In the year 2010 five brave people of color decided to resist oppression and strike a blow for freedom. They launched a class action lawsuit against Department of Children & Families plus Connecticut Juvenile Training School for discrimination ----racism. Since the DCF Plantation 5 went public with their lawsuit a pogrom (organized persecution ) by white management has been instituted against these employees. Not a day has gone by in three years where some member of the DCF Plantation 5 did not face scrutiny or investigation. Former CJTS employee Cornell Lewis fired by CJTS July 17, 2013, both females of the suit were closely watched in 2013. One lady faced humiliation when CJTS administrators removed her from Unit 4 D for investigation which lasted 60 days ( of course she did nothing wrong and placed back on Unit 4 D ). Yes it is always open season on anyone daring to defy the white power structure within DCF / CJTS. The latest persecution against a male lawsuit member happened December 28, 2013.
Sources within CJTS plantation said that an assistance call for help on Unit 5B went out Saturday ( Dec. 28th ). This type of call is common when housing incarcerated youth at CJTS, usually it means a fight etc is taking place. At this particular time a female YSO on Unit 5B attempted to restrain a youth for something, when a member of the DCF Plantation 5 arrived he assisted her. Witnesses report the male YSO escorted the disruptive youth to his room and backed out---without any evidence of injury to the resident. Now here comes the best part of this tale. On December 30,2013 a telephone call is placed to the Connecticut State Police from management at CJTS about possible injury to a resident. It seems as if the resident on Unit 5B suddenly is claiming a male YSO ( guess who? the YSO male member of the DCF Plantation 5 ) injured him in some way. This is suspicious to the writer of this blog given the call to State Police happened two days after the incident. If this resident was so injured, action needed to be taken sooner. However, it is possible white management concocted their story against the YSO after finding out a lawsuit member was involved. At least five YSOs went to Human Resources to testify on behalf of the accused YSO. Sources reveal that all five YSOs told HR " the YSO under investigation did nothing wrong and followed policy during & after the 5B incident." Such documented testimony did nothing to stop this farce of an investigation.
While DCF /CJTS continue to foster this image of benevolent benefactors of children, their real persona is being revealed daily. With this latest persecution of a male member of the lawsuit the true hideousness of white supremacy is manifest.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Friday, December 27, 2013
ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH DCF & THE COMMUNITY IN HARTFORD
A friend sent me a posted Facebook flyer by e-mail today about the Department of Children & Families. The title of this flyer read Home Invasion vs. Home Restoration Controversial community discussion w/ DCF. This pow wow with DCF is taking place tonight [ Dec. 27, 2013 ] in Hartford at 136 Westland Street, Urban Hope Refuge Church. My friend who sent me the FB page said "Cornell you might be interested in this." At first my reply was brief, but upon reflection, it seemed necessary for a longer reply on FB. Now that reply is going to be part of this blog article.
DCF uses linguistic acrobatics to quell potential storms or public relation threats to it's hegemony. For several years a small group has publicly taken issue with not only DCF but Connecticut Juvenile Training School about racism etc. Now after a series of negative media stories about racism in both agencies a new strategy has emerged. DCF has launched out into the community with a message of trying to bring people together in understanding. Say what? It is no secret that both DCF / CJTS do not relate to their employees of color very well. And it is also common knowledge how people in Hartford's Northend feel as DCF invades homes and takes children out for nebulous reasons. Certain people and black churches play directly into DCF's strategy by hosting jive forums for the masters of verbal prestidigitation to attend. For years such talking forums have not caused a noticeable shift in DCF policies, when it comes to firing black male employees at a higher rate (66%) than other ethnic groups. What is really going to change tonight? DCF will trot out talking head representatives to mollify the unwashed masses, leaving them in a somnolent ( sleepy ) state.
Change can only occur when people stop doing what is predictable. DCF is use to picket signs and forums where issues get talked to death, but change is only an after thought. New or aggressive ideas are needed to first rattle the oppressor then topple their power structure. It was two years ago a group went throughout Hartford's Northend knocking on doors --- explaining people's rights versus DCF. In a three month campaign No DCF Zones were created. It caught the attention of DCF and many residents embraced the concept. Volunteers went from Albany & Garden Streets to Vine. Then up Vine to Capen & back to Albany. The Associated Press covered the story and sympathizers within DCF said " those folks ( hiearchy at Hudson street ) are nervous."
When oppressors want to make inroads in the black community they find willing sycophants in our religious community to lead the way. My grandfather called such religious leaders in league with oppressors " plow horses." Such a term is meant to convey the image of an animal braking up soil for seeds to be planted. And historically black people listen to their preachers instead of using critical thinking & deductive reasoning in solving issues. Now we have Negroes acting like plow horses i.e. preparing the minds of black people to accept vebal swill from DCF. Instead of running to movie theatres watching a story about Nelson Mandela, act in his spirit. Tell DCF to stop invading homes where people of color reside. If black people stood up and collectively confronted DCF there would be no need for another jive forum tonight.
DCF uses linguistic acrobatics to quell potential storms or public relation threats to it's hegemony. For several years a small group has publicly taken issue with not only DCF but Connecticut Juvenile Training School about racism etc. Now after a series of negative media stories about racism in both agencies a new strategy has emerged. DCF has launched out into the community with a message of trying to bring people together in understanding. Say what? It is no secret that both DCF / CJTS do not relate to their employees of color very well. And it is also common knowledge how people in Hartford's Northend feel as DCF invades homes and takes children out for nebulous reasons. Certain people and black churches play directly into DCF's strategy by hosting jive forums for the masters of verbal prestidigitation to attend. For years such talking forums have not caused a noticeable shift in DCF policies, when it comes to firing black male employees at a higher rate (66%) than other ethnic groups. What is really going to change tonight? DCF will trot out talking head representatives to mollify the unwashed masses, leaving them in a somnolent ( sleepy ) state.
