Houston Chronical: Criminals in Childcare

The Houston Chronicle and the Texas Tribune have uncovered some scary information: state-run child care programs, such as Daystar Residential, may hire workers with frightening criminal records and backgrounds.

While Texas officials admit that some of their employees might have old criminal records that include theft, investigators have discovered that some state childcare workers have histories that include prostitution, assault, and domestic violence. Texas authorities claim that they don’t hire anyone whose criminal records might pose a threat to the children, but a recent incident at Daystar Residential has many wondering whether hiring workers with criminal records to work with children could lead to childcare abuse or neglect.

Why does Texas ever allow someone with a criminal past to work with some of the state’s most needy children? Part of the problem is simply the job itself: a stressful and demanding job for very little pay doesn’t attract large pools of quality applicants.