Recent editorials from West Virginia newspapers:
Dec. 4
The Parkersburg News and Sentinel on an allegation of abuse against former Roman Catholic bishop Michael Bransfield:
A man’s allegation he was sexually molested as a child by former Roman Catholic bishop Michael Bransfield should be investigated again, by both church and law enforcement authorities.
Bransfield, who headed the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston for 13 years, dismisses the story as coming from “a wack job.” Church officials point out it was investigated twice previously. Evidence to support the allegation was lacking, they say.
But one fact argues strongly in favor of taking another look into the matter: Bransfield got away with so much, for so long, while he was bishop. Is the old child sex abuse accusation part of his record?
A Washington Post story lays out the new/old accusation. It stems from Bransfield’s time as chaplain at Lansdale Catholic High School, in Philadelphia, during the 1970s.
In 2007, a former student called church authorities, telling them that Bransfield on several occasions touched him inappropriately. A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia told the Post, “I can say with certainty that this matter was not only investigated internally. It was reviewed by law enforcement on two occasions and no criminal charges were filed.”
Church officials dismissed the complaint because of inconsistencies in the man’s story. The former student said law enforcement investigations were hindered and ultimately dropped because he could not be guaranteed his identity would be kept secret. The first church investigation concluded in 2009, in a report that was kept confidential. It was looked into a second time in 2012, with similar results.
Now, however, we know Bransfield was guilty of multiple misdeeds. After his retirement last year, church officials found credible evidence he had sexually abused eight young priests and seminarians, while bishop. In addition, he was spending lavishly out of church funds to further his own high-living habits. Finally, Bransfield was handing out hundreds of thousands of dollars in “gifts” to others in the church.
And, a report issued earlier this year addressed the former student’s story, noting inconsistencies in victims’ accounts are not uncommon in such cases.
Bransfield’s alleged misconduct during the 1970s came at a time when it was common for the Catholic church to cover up sexual offenses by clerics. Failure to come clean entirely remained a factor for many years - and some critics say it persists to this day.
The former student’s story should be investigated again, by both church and civil authorities, without delay.
Online: https://www.newsandsentinel.com/
___
Dec. 3
The Herald-Dispatch on declining enrollment in West Virginia public schools:
Enrollment in West Virginia public schools declined by 4,120 students between last school year and this one. It wasn’t an isolated event. Enrollment has been falling in most counties for more than a decade.
This trend does not bode well for West Virginia.
As with many things involving statistics, it’s not just the aggregate number that people need to look at but also the distribution of numbers. Not surprisingly, at least three counties have seen their enrollments increase while most counties have seen decreases.
From the fall 2009 headcount to fall 2019, overall enrollment in the state’s public schools has decreased by 20,195, or about 7.2%. In the four counties of the Metro Valley area - Wayne, Cabell, Putnam and Kanawha - it’s gone down at a slightly higher rate - 7.7%.
If you group five southern coal counties - Boone, Wyoming, Mingo, Logan and McDowell - you find an enrollment decline of 3,818, or about 16.2%.
Meanwhile, just as Monongalia and Berkeley counties have been the leaders in overall population increase in the state since the 2010 census, so too have they seen enrollment increases. Monongalia County, helped by rapid growth in part due to West Virginia University, has seen its public school enrollment increase by 10.8 percent in the past decade to 11,589 students.
In the same period, Berkeley County’s enrollment increased by 12.7%, to 19,654. Neighboring Jefferson County recorded a 4% increase to 8,942 students.
While some pockets of West Virginia show increases in overall population and school enrollment, most of the state has shown stagnation or decline. That’s nothing new.
Why have some counties have such large declines in the past decade? There are many reasons. The decline of the coal industry certainly is one. Also, demographers have been tracking a baby bust in parts of the United States. West Virginia leads the pack there, as the Census Bureau constantly reports more West Virginians die each year than are born. State-to-state migration isn’t enough to cause discernable growth in most places.
As for school enrollment, the growth of homeschooling probably plays a role, but not as much as the overall baby bust.
Another factor is that most of West Virginia’s most populous counties are on its borders, and school systems there must contend with the perception - justified or not - that schools elsewhere are better than schools here. Also, the state’s personal property tax system gives people a reason to choose to live across the state line.