Change can only occur when people stop doing what is predictable. DCF is use to picket signs and forums where issues get talked to death, but change is only an after thought. New or aggressive ideas are needed to first rattle the oppressor then topple their power structure. It was two years ago a group went throughout Hartford's Northend knocking on doors --- explaining people's rights versus DCF. In a three month campaign No DCF Zones were created. It caught the attention of DCF and many residents embraced the concept. Volunteers went from Albany & Garden Streets to Vine. Then up Vine to Capen & back to Albany. The Associated Press covered the story and sympathizers within DCF said " those folks ( hiearchy at Hudson street ) are nervous."
When oppressors want to make inroads in the black community they find willing sycophants in our religious community to lead the way. My grandfather called such religious leaders in league with oppressors " plow horses." Such a term is meant to convey the image of an animal braking up soil for seeds to be planted. And historically black people listen to their preachers instead of using critical thinking & deductive reasoning in solving issues. Now we have Negroes acting like plow horses i.e. preparing the minds of black people to accept vebal swill from DCF. Instead of running to movie theatres watching a story about Nelson Mandela, act in his spirit. Tell DCF to stop invading homes where people of color reside. If black people stood up and collectively confronted DCF there would be no need for another jive forum tonight.
Monday, December 23, 2013
CLOTHING THEIR BIGOTRY IN THE GARB OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
For thousands of years the purveyor of bigotry always found some justification for spewing their hatred. For instance religious zealots used the Bible, nationalism came in handy for expelling " unwanted ethnic groups", a few have declared it is for the good of our country to say such things. Let us not forget endemic racism towards blacks was deemed necessary " in order to raise the barbaric nature of Africans" i.e. civilize them. Always will the oppressor seek clothing their bigotry in the garb of righteousness. For purposes of this discussion bigotry is defined in the dictionary as " the attitude, state of mind, or behavior characteristic of a bigot ; intolerance." And a bigot tends to be - historically speaking- intolerant of people, customs, language or gender. In contemporary society there is a parallel to the term bigotry to be found at Connecticut Juvenile Training School / Department of Children and Families.
At CJTS for instance a number of incidents have occurred where the hierarchical white management refused to address complaints of black employees. What I mean is this, white management paid lip service to complaints but really ignored them. People ask why is it management continues to trumpet trying to rehabilitate youthful offenders but treats employees of color with disdain? The tone deaf attitude of CJTS management toward employees is no anomaly; it is rooted in Americanism that has always clothed itself in bigotry ... then covered it with a fine layer of righteousness. CJTS constantly sends out social media releases which show that agencey in a good light, helping incarcerated youth get back on the right track. Also CJTS has in the past put up smoke screens to confuse outsiders, e.g. a few years ago a Diversity Action Team came into existence. DATsupposedly was a vehicle for promoting diversity on CJTS property. In reality DAT promoted a few ethnic dinners, put up posters of culturally famous people and sent out e-mails about the success of DAT. Well, DAT has faded away like the morning dew when touched by sunlight. All CJTS sought to accomplish was being seen clothed in the garb of righteousness.
Yet while all this visible bait and switch went on, five employees of color filed a class action lawsuit against CJTS, the media reported about several incidents, one employee went on a hunger strike in protest of racism. A white female employee on several occasions called incarcerated youth at CJTS porch monkeys, petitions are sent to Govenor Dannel Malloy & CJTS Superintendent William Rosenbeck, et al. about racism within CJTS / DCF. None of the above mentioned issues were addressed in a meaniful fashion. All issues of racism have been explained away or ignored by white management. Can CJTS / DCF explain why 66% of all disciplinary actions are aimed at black males??
The picture CJTS / DCF presents to the world of a harmonious employee workforce is fictitious. There are festering racial issues threatening to erupt like a volcano.
Perhaps the day will come when people in the larger community will see what DCF Plantation blog already knows, management is "clothing their bigotry in the garb of righteousness.
At CJTS for instance a number of incidents have occurred where the hierarchical white management refused to address complaints of black employees. What I mean is this, white management paid lip service to complaints but really ignored them. People ask why is it management continues to trumpet trying to rehabilitate youthful offenders but treats employees of color with disdain? The tone deaf attitude of CJTS management toward employees is no anomaly; it is rooted in Americanism that has always clothed itself in bigotry ... then covered it with a fine layer of righteousness. CJTS constantly sends out social media releases which show that agencey in a good light, helping incarcerated youth get back on the right track. Also CJTS has in the past put up smoke screens to confuse outsiders, e.g. a few years ago a Diversity Action Team came into existence. DATsupposedly was a vehicle for promoting diversity on CJTS property. In reality DAT promoted a few ethnic dinners, put up posters of culturally famous people and sent out e-mails about the success of DAT. Well, DAT has faded away like the morning dew when touched by sunlight. All CJTS sought to accomplish was being seen clothed in the garb of righteousness.
Yet while all this visible bait and switch went on, five employees of color filed a class action lawsuit against CJTS, the media reported about several incidents, one employee went on a hunger strike in protest of racism. A white female employee on several occasions called incarcerated youth at CJTS porch monkeys, petitions are sent to Govenor Dannel Malloy & CJTS Superintendent William Rosenbeck, et al. about racism within CJTS / DCF. None of the above mentioned issues were addressed in a meaniful fashion. All issues of racism have been explained away or ignored by white management. Can CJTS / DCF explain why 66% of all disciplinary actions are aimed at black males??
