PR rep for Vancore Jones (again) and similar usual suspects rather that being a responsible journalist. Remember when the public needed the “dire” information regarding the CONSOLIDATED DISPATCH AGENCY and how it was not functioning properly and the public at large was at risk? Ms. Waters was doing a journalistic piece on the recipe for making a Caesar Salad with Gary Yordon rather than reporting on the CDA and its problems.

      Sadly, a deputy sheriff lost his life because of errors made by the CDA management that had been ongoing, but not reported except for the ‘My View’ by County Commissioner Kristen Dozier stating that all was well with the CDA…(and Bob Gabordi never questioned it knowing there were problems).

      It appears Commissioner John Dailey is using the Children’s Services Council for his campaign platform as Vancore Jones was involved in some (silly) research attached to this.

      The usual suspects are attempting TO MANUFACTURE HUMANITY! This is their modus operandi and Vancore Jones has not missed a beat so far. When Mary Ann Lindley was waking up to this nonsense here comes an article by Ms Waters reporting the list of the usual suspects movers and shakers who would be involved with this issue; a desperate attempt to add credibility to this ill planned campaign PR stunt.

      Like a diving rod to water Mary Ann Lindley read the article and did a 180 flip-flop as that was her modus operandi throughout her tenure at the Tallahassee Democrat. Go with the movers and shakers no matter how ill advised, ill planned, and ludicrous.

      If the Tallahassee Democrat fails to correct this course could we will have a repeat of the past as in the same old corruption, but with a new cast?

      Ms. Waters’ reporting or lack thereof is reprehensible and the editor should correct the PR influence and pandering before it gets out of control, yet again. Humanity cannot be manufactured and – we the people – are on to their same old campaign publicity stunts! One person was not fooled and that was county commissioner Bryan Desloge, a leader truly. Well done Commissioner Desloge!

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