Independent journalist Nick Shirley has taken issue with CBS News reporter Jonah Kaplan, who claimed in a video that a Minnesota child care center Shirley visited was not “fraudulent.” Kaplan, reporting from CBS News’ Minneapolis bureau, shared this video on the CBS News X account. In response, Shirley presented his own independent analysis of several daycare centers in a video that has gone viral.
In the video, Kaplan acknowledged that the center cited by Shirley faced accusations regarding safety and cleanliness but insisted there was no verified evidence of fraud. Kaplan noted, “We have visited these sites, and state inspectors have visited them many times over the past six months, and we find that the facts on the ground tell a different story.” He added that while some daycare centers had been reported for safety violations, this shouldn’t be construed as fraud.
Kaplan’s video sparked significant backlash, prompting Shirley to respond directly, suggesting Kaplan should visit the daycare himself to see the conditions firsthand, rather than merely filming himself discussing the matter.
In a lengthy video posted over the weekend, Shirley documented his visits to daycare centers in Minnesota and raised concerns about the apparent lack of activity at facilities still receiving substantial federal funding. In a follow-up report, CBS News confirmed that almost all the centers Shirley visited had valid licenses but said they struggled to get responses when they attempted to reach out.
Following the release of Shirley’s video, Minnesota officials have publicly pushed back, with Tikki Brown, director of the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families, stating that previous inspections found no evidence of wrongdoing. Brown acknowledged the attention the video has garnered but expressed concerns about the techniques shown in it.
As media scrutiny continues, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced its decision to halt child support payments to Minnesota, following the viral nature of Shirley’s investigation.