The picture CJTS / DCF presents to the world of a harmonious employee workforce is fictitious. There are festering racial issues threatening to erupt like a volcano.
Perhaps the day will come when people in the larger community will see what DCF Plantation blog already knows, management is "clothing their bigotry in the garb of righteousness.
Friday, December 20, 2013
ANOTHER CASE OF INJUSTICE ON CVH PLANTATION
This column appears in the December 19 - January 2 edition of the Hartford News. Please forward widely!
David Samuels
Founder
Community Party
https://twitter.com/CommunityParty1
Workplace Bullying Report: Structural Racism at Connecticut Valley Hospital
This column appears in the December 19 - January 2 edition of the Hartford News. Due to the holidays, the Hartford News will not be published next week... Community Update: Hartford City Council President Shawn Wooden, who usually avoids the subject of race, actually talked about Black/Latino unemployment during the Fox CT Capitol Report program last Sunday; the topic was the one-year anniversary of the Newtown school shooting. Wooden was asked about possible solutions to gun violence in Hartford. Time will tell if this was merely lip service... I was disgusted by how Face the State host Dennis House treated Kennard Ray during Ray's appearance on the show. Instead of examining Ban the Box and why it's important, House grilled Ray about his already well documented legal history. House didn't ask Ray about then Waterbury mayor Michael Jarjura hiring convicted felon John Rowland to be the city's economic advisor in 2006, and how Ray feels about this double standard. Shameful... In an incredible display of hypocrisy, the Connecticut chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union challenged the Manchester Police Department's conclusion that they don't engage in racial profiling. The MPD released a report last week. http://www.courant.com/community/manchester/hc-manchester-racial-report-1213-20131212,0,5333497.story ACLU legal director Sandra Staub is a member of the Connecticut Racial Profiling Prohibition Project, a bastardization of the Community Party's Penn Act advisory board provision that was passed by the Connecticut General Assembly in 2012. The advisory board colluded with lawmakers to repeal CP's enforcement language this year. In my opinion, Staub isn't interested in stopping racial profiling. She's using the issue as a political football to advance her career. https://www.facebook.com/notes/stop-racial-profiling-obey-the-law/racism-report-penn-act-advisory-boardwest-end-civic-association-members-push-bac/569676799748837 We'll keep an eye on this story. The advisory board has recently met a couple of times; we'll comment on the meetings after we review the videos, which are available on the Connecticut Network website. Enter "racial profiling" in the search engine. http://www.ctn.state.ct.us/ondemand.asp CP will introduce our Trayvon Martin Act in 2014. https://www.facebook.com/notes/stop-racial-profiling-obey-the-law/support-the-trayvon-martin-act/535126163203901
This week we'll present data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request which we submit as proof that Connecticut Valley Hospital, like the Department of Children and Families, is engaging in structural racism. The data analysis was done by Adam Osmond. Adam found that CVH fires Black employees 42% more often than whites. Overall Blacks are terminated at a rate of 70%, compared to just 22% for whites. Blacks are subjected to disciplinary action at a rate of 10% more than other workers. 70% of the CVH employees who make $120,000 per year or more are white, only 3% are Black. CVH initially withheld the race of workers when they sent us the disciplinary records; we had to make a second request. Now it's easy to see why. Emails that my co-worker John Hollis and I have obtained from CVH show that CVH managers are constantly monitoring my social media activity in an attempt to manufacture some type of complaint against me, either internally or through legal action. Our co-workers at CVH report that one of the managers who is spying on me was recently suspended for falsifying documents. After reading a couple of emails I was so disturbed by the level of hyperscrutiny, I immediately informed John and the president of our union local that I wanted to file a grievance. A CVH affirmative action "investigative report" described me as having a "preoccupation with race and racism." The facility ruled that I was discriminating against a white co-worker who in my opinion received preferential treatment from CVH. This employee filed an affirmative action complaint in retaliation for me filing the same complaint against her. My complaint was denied. I'm currently going through more emails with the intention of filing additional grievances, based on whatever else I find. "Highlights" include a discussion about my 2012 column on CVH employees Rosa Badillo and Carlos Vargas, who complained about racism by their bosses. The email revealed that my column was forwarded to Rosa and Carlos' bosses and that CVH attorneys had been consulted about a possible "response" to me (whatever that means). There was zero discussion about investigating Rosa and Carlos' allegations. Another CVH manager said that "something must be done soon" about me because I filed a grievance, which is my right as a state employee. This is the same manager who called the CVH police on me in retaliation for one of my columns about workplace bullying at the facility.
