Use Time, Energy On Real Problem

Thu., Sept. 25, 1997

D.F. Oliveria For The Editorial

A 12-year-old girl savagely is beaten to death while baby-sitting five children at a neighbor’s home. And how does a Washington lawmaker react? She calls for hearings and possible legislation to regulate baby sitters.

In doing so, state Sen. Margarita Prentice, D-Seattle, missed the forest for the trees.

The brutal murder of Ashley Jones last weekend near Seattle has nothing to do with her age. An older teen, or even an adult, might have suffered the same fate, allegedly at the hands of David Dodge, 17, an escapee from a halfway house. In fact, Ashley appears to have done her final baby-sitting job well. The five young children, ages 2 to 8, all were tucked away in bed asleep at 2:30 a.m. when their parents arrived to find the baby sitter mortally wounded.

Rather than trying to micromanage families, Prentice should devote her time trying to figure out why our country is cursed with young psychopaths who kill for thrill, expedience and revenge. Ashley’s family is suffering enough today without having guilt heaped on it by a headline-seeking lawmaker.

Besides, as experts point out, it’d be impossible to write one-size-fits-all regulations for baby-sitting. There are too many variables, chief among them being the maturity level of each baby sitter. A conscientious middle-schooler with proper training can be a much better sitter than a bored 16-year-old who lets her charges vegetate in front of the television set while she phones friends.

Do we want to fine or imprison parents who leave young children in the care of a preteen sibling while they run to the store for milk? Are we going to make granny acquire a license before she can watch her adorable grandchildren? Washington state doesn’t have the money or personnel for this nonsense.

State Rep. Suzette Cooke, R-Kent, head of the House Children and Family Services Committee, championed the understatement when she said: “I think getting into regulation at that level is overdoing it.”

Of course, parents who choose a baby sitter or allow their children to baby-sit take a calculated risk.

In the first instance, they’re gambling, usually with very good odds on their side, that the baby sitter selected will be conscientious and caring, that she won’t ignore her charges. If she washes dishes and reads bedtime stories, it’s a bonus. On the other hand, parents of baby sitters trust their children will be safe in another’s home.

Indeed, most sitters are secure - although Ashley’s murder is a brutal reminder that more creeps than ever lurk in the shadows, waiting to enter a home’s unlocked door and terrorize its occupants.

Washington parents don’t need the state to guide their baby-sitting choices. Common sense will do.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = D.F. Oliveria For the editorial board

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.