Archive for the 'Child safety laws' Category
As a parent and a prevention educator, I felt compelled to make a post, as I am fascinated by the recent urgency that our legislature felt to pass a bill to protect our children from “unsafe” toys.
Don’t get me wrong, I of course want safe toys for our kids but I also want safe communities for our kids and tough penalties for criminals that commit crimes against children.
Is it just me or does this seems like hastily crafted piece of legislation was seemingly rushed through? Even Gov.Gregoire admitted that it was “not perfect” in the Seattle Times.
I ask, how is it that our State Legislature deemed the beloved Rubber Ducky dangerous enough that they needed to rush legislation through to “protect” our children, yet three Bills that were meant to TRULY protect children died before the Senate this year? (HB2715 - stronger penalties against those who commit sex crimes against children on or around school grounds, SB 6386 - Punishment for those who publish the personal information of a minor with the intent that another person uses the information to commit a crime, HB2728 - Requiring sex offender registration for misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor level indecent exposure when there has been a finding of sexual motivation if the person exposes him or herself to a person under the age of 14 years)
There is no solace for parents, knowing that someone could go onto a elementary school playground, ask a childs name, expose themselves to the child then publish the childs name, photo and school location on the internet with relatively little to no chance of being removed from the community for these actions?
Yet, the fate of Mr. Rubber Ducky (if he is deemed dangerous) will be swift removal from our children’s lives?
Are we to take comfort in knowing that the next pedophile who tries to lure a child away with a toy, will now do so with a toy that is deemed to have “safe” levels of Phthalates and is lead free?
I ask, if we are all concerned about safe toys, shouldn’t we also take this same level of urgency when dealing with predatory criminals who commit crimes against our children?
