State finally prevails — Kindertown day care closed
By Kathryn Reed
Kindertown Day Care and Preschool will not open Monday. It may never open again, at least not with Maria Barrows-Crist as owner-operator.
Officials from the California Department of Social Services showed up at the South Lake Tahoe center Friday about lunchtime with an order from a judge stating the center would be closed at the end of business Nov. 4.
“Thirty-nine kids over the weekend will have to find alternate care,” Barrows-Crist told Lake Tahoe News through tears.
Community efforts to keep Kindertown open ultimately were not enough. Photo/LTN file
She looks at the pictures on the walls in the center, of the people who have supported her for the past 33 years – and especially in the past two years during her licensing struggles – and she feels she has let them down.
“I feel like such a failure,” Barrows-Crist. “I really did fight.”
When troubles first started, Kindertown received money from the state as well as private funding. She had 130 children and 20 employees in September 2009.
About 7,000 kids have come through the doors since Judy Kurtzman first opened Kindertown on July 1, 1973. Barrows-Crist is the third owner.
Her saga with the state began in September 2009 when the officials tried to close the facility based on a series of allegations. Each time Barrows-Crist wins in court the state comes up with more charges. This time, though, the state won. That hasn’t happened before during all of this back-and-forth legal maneuvering.
Officials from the state were not available for comment late Friday afternoon.
Barrows-Crist said she was caught off-guard because she didn’t believe anything would happen until the Nov. 18 hearing before El Dorado County Superior Court Judge Warren Stracener in Placerville. In October he ruled there is no harm keeping Kindertown open until his decision is made later this month.
But the state took the case to the appellate court, which said the center should be closed until Stracener makes his ruling.
So, it’s possible Kindertown could open again Nov. 21 if she were to win in two weeks. But by then parents will have found alternative care for their children and the five employees may have moved on as well.
Plus, Barrows-Crist is now representing herself in court because she can’t pay what she owes attorney Mike McLaughlin and therefore has no money for any legal counsel. McLaughlin could not be reached Friday.
The state said they would notify the families by phone and provided Barrows-Crist with a letter to give families as well. The one thing she felt good about Friday was reaching most of the parents before the state did.
If this closure is permanent, Barrows-Crist hopes a buyer will come forward soon. The business has been on the market for a number of months.
Bankruptcy, Barrows-Crist said, may be her next experience with the courts.
Would have been a bit more informative to report the allegations and a response. Yes? I’m left without knowing anything except that the state is taking a regulatory action for some reason…
Here are some previous stories that have links to more stories that should fill in the gaps for you:
https://www.laketahoenews.net/2011/10/kindertown-granted-reprieve-until-november-hearing/
https://www.laketahoenews.net/2011/06/kindertown-remains-open-per-judges-order/
https://www.laketahoenews.net/2011/02/kindertown-wins-round-1-in-court-remains-open/
https://www.laketahoenews.net/2010/08/kindertown-day-care-wins-case-against-state/
Kathryn Reed, LTN publisher
From what I have read in previous articles and heard from more than one person about this issue it sounds to me like a vendetta from an out of control government agency.
Another reason for freedom loving people to get out of the repressive state of California.
A child left the center on his own and made it to Highway 50. How is this something the state shouldn’t pursue? That is a very serious thing to happen when your only job is to watch the kids and one is found wondering on Highway 50.
snoheather,
The entire business was wiped out by the government because of one mistake? YEARS BACK
That is justified in your mind?
To me that is a tyrannical response.
From what I’ve read there has been more than just that one instance of things happening there. I definitely chose 4 years ago not to take my children there. I feel that the state should be able to intervene when they are paying for most of these kids to attend the facility.
snoheather,
From what I have heard and read the state employees have acted in a vindictive and tyrannical way.
this passage in the article lends credence to what I have heard.
‘…in September 2009 when the officials tried to close the facility based on a series of allegations. Each time Barrows-Crist wins in court the state comes up with more charges. ‘
There are many examples i know of indicating out-of-control government employees in CA.
I am a free man and I have left the state to re-start my business.
I encourage others that believe in freedom to leave also.
snoheather, you do what you wish.
“He who pays the piper calls the tune.”
I don’t know if the facility was rightfully closed or not. Many incidences and investigations have been reported, Ms. Crist has been revered and reviled. But the fact that tax dollars have been so heavily invested in the care of the children there means the government gets to make the rules. You have a much better chance of telling the State to go fly a kite if you aren’t dependent on them for your daily bread.
Sooo true. Thanks, dogwoman. I totally agree with your sentiment.
Whether or not state money was in play had nothing to do with the state’s social service dept’s involvement. They regulate all child care in the state.
It appeared based upon a lot of info shared in this two year case that
Maria Gross state employee had he power and resources to take Crist down.
Time doesn’t permit me to make the case but this much I know is wrong with state power. They drove Crist to bankruptcy. How?
It cost them nothing to go to court, NOTHING. We pay their tab.