Yet another CVH manager talked about wanting to put me on the "hot seat" after I filed a grievance about my 2012 service rating. I consider this language, like the aforementioned comment by the other manager, to be threatening. The Office of Labor Relations recently sustained my grievance, changing my Fair rating to Good. Finally there was an exchange where CVH managers talked about targeting me for doing an interview with a radio station on the same day that I called in sick. Apparently they believe that calling in sick is the equivalent of house arrest. The emails show that the managers continued listening to the interview even though it was obvious to anyone that I was on the phone, and was not present at the radio station. The managers knew from monitoring my social media pages that the interview was going to be about the latest developments with the state racial profiling law; the manager who said "something must be done soon" about me quoted my post promoting the interview verbatim. My question to DMHAS commissioner Pat Rehmer is why were so many managers spying on me when they should have been working? John discovered a breach of his confidential health information in an email where he was being disparaged by (you guessed it) the CVH manager who wants "something done soon" about me. The breach was pointed out by another CVH manager who was clearly annoyed at having to respond to a work email at 6:30 in the evening. Cornell Lewis filed an FOI request and obtained emails from the Department of Children and Families which showed that DCF used similar tactics against him. Cornell was fired by DCF in retaliation for speaking out about structural racism at that facility, a claim which has been supported by hiring, promotion and disciplinary records he obtained from DCF through FOI requests. If you would like to file an FOI request to get information from your employer, you can get details here. http://www.ct.gov/foi/site/default.asp Despite the results of CVH's own workplace bullying survey (which they tried to suppress) that found 80% of employees view managers as bullies who perpetuate an abusive work climate, and the disciplinary data we have obtained which they also attempted to conceal, CVH management continues to deny, deny, deny. THIS IS MADNESS. http://hendu39.wordpress.com/2013/12/17/connecticut-valley-hospital-workplace-bullying-survey-results/ CVH supervisors and managers portray John and I in emails as potentially violent, incompetent troublemakers, while workplace bullies among the rank and file who act as their agents receive preferential treatment, including swift promotions and glowing service ratings.
Workplace bullying is the equivalent of domestic violence. The Department of Health and Human Services is quite clear on this issue. "(Workplace bullying) has many of the same characteristics of domestic violence – the abuser uses intimidation and manipulation to get what he or she wants." http://www.foh.hhs.gov/eapnews/consortium/dealing.html CVH is the poster child for workplace bullying in this state. The Connecticut General Assembly must pass strong anti-bullying legislation in 2014. CP's Safe Work Environment Act includes a provision which would establish an advisory board that will work every year to address abusive workplace conduct. Workplace bullying is a layered issue; one bill will not eliminate this problem. Currently the laws are totally rigged in favor of the employer. Workers are powerless. Legislators, the ball is in your court. Visit Cornell's DCF Plantation blog. http://www.dcfplantation.blogspot.com/ MoveOn.org has started an online petition in support of Verizon employees who are being subjected to workplace bullying. http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/bullying-at-verizon-enough.fb76?source=s.icn.fb&r_by=5851225 My message to CVH management is do your worst. CVH employees continue to provide John and I with information about discrimination and bullying by you. You're also being watched closely. The content of your emails, coupled with the ongoing reports by our co-workers, support our belief that your "Achieving Excellence Together" campaign, which includes"Building Collegiality" training, is a smokescreen designed to defeat workplace bullying legislation. The information that we have obtained via FOIA is further proof that the concept of an employer policing itself is preposterous. We're building a coalition to support the bill. We intend to educate the public and legislators about the cowardly, reprehensible management practice of manipulating policy and procedure for the purpose of targeting employees, especially Black males. Happy hunting. http://www.dcfplantation.blogspot.com/2013/08/black-men-are-still-meeting-same-fate.html
State Representative Matt Ritter will host a workplace bullying town hall on Monday, January 27, 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Albany Branch library, 1250 Albany Avenue in Hartford. If you’re being bullied at work by co-workers and/or your employer, this is an opportunity to tell your story and be a part of a discussion about solutions. Check out the link to the Albany Branch website in our Resources section for directions. Stay tuned for info on the Safe Work Environment Act and the Trayvon Martin Act, coming in 2014. Listen to WQTQ 89.9 FM for public service announcements on CP's racial justice initiatives. You can contact us at 860-206-8879 or info.community.party@gmail.com .
Resources
My 2012 Hartford News interview with Connecticut Valley Hospital employees Rosa Badillo and Carlos Vargas about racism by CVH managers against Latinos:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/david-samuels/special-report-racism-homophobia-at-connecticut-valley-hospital/10151418650215432
Albany Branch library website:
http://www.hplct.org/locations-hours/Albany
Adam Osmond's CT Lottery Watchdog Twitter page:
https://twitter.com/CTLotteryWatch
David Samuels
Founder
Community Party
https://twitter.com/CommunityParty1
Workplace Bullying Report: Structural Racism at Connecticut Valley Hospital
