Angry Dad Says Law Protects Child Predator's Rights, Not Kids
by Jim Brown
February 12, 2004
(AgapePress) - Parents in a small Massachusetts town are angered that a convicted sex offender is living just a half-block from their children's elementary school.Outrage -- that was Paul Landry's reaction upon learning that a level-three sex offender was living close to his young child's elementary school in the town of Athol. However, the concerned father was just as upset to learn that there is currently no law on the books to protect his son and other students at the school from the presence of the child predator whose home overlooks their playground.
"There is a law being drafted to be run through the legislative system to correct this in the future," Landry says. "My concern with that is that's a lengthy process. It's not something that's going to happen overnight, and in the meantime my child, in my opinion, is still in danger."
Harold Faye, who has been convicted on five counts of exposing himself to children, lives just four houses down from Sanders Street Elementary School, and his back yard is adjacent to the school's playground area. Landry and other parents have taken their concerns to local and state officials, only to learn that there is no legal recourse for the parents of children in this situation.
The explanation that Landry says he has been given by school officials, town officials, and state officials is that nothing prohibits a convicted child predator like Faye from living near a school, playground, or park, where he has easy access to potential victims. Apparently, Faye cannot legally be prevented from living virtually wherever he wants.
"I guess he still has his rights," Landry says, "and what I'm seeing is that his rights come before the safety of our children. And I don't think that's right."
The 63-year-old Faye is currently serving probation for his sex offenses. When the local newspaper released a picture of Faye, Landry sat his six-year-old son down and told him that if he ever sees the sex offender he should tell his teacher or parents immediately.
