Licensing employees (LPAs, Program Managers, Regional Managers, etc.) are state government employees, which means their emails are public records, which anyone can ask to see (though certain private or confidential info in the emails will be redacted or withheld). Several months ago I requested emails and other documents from licensing, and I recently received the first batch of documents, which included emails from the licensing Program Administrator and Assistant Program Administrators (the folks who supervise all the Regional Offices).

Something in the emails was disappointing but not at all surprising. When licensing found out I was trying to help childcare providers to appeal licensing citations, it seems they sought legal advice on how to stop me:

!Email from CCLD employee, "A local R&R passed this along. This is a website by Howard Wu, licensee of Aspen Leaf facilities. He's also got the site Childcare Licensing Appeals where he advertises appeal resources and has a blog. Just sharing for awareness."

!Email from Maria Hendrix, CCLD: "Hello, Sharing with everyone this service brought to our attention by an LPA out of Cindy Interiano's office. Not sure if we want to share this with our legal partners or not. I can supply the entire email stream if needed, just let me know. I apprecaite Cindy & Kimberly elevating this information."

!Email from Karen Chang, CCLD: "Hi Shanice and Maria, I do think we need to flag for legal. Kim and Cindy thank you for raising to our awareness."

Of course, there’s nothing their Legal Division can do, because it’s perfectly legal to help providers understand how to appeal. But it is scary and discouraging that the agency is so allergic to accountability. We all have the right to challenge their decisions, but they clearly do not want us to.

These emails show that licensing, from top to bottom, simply wants to be obeyed without question. That is wrong.

Appeal licensing citations like a lawyer .