In the war movie, the battle-scarred veteran limps away from the front as the fresh-faced recruit hurries to take his place in the foxhole.
Now imagine the war movie is actually the story of the director of the state Division of Family and Children Services.
Faced with the tragedy and scandal of a child who dies while under DFCS supervision, the governor (Democrat, Republican, doesn’t matter) appoints a new chief of the division — an insider, an outsider, a longtime veteran, a newcomer, etc. Then the unthinkable happens again: a child under the supervision of DFCS winds up murdered by his parents, and in the ensuing scandal the governor gives the DFCS director the heave-ho, and the cycle begins again.
Director of DFCS is perhaps the toughest, most impossible, most frustrating and, ultimately, shortest-lived job in state government. If you’re appointed to this gig, it may be time to start sending out résumés.
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