In the Jan. 28 editorial “Mass. should defend itself against foster-care lawsuit” you conclude that Massachusetts’ decision to defend the lawsuit against it filed by the watchdog group Children’s Rights was a “principled position” and the right one. Nothing could be further from the truth.

No matter how difficult the job of the Department of Children and Families is, and no matter that it is criticized as being both too loose or too severe, the plaintiff’s assertion that the Commonwealth ranks ninth-worst among all the states in how it treats children in foster care should be taken seriously.