Firing of child welfare worker upheld

Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2002 | 9:53 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A hearing officer has upheld the firing of an employee of the state Division of Child and Family Services for repeatedly using the state's computer system to surf the Internet for pornographic material.

Hearing Officer Pat Dolan, in a decision made public Tuesday, found that Lawrence Ling, a clinical social worker in Reno, engaged in "disgraceful personal conduct" and that he tried to hide his connections to pornographic websites.

In December 2001 a technician was trying to fix Ling's computer and discovered pornographic websites. Ling denied to his superiors that he had used the websites. The websites were removed, and Ling was given a warning.

In March 2002 another technician was assigned to upgrade the computer and he found new evidence of porn websites. An investigation showed there were at least 400 hits on these sites, Dolan said.

Ling admitted he had lied at the first session and said he had been using the computer at work to look for pornographic material.

Ling was fired and he appealed. At his hearing he testified he had previously attended a sexual addiction therapy group for about eight months. But he quit the therapy session in September 2001 due to a scheduling conflict with his children's activities.

Ling suggested there was a possible conspiracy by other staff to get rid of him. He had complained previously that some staff was spreading rumors that he was accessing pornographic material during work time.

Dolan noted the evidence showed Ling was accessing the sites between September and December 2001 "and yet had the gall to complain to his supervisor concerning a rumor that was circulating about this misuse."

Testifying for Ling was John LeMay, a marriage and family therapist, who said Ling has a sexual addiction to pornography, a condition that is starting to be recognized as a psychological disorder.

LeMay said the behavior is compulsive and, like alcoholism, the condition is treatable but not curable.

Dolan did not buy the argument.