This column appears in the December 19 - January 2 edition of the Hartford News. Due to the holidays, the Hartford News will not be published next week... Community Update: Hartford City Council President Shawn Wooden, who usually avoids the subject of race, actually talked about Black/Latino unemployment during the Fox CT Capitol Report program last Sunday; the topic was the one-year anniversary of the Newtown school shooting. Wooden was asked about possible solutions to gun violence in Hartford. Time will tell if this was merely lip service... I was disgusted by how Face the State host Dennis House treated Kennard Ray during Ray's appearance on the show. Instead of examining Ban the Box and why it's important, House grilled Ray about his already well documented legal history. House didn't ask Ray about then Waterbury mayor Michael Jarjura hiring convicted felon John Rowland to be the city's economic advisor in 2006, and how Ray feels about this double standard. Shameful... In an incredible display of hypocrisy, the Connecticut chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union challenged the Manchester Police Department's conclusion that they don't engage in racial profiling. The MPD released a report last week. http://www.courant.com/community/manchester/hc-manchester-racial-report-1213-20131212,0,5333497.story ACLU legal director Sandra Staub is a member of the Connecticut Racial Profiling Prohibition Project, a bastardization of the Community Party's Penn Act advisory board provision that was passed by the Connecticut General Assembly in 2012. The advisory board colluded with lawmakers to repeal CP's enforcement language this year. In my opinion, Staub isn't interested in stopping racial profiling. She's using the issue as a political football to advance her career. https://www.facebook.com/notes/stop-racial-profiling-obey-the-law/racism-report-penn-act-advisory-boardwest-end-civic-association-members-push-bac/569676799748837 We'll keep an eye on this story. The advisory board has recently met a couple of times; we'll comment on the meetings after we review the videos, which are available on the Connecticut Network website. Enter "racial profiling" in the search engine. http://www.ctn.state.ct.us/ondemand.asp CP will introduce our Trayvon Martin Act in 2014. https://www.facebook.com/notes/stop-racial-profiling-obey-the-law/support-the-trayvon-martin-act/535126163203901
This week we'll present data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request which we submit as proof that Connecticut Valley Hospital, like the Department of Children and Families, is engaging in structural racism. The data analysis was done by Adam Osmond. Adam found that CVH fires Black employees 42% more often than whites. Overall Blacks are terminated at a rate of 70%, compared to just 22% for whites. Blacks are subjected to disciplinary action at a rate of 10% more than other workers. 70% of the CVH employees who make $120,000 per year or more are white, only 3% are Black. CVH initially withheld the race of workers when they sent us the disciplinary records; we had to make a second request. Now it's easy to see why. Emails that my co-worker John Hollis and I have obtained from CVH show that CVH managers are constantly monitoring my social media activity in an attempt to manufacture some type of complaint against me, either internally or through legal action. Our co-workers at CVH report that one of the managers who is spying on me was recently suspended for falsifying documents. After reading a couple of emails I was so disturbed by the level of hyperscrutiny, I immediately informed John and the president of our union local that I wanted to file a grievance. A CVH affirmative action "investigative report" described me as having a "preoccupation with race and racism." The facility ruled that I was discriminating against a white co-worker who in my opinion received preferential treatment from CVH. This employee filed an affirmative action complaint in retaliation for me filing the same complaint against her. My complaint was denied. I'm currently going through more emails with the intention of filing additional grievances, based on whatever else I find. "Highlights" include a discussion about my 2012 column on CVH employees Rosa Badillo and Carlos Vargas, who complained about racism by their bosses. The email revealed that my column was forwarded to Rosa and Carlos' bosses and that CVH attorneys had been consulted about a possible "response" to me (whatever that means). There was zero discussion about investigating Rosa and Carlos' allegations. Another CVH manager said that "something must be done soon" about me because I filed a grievance, which is my right as a state employee. This is the same manager who called the CVH police on me in retaliation for one of my columns about workplace bullying at the facility.
Yet another CVH manager talked about wanting to put me on the "hot seat" after I filed a grievance about my 2012 service rating. I consider this language, like the aforementioned comment by the other manager, to be threatening. The Office of Labor Relations recently sustained my grievance, changing my Fair rating to Good. Finally there was an exchange where CVH managers talked about targeting me for doing an interview with a radio station on the same day that I called in sick. Apparently they believe that calling in sick is the equivalent of house arrest. The emails show that the managers continued listening to the interview even though it was obvious to anyone that I was on the phone, and was not present at the radio station. The managers knew from monitoring my social media pages that the interview was going to be about the latest developments with the state racial profiling law; the manager who said "something must be done soon" about me quoted my post promoting the interview verbatim. My question to DMHAS commissioner Pat Rehmer is why were so many managers spying on me when they should have been working? John discovered a breach of his confidential health information in an email where he was being disparaged by (you guessed it) the CVH manager who wants "something done soon" about me. The breach was pointed out by another CVH manager who was clearly annoyed at having to respond to a work email at 6:30 in the evening. Cornell Lewis filed an FOI request and obtained emails from the Department of Children and Families which showed that DCF used similar tactics against him. Cornell was fired by DCF in retaliation for speaking out about structural racism at that facility, a claim which has been supported by hiring, promotion and disciplinary records he obtained from DCF through FOI requests. If you would like to file an FOI request to get information from your employer, you can get details here. http://www.ct.gov/foi/site/default.asp Despite the results of CVH's own workplace bullying survey (which they tried to suppress) that found 80% of employees view managers as bullies who perpetuate an abusive work climate, and the disciplinary data we have obtained which they also attempted to conceal, CVH management continues to deny, deny, deny. THIS IS MADNESS. http://hendu39.wordpress.com/2013/12/17/connecticut-valley-hospital-workplace-bullying-survey-results/ CVH supervisors and managers portray John and I in emails as potentially violent, incompetent troublemakers, while workplace bullies among the rank and file who act as their agents receive preferential treatment, including swift promotions and glowing service ratings.
