IN ITS editorial "A shocking error of judgment" (Dec. 21), the Globe seems to be washing its hands of its past defense of the Judge Rotenberg Center. As recently as last year, its editorial page was defending the center's methods ("Not so shocking," June 23, 2006). Last year, after the state's Division of Professional Licensure fined 14 staff members for misrepresenting themselves as psychologists, the Globe dismissed the finding as "paperwork errors."
The Globe has had well over a decade to provide a closer examination of the center's practices. This might have led to the discovery of systemic failures that led to the tragedy of an innocent child being subjected to 77 consecutive electric shocks.
JOHN THOMAS, Wayland
BILL HENNING, Boston
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