Looking ahead, unless trends change, we can expect to see more small schools close, whether in rural areas or in declining cities. People who track political trends expect West Virginia to lose a seat in the House of Representatives after next year’s census. Even if our population remains stuck at 1.8 million, give or take 100,000 or so, other states are growing through natural increase and through immigration. With only 425 seats in the House available, West Virginia will have only two. A couple of generations ago, we had six.
The enrollment decline is not something the state’s public education system can fix by itself. It will require a stronger economy that encourages people to move here, stay here and raise families here. We need to give people reasons to live here rather than elsewhere.
If this is not the largest challenge facing West Virginia, it’s still pretty high on the list.
Online: https://www.herald-dispatch.com/
___
Nov. 30
The Register-Herald on West Virginia employment numbers and a new campaign advertisement from Gov. Jim Justice:
When Gov. Jim Justice, kicking off a campaign year, starts touting exaggerated employment statistics to prove the worth of his work, and when he does that in a controlled venue where no one - let alone the pesky press - can ask critical questions, it’s OK to question what he is saying. Because the truth can, and often does, say something quite different when allowed to show its face.
When Justice - in the same week - launches his first campaign advertisement arguing for re-election based on how much he cares about the people of his state - “Jim Cares,” the ad is called - check first on how his administration treats the children, especially some 7,000 of the most vulnerable in the state’s foster care system.
We will have plenty of time in the year ahead to slice and dice all of what Justice has done for the state - where he has fallen short and what the next governor needs to attend to. But if messaging from the governor’s office in the coming election year is anything like this past week - and let’s be clear, he is trying to control the narrative - then he will be doing the state a great disservice and it will be a clear indication that he has abandoned fact for fiction all in the name of shameless self-promotion.
At a news conference this past Monday morning (Nov. 25) at the state Capitol, Justice crowed that the state had gained 19,000 jobs over the past year. The best numbers, he said, that the state had seen in the past 10 years.
And, indeed, the data set the governor was using showed just that. Produced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Local Area Unemployment Statistics had West Virginia’s employment at 763,000, almost exactly 19,000 more than a year ago October when the number stood at 744,014.
On face value, and without question, job growth of 2.5 percent is an impressive performance.
But what the governor was not saying - and we have to assume that he knows the difference - those rosy calculations come from a monthly compilation that relies heavily on household surveys and, as such, are highly volatile and not especially accurate.
John Deskins, director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at West Virginia University, told MetroNews, “The numbers we trust the most are not showing anywhere near the 19,000 jobs over the past year.”
According to more reliable government-produced numbers, West Virginia increased employment, year over year, by 3,000 - or about .4.
Not exactly robust and not exactly a fact the governor wanted to brag about, apparently. So, yes, he goes with a better number - despite its lack of credibility - for the sake of a story he was dying to tell. About himself.
Likewise, the governor’s first video campaign ad this election cycle dances around broken glass across our economic landscape and instead addresses the governor’s plan to deal with the opioid crisis, fixing the state’s roads and - for what it is worth in the work-a-day world of West Virginians - his relationship with President Donald Trump.
No, he did not mention that the Department of Health and Human Resources has been sued for, according to the lawsuit, failing West Virginia children. The lawsuit, filed by credible outfits, claims compounding issues with the state’s foster care system and asks for reform, top to bottom.
But the governor did not talk about the kids in his campaign ad.
Here’s the deal. We all know that West Virginia has problems aplenty. We bump into them daily. But they aren’t going to get solved if we are not honest with one another - from the governor on down. Facts are facts and no amount of political spin will change the outcomes.
In these serious times, we need serious people to lead consequential discussions about how to go about fixing all that keeps parents awake at night. Our state is at the tail end of one national ranking after another. We have problems stunting our economic livelihood and impeding social progress.
If the governor cares, he needs to be forthcoming with the unadulterated truth, tell us how it is, and then share and explain any plans he has drawn up on the white board. He should care less about the political consequences, about wining another term in office.
We happen to believe that if our state leaders address issues honestly and earnestly, the scoreboard will take care of itself.
Online: https://www.register-herald.com/
___
Please read our comment policy before commenting.