Workplace bullying is the equivalent of domestic violence. The Department of Health and Human Services is quite clear on this issue. "(Workplace bullying) has many of the same characteristics of domestic violence – the abuser uses intimidation and manipulation to get what he or she wants." http://www.foh.hhs.gov/eapnews/consortium/dealing.html CVH is the poster child for workplace bullying in this state. The Connecticut General Assembly must pass strong anti-bullying legislation in 2014. CP's Safe Work Environment Act includes a provision which would establish an advisory board that will work every year to address abusive workplace conduct. Workplace bullying is a layered issue; one bill will not eliminate this problem. Currently the laws are totally rigged in favor of the employer. Workers are powerless. Legislators, the ball is in your court. Visit Cornell's DCF Plantation blog. http://www.dcfplantation.blogspot.com/ MoveOn.org has started an online petition in support of Verizon employees who are being subjected to workplace bullying. http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/bullying-at-verizon-enough.fb76?source=s.icn.fb&r_by=5851225 My message to CVH management is do your worst. CVH employees continue to provide John and I with information about discrimination and bullying by you. You're also being watched closely. The content of your emails, coupled with the ongoing reports by our co-workers, support our belief that your "Achieving Excellence Together" campaign, which includes"Building Collegiality" training, is a smokescreen designed to defeat workplace bullying legislation. The information that we have obtained via FOIA is further proof that the concept of an employer policing itself is preposterous. We're building a coalition to support the bill. We intend to educate the public and legislators about the cowardly, reprehensible management practice of manipulating policy and procedure for the purpose of targeting employees, especially Black males. Happy hunting. http://www.dcfplantation.blogspot.com/2013/08/black-men-are-still-meeting-same-fate.html
State Representative Matt Ritter will host a workplace bullying town hall on Monday, January 27, 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Albany Branch library, 1250 Albany Avenue in Hartford. If you’re being bullied at work by co-workers and/or your employer, this is an opportunity to tell your story and be a part of a discussion about solutions. Check out the link to the Albany Branch website in our Resources section for directions. Stay tuned for info on the Safe Work Environment Act and the Trayvon Martin Act, coming in 2014. Listen to WQTQ 89.9 FM for public service announcements on CP's racial justice initiatives. You can contact us at 860-206-8879 or info.community.party@gmail.com .
Resources
My 2012 Hartford News interview with Connecticut Valley Hospital employees Rosa Badillo and Carlos Vargas about racism by CVH managers against Latinos:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/david-samuels/special-report-racism-homophobia-at-connecticut-valley-hospital/10151418650215432
Albany Branch library website:
http://www.hplct.org/locations-hours/Albany
Adam Osmond's CT Lottery Watchdog Twitter page:
https://twitter.com/CTLotteryWatch
Friday, December 13, 2013
CT TRUTH FORCE SEEKS ANSWERS ABOUT ATTENDANCE SHEETS
The following letter was e-mailed to state officials shortly after DCF Plantation posted a story ( 12-9-13 ) about possible irregularities in attendance sheets at Connecticut Juvenile Training School by a Unit Leader in administration.
Connecticut Juvenile Training School
To Mr. Rosenbeck:
As the CT Truth Force we would like to bring some issues
regarding Connecticut Juvenile Training School (CJTS) to your attention. As
mentioned in previous communications, we are concerned with racial inequities
at the Department of Children and Families (DCF), particularly for employees of
CJTS. We have seen evidence of a recurring practice of discrimination against
employees of color, particularly Black male employees. We have been closely
following the case of Minister Cornell Lewis who was unjustly dismissed from
his job at CJTS as a result of his activism on behalf of himself and fellow
employees.
Now, another matter has come to our attention. Through the
Freedom of Information Act, the attendance records of a Ms. Jane Markovitz were
obtained by the blog “DCF Plantation.” We believe these records bring up some
questions regarding the management of CJTS. After examining the attendance
information, we believe that Ms. Markovitz was allowed leniency in her use of
time off, leniency that has not been afforded to other employees. We would like
to know if indeed Ms. Markovitz received special allowances, and if so, why? If
you deny that she was allowed extra time off, could you please explain the
inconsistencies in the record?
With the economy of this state being as fragile as it is
right now, we believe that these records should be carefully audited with a
discerning eye for any inconsistencies. If the management of CJTS wishes to
prove that their work policies are equitable, we do need an explanation for the
seemingly liberal use of time off by Ms. Markovitz. Thank you.
Signed,
Joanna Iovino
CT Truth Force
CC: Joette Katz, DCF
Commissioner
Kevin Lembo,
Connecticut State Comptroller
Monday, December 9, 2013
ARE THESE ATTENDANCE SHEETS IN NEED OF SCRUTINY??
It has come to the attention of DCF Plantation blog that irregularities might be present in these attendance sheets of a Connecticut Juvenile Training School Unit Leader. We encourage readers to use the codes provided to compare with the attendance sheets and draw conclusions; notice the inordinate amount of sick days and Worker Compensation days taken, etc. Also days taken off after working holidays ( extra pay ).
==========================================================================
TIME REPORTING CODE LIST
Click here to access the file.
==========================================================================
TIME REPORTING CODE LIST
STANDARD WORKERS’ COMPENSATION ATTENDANCE CODES
These two lists are used by
employees at Connecticut
Juvenile Training
School for purposes of using codes & acronyms
for time sheets. All codes displayed on the time sheets being questioned are
from the above mentioned lists.
SFAM---------SICK FAMILY
ULTAR------- LAW TARDY UNPAID
FMLA--------- FAMILY MEDICAL
LEAVE ACT
VCMV--------- FMLA COMBO
MEDICAL VACATION
PCMP----------FMLA COMBO
PERSONAL LEAVE
CU-------------- COMPENSATORY
TIME USED
WSPC----------- WORKERS COMPENSATION.
DR.APPOINTMENT
½ DAY MAX
RLDY---------- REGULAR LIGHT
DUTY
WCDIR---------- WORKERS COMP.
TPA ( third party administrator)
DIRECT PAY
DIRECT PAY
SFMS------------ FMLA FEDERAL
MEDICAL SICK
** LFRL IS A CODE LISTED ON
THE TIME SHEET BUT IS NOT
SEEN ON ANY OF THE TWO DOCUMENTS ABOVE.
** ALSO CODES OTI50 &
OTIFO ARE LISTED ON TIME SHEETS
BUT NOT ON ABOVE LISTS
Click here to access the file.
