I pick up my local paper this morning to read this scary story.Mr. Timothy Merten, 52, was found guilty in May of aggravated criminal sexual assault of a child. He will be sentenced on August 19.
Merten's criminal background includes a 10-year prison sentence in 1988 for indecency with a child in Texas. He served less than six months before being released.
He could be facing 120 years now, though. I think we've learned a little bit about pedophile recidivism since 1988. Not that it does anything to fix the actual problem of pedophilia, but at least there's one less child molester on the streets.
Now, a question: I have to undergo a background check and attend a child abuse awareness class just to be cupcake mom at my daughter's school. Am I out of line to suggest that people who regularly interact with children be licensed with the state, complete with background check? Just asking. I'm not one to curtail freedoms, but I'm also very protective of children.
