**Former Teacher Confronted Over Role in Mississippi Child Protection Services**
In a riveting exchange, WREG uncovered troubling details surrounding a former teacher’s controversial position at the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services (CPS). The investigation, which aired earlier this week, featured a direct confrontation between WREG reporters and ex-teacher Angela Smith, raising serious questions about her qualifications and past conduct in the classroom.
Smith, who was relieved of her teaching duties last year amid allegations of inappropriate behavior with students, now finds herself in a pivotal role at CPS, an agency charged with the critical responsibility of safeguarding the state’s most vulnerable children. WREG’s cameras captured the tense moment as reporters pressed Smith on how her past failures as an educator could potentially impact her new responsibilities.
“You used to be in a classroom, working with kids. How do you justify working at an agency that is supposed to protect children?” WREG’s reporter demanded, to which Smith struggled to articulate her reasoning, citing a desire to “make a difference.”
Critics of Smith’s appointment argue that her troubling background undermines the integrity of an agency already under scrutiny for its handling of child welfare cases. Advocates for children’s rights are particularly alarmed, asserting that her presence could erode public trust in an organization meant to defend against abuse and neglect.
In response to the scrutiny, the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services issued a statement defending its hiring practices, insisting that all employees undergo rigorous background checks. However, many remain skeptical, calling for increased transparency in the agency’s recruitment processes.
As the story unfolds, parents and community leaders are left questioning whether this choice signals a deeper issue within the Mississippi CPS or if it merely represents a singular misjudgment. WREG has vowed to continue its investigation, promising to shine a light on the agency’s inner workings as trust in child protection hangs in the balance.