Friday, December 6, 2013
LACK OF FAIRNESS ON UNIT 4D AFTER ALTERCATION
Several reliable sources working at Connecticut Juvenile Training School report that a fight broke out on Unit 4 Delta recently. Several residents tried to injure a peer but wound up putting a male YSO out of commission-due to head injuries. Work at CJTS is not easy for YSOs but it is part of what people sign up for. The real issue during this mele focuses on what happened when a YSO was hurt enough to be taken off that campus by ambulance ( sources report ). In the words of other employees " during the time the YSO was being assaulted another YSO did not respond quicky enough to prevent injury"; at CJTS if you do not respond quickly enough during any fracas management usually disciplines that slow responder i.e. write up, verbal reprimand or more. In this 4D scenario no manager at CJTS reprimanded the male YSO for being sluggish in responding to a serious situation. This is unusual and not the norm but let us look at the fact that non responder is a white male.
There is a history of people of color being discplined at CJTS for not responding to emergency situations where injury might occur. There is never any hesitation about discipline for blacks or Latinos; now the situation involves a white male and management does nothing. Is there a reason for the delay? At this juncture my only concern is for fairness from management when dealing out discipline. You cannot justify such double standards and still claim " like Caesar's wife to be above suspicion." History records Caesar's wife Calpurnia escaped scrutiny after his murder due to high moral character; CJTS has a record of of dealing negatively with employees of color. Ergo, how can this agency claim to not be biased?
Watch closely for more developments in this 4D case of a white male YSO non responder escaping punishment. Oh by the way, why is the white female YSO who called residents of color " porch monkeys" still working on her Unit in building # 5? She used racial epiteths and still is working on Unit until the investigation is complete. Meanwhile back at the ranch, employees of color have been removed from their Unit for rumors of using profanity toward residents. Again a double standard for those that are white.
There is a history of people of color being discplined at CJTS for not responding to emergency situations where injury might occur. There is never any hesitation about discipline for blacks or Latinos; now the situation involves a white male and management does nothing. Is there a reason for the delay? At this juncture my only concern is for fairness from management when dealing out discipline. You cannot justify such double standards and still claim " like Caesar's wife to be above suspicion." History records Caesar's wife Calpurnia escaped scrutiny after his murder due to high moral character; CJTS has a record of of dealing negatively with employees of color. Ergo, how can this agency claim to not be biased?
Watch closely for more developments in this 4D case of a white male YSO non responder escaping punishment. Oh by the way, why is the white female YSO who called residents of color " porch monkeys" still working on her Unit in building # 5? She used racial epiteths and still is working on Unit until the investigation is complete. Meanwhile back at the ranch, employees of color have been removed from their Unit for rumors of using profanity toward residents. Again a double standard for those that are white.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
THE COLONIZED MIND ON THE CJTS PLANTATION
The distinguished psychiatrist Frantz Fanon wrote profound words in his 1961 classic Wretched of the Earth. In this literary masterpiece, Fanon deconstructed the colonized mind.
“The gaze that the colonized subject casts at the colonist’s sector is a look of lust, a look of envy. Dreams of possession. Every type of possession; of sitting at the colonist’s table and sleeping in his bed, preferably with his wife. The colonized man is an envious man.”
The book Wretched of the Earth has always given me pause to think about colonized minds. In America black people whose ancestors were brought from Africa as slaves were stripped of a worldview to be replaced by something else. That something else is the lust or yearning after what the colonizer has i.e. language, customs, material items, or worldview. With this being said, it is easy to understand why some Youth Service Officers at Connecticut Juvenile Training School do not resist the oppression they suffer. Let me be clear.
The colonizer has provided YSOs at CJTS with a living caring for incarcerated residents ( mostly residents of color ). Thus employees on the lower economic scale at CJTS can dimly see hopes of living like upper management. Yet this "lusting" as Fanon called it inhibits people from pointing out oppression; to voice concern about injustice might cause retaliation by management, ending a lifestyle of some comfort. If YSOs took a correct view of what goes on in their environment they cannot not deny being in the grip of a colonized mindset. To embrace a colonized worldview makes you a prisoner of the oppressor ; you will accept trinkets and items from hands determined to keep a foot on the neck of employees.
In order to transcend a colonized mind people must embrace goals or ideals higher than what they see oppressors holding. However in order to aspire to higher ideals people must seek to be free of shackles on the mind. After all Richard Lovelace said "stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage." When and if YSOs wake up to reality they will discard the colonized mind Fanon writes about.
“The gaze that the colonized subject casts at the colonist’s sector is a look of lust, a look of envy. Dreams of possession. Every type of possession; of sitting at the colonist’s table and sleeping in his bed, preferably with his wife. The colonized man is an envious man.”
The book Wretched of the Earth has always given me pause to think about colonized minds. In America black people whose ancestors were brought from Africa as slaves were stripped of a worldview to be replaced by something else. That something else is the lust or yearning after what the colonizer has i.e. language, customs, material items, or worldview. With this being said, it is easy to understand why some Youth Service Officers at Connecticut Juvenile Training School do not resist the oppression they suffer. Let me be clear.
The colonizer has provided YSOs at CJTS with a living caring for incarcerated residents ( mostly residents of color ). Thus employees on the lower economic scale at CJTS can dimly see hopes of living like upper management. Yet this "lusting" as Fanon called it inhibits people from pointing out oppression; to voice concern about injustice might cause retaliation by management, ending a lifestyle of some comfort. If YSOs took a correct view of what goes on in their environment they cannot not deny being in the grip of a colonized mindset. To embrace a colonized worldview makes you a prisoner of the oppressor ; you will accept trinkets and items from hands determined to keep a foot on the neck of employees.