Crist however spent thousands, and the state would lose in court and just start the process all over again. It is an unwinable conflict for John Q Citizen.
I sat in court and watched the states social services charade last year.
But more than anything else in this abuse of power is the audacity of regulators to assume they know better then the Parents who chose to keep their kids there at Kindertown.
Yes save oh mighty state regulators from the evil Maria Crist, never mind her 33 year history on south shore you alone can lead us to safety .
I spit this Un American beuracracy from my mouth.
I concur with Dan Wilvers all the way. I am speechless, shocked and devastated for Maria as well as for my children. My children are 6 years old and are in 1st Grade, so they only attend one hour a week after school, but to my children, Kindertown has been their safe haven for almost 4 years. To Maria, Kindertown is her heart and soul and she sincerely loves every child that has EVER walked through the doors of Kindertown, my children included.
I am perplexed about how the State can appeal another judge’s ruling when Maria hasn’t had a chance to defend herself in court on Nov 18th? How can that be?
What is even more amazing is during the whole entire 2 year proceedings between the State and Kindertown, not ONCE did any State employee EVER question the parents who chose to keep their children at Kindertown, who walk through the doors everyday, who keep our eyes and ears peeled for any mishaps that may occur to our childrne. Wouldn’t you think, as a State employee you would want to ask at least ONE parent, “why after all these legal proceedings do you choose to leave your child in Maria’s care”? I don’t know something along those lines.
The only time I received a phone call from a State employee is last Friday at 3:30pm telling me I had to find alternate care the folowing Monday morning. WOW, thanks for the notice.
Maria, please don’t feel you failed or let us down, you have fought, more then any of us would have. I am just thankful you were there when I needed you way back when! I am thinking about you and have you in my prayers. xoxoxoxoxooooooo
I too am shocked, stunned, and sickened by what has happened to Maria Kindertown and the children and the families who counted on a safe, loving, dependable, fun and educational place for our youngsters to attend. Not only is Kindertown a awesome preschool, but they teach the children where they are ready to moveup and into mainstream elementary with the basics. And more than that, Maria would take the children on super field trips like the Sacramento Zoo, Wild Island water park, museums, skiing up st Sierra Ski Ranch. Kindertown is SO MUCH MORE than just a regular preschool and a safe place for or kids to ho after school. My son went there, and my daughter was one of the first in the baby center, and IF there was a better place to have my children I tell you,I would have taken them there. There is no better place for child care than in Marias care at Kindertown.
I cannot believe they did this, it was completely vindictive and with no respect to the FAMILIES that went to kinder town! The state didn’t even bother to call me at least maria did! Now I am stuck with trying to find a Preschool and not some backyard daycare when EVERY decent school in this town is full, these horrible vindictive people should be sued for harassment, as for everyone who says how horrible Kindertown is, you have no idea what you are talking about, you read something and then believe it. I think the parents who take their kids there have way more insight then those people! sorry about the spelling I am angry typing!
The State has definatly abused there power in this situation. I have visited 3 childcare facilities since the suprise closure on Friday, and I must say I am very unsatisfied. One school wanted me to just fill out a form, told me there not avaliable on Tuesdays and Wednedays. I had to ask to look around, no tour, no information on what my sons schedule would be during the day, just “I’ll put this in a file and call me when you can confirm a schedule.” Another chilcare I went too, I had to be placed on a waiting list, during the tour I run into another teacher that watched my daughter when she was young, who the state did a full investigation on becasue she left bruises on her arms, which was confimred by other childeren in the center. Now, how is that right?
If licensing walked into any other provider and went through every possible thing they could, they would probably find small infractions as well. There are 2 indcedence that are cause for concern, but not closure.
Unfortunatly, Maria Crist crossed the wrong person at the state, and now we are all being punished.
And as to the child that left Kindertown, he has also left 2 other childcare facilities, but from what I understand, they are still open???? How does that work?
You can’t beleive everything you read.
And yes, when is it the parents turn to be questioned about Kindertown? I know that the people who complianed were able to speak to the state, why not the parents that have no complaints? I, as well, never got a call from the state on Friday that the center was closed, Maria Crist called me.
I too, would like to be questioned by the State as to why I allowed my 4 year old to just recently attend Kindertown. We recently moved to SLT. And, this was after reading some of the allegations, that I chose Kindertown over other schools. I feel that Maria was the most down-to-earth Director I spoke with and had the most interest in the children. Kindertown was a great place for my daughter and the only one my daughter felt comfortable with. No, I am not a mother that lets her child decides for her….I am merely a mother that takes her child’s feelings into consideration along with mine. I never once felt that my daughter was in jeopardy while at Kindertown and will gladly take her back to Kindertown and Maria as soon as I am able! Hopefully someone gets these messages to the State because it is unbelievable that they have taken this so far!!!
I am sorry that many people lost their daycare but there are other centers. My kids go to under the magicpine tree and are very happy there. The teachers are all great.