Every once in awhile an enterprising reporter writes a story that amounts to an x-ray of a child welfare agency’s soul. The picture always is ugly. But no other story I’ve ever read is more searing than the story that appeared last week in a West Virginia weekly, the Spirit of Jefferson.
What makes this story even more exceptional is that such a big story, and so much dogged reporting, came from such a small newspaper. The story is behind a very low “paywall” – it will cost you all of fifteen cents to read. The short time it takes to sign up is more of a barrier. It’s worth every minute.
