Letters | Study Center: Very sad story

AS I READ the Jan. 16 article on why a new Youth Study Center has not been built, my reactions were disbelief, sadness and anger.

Disbelief that after 36 years of devotion to the Department of Human Services as a community volunteer, and knowing firsthand the problems that have plagued the facility, I read that there are those who continue to withhold their support for building a new facility.

Sixteen of those 36 years were served as a mayoral appointee to the Child Welfare Advisory Board. One of my primary concerns was the Youth Study Center, and methods by which we could alleviate the abuse, and neglect of the children during their detainment.

It is perplexing that those who run the city would allow its children to be held in such a dilapidated structure, and live under conditions that would turn any decent human being into an animal.

I'm saddened that those in charge would have the nerve to state that no one wants a facility that houses these children in their neighborhood. How can Mayor Street and Councilwoman Blackwell allow themselves to be associated with comments that the long-overdue relocation and rebuilding is governed by politics? How can any elected officials (city, state and local) ignore the mistreatment of children?

These children are human beings. They come from every section of the city, including West Philadelphia. One would think that these children are aliens from outer space. These children are the children of the City of Brotherly Love.

I am angry that behind the crumbling walls of that facility, some youths have been deprived of their rights to be adequately fed, clothed and educated, but above all, these children have not had access to timely court hearings and justice. Documentation of abuses, suicides, rapes and drugs are a few of the facts that are known.

It's time for all Philadelphians to use the power of your vote to remove from office any self-serving official who looks the other way while children are being neglected and abused.

Florence Garrett, Philadelphia