In order to transcend a colonized mind people must embrace goals or ideals higher than what they see oppressors holding. However in order to aspire to higher ideals people must seek to be free of shackles on the mind. After all Richard Lovelace said "stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage." When and if YSOs wake up to reality they will discard the colonized mind Fanon writes about.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
A THRILLA WITH DIPILLA: CRACKS IN THE CJTS PLANTATION WALL
The DCFplantation blog received information that Youth Services Officers at Connecticut Juvenile Training School are upset with management. Let me be clear. YSOs apparently have an axe to grind with Assistant Superintendent John Dipilla; they have stated this publicly at CJTS and in the community. This is interesting because YSOs open anger toward Dipilla marks the first time that rank & file employees have shown such bravery. I have not asked for specific details of what stoked the anger of YSOs, clearly something happened. And this latest development did not happen in a vacuum because activists prepared the soil through praxis ( protests, hunger strikes, petitions etc ). Now clouds of dissension appear on the plantation horizon. By the way the YSOs leading the charge are black, white, Latino, male & female. People are not ready yet to let their faces be seen--and this is okay.
At this juncture certain YSOs are seeking e-mails and text messages of Dipilla through the Freedom of Information Act hoping to reveal problems at CJTS. We have seen and heard over the years there are problems at CJTS with bias / racism and most recently a white staff calling residents of color porch monkeys.
Wonder what these brave YSOs know about Dipilla?
Stay tuned.
At this juncture certain YSOs are seeking e-mails and text messages of Dipilla through the Freedom of Information Act hoping to reveal problems at CJTS. We have seen and heard over the years there are problems at CJTS with bias / racism and most recently a white staff calling residents of color porch monkeys.
Wonder what these brave YSOs know about Dipilla?
Stay tuned.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
LETTER FROM CT TRUTH FORCE
When I first came to Hartford, I decided that it was time for me to go from talking about injustice with friends and family (letting those conversations wither away and die eventually) to taking action. And one of the first people who came to my attention was Minister Cornell Lewis. I sent him a message, asking if I could set up a meeting with him, and after a series of questions designed to prove my mettle, he agreed to my request. We ended up meeting in a Dunkin Donuts with some other members of an activist group, people who had worked with Minister Lewis before. We talked about the racism experienced by employees of color at CJTS (particularly Black male employees) and composed a letter to DCF as the CT Truth Force.
We sent ample warning to DCF and CJTS management that if our concerns were not addressed, there would be a series of actions taken against the agency. We hand delivered our message to DCF commissioner Joette Katz’ office. We stood out in front of CJTS on a cold day with bullhorns and signs to show our concern. DCF and CJTS refused to address our complaints, just as they have repeatedly refused to address the complaints of racism that emanate frequently from CJTS employees.
We had an eloquent argument…. We asked how CJTS employees of color could act as positive role models for the children they were charged with caring for if they were being oppressed by management. We cited statistics that proved that disciplinary procedures in place were disproportionately harsh on men of color. We had support from the community, from former and current CJTS employees, and we even were able to have a hearing held at the Legislative Office Building. But, alas, it was all to no avail.
Rather than addressing the concerns of Minister Lewis and other CJTS employees, the management decided to fire the man. They took advantage of an opportunity to exploit an incident at CJTS to put the man out of work. But, Minister Lewis is not a quitter. He is still committed to fighting for justice for CJTS employees.
The CT Truth Force decided to compose a petition to William Rosenbeck, CJTS Superintendent, Joette Katz, DCF Commissioner and Dannel Malloy, CT Governor. We gathered the signatures of concerned community members, and sent the petition to the offices of all three of those designees. What has the response been??
Silence.
Once again, DCF has proved that it does not hear nor does it feel obligated to address their employees concerns. Pretty typical, but we will not be dissuaded.
We sent ample warning to DCF and CJTS management that if our concerns were not addressed, there would be a series of actions taken against the agency. We hand delivered our message to DCF commissioner Joette Katz’ office. We stood out in front of CJTS on a cold day with bullhorns and signs to show our concern. DCF and CJTS refused to address our complaints, just as they have repeatedly refused to address the complaints of racism that emanate frequently from CJTS employees.
We had an eloquent argument…. We asked how CJTS employees of color could act as positive role models for the children they were charged with caring for if they were being oppressed by management. We cited statistics that proved that disciplinary procedures in place were disproportionately harsh on men of color. We had support from the community, from former and current CJTS employees, and we even were able to have a hearing held at the Legislative Office Building. But, alas, it was all to no avail.
Rather than addressing the concerns of Minister Lewis and other CJTS employees, the management decided to fire the man. They took advantage of an opportunity to exploit an incident at CJTS to put the man out of work. But, Minister Lewis is not a quitter. He is still committed to fighting for justice for CJTS employees.
The CT Truth Force decided to compose a petition to William Rosenbeck, CJTS Superintendent, Joette Katz, DCF Commissioner and Dannel Malloy, CT Governor. We gathered the signatures of concerned community members, and sent the petition to the offices of all three of those designees. What has the response been??
Silence.
Once again, DCF has proved that it does not hear nor does it feel obligated to address their employees concerns. Pretty typical, but we will not be dissuaded.
ARE THERE REASONS FOR THANKSGIVING ON THE PLANTATION ?
While watching sports television a few days ago I noticed a commentator expressing blessing for Thanksgiving. He waxed eloquent about how everyone has something to be thankful for. Then my thoughts wandered to Connecticut Juvenile Training School employees. What do they have to be glad about during this time of Thanksgiving Day? One definition of the "First Thanksgiving" is shown below and it is noticeable 90 Native Americans were at the table [ hell, Native Americans helped Pilgrims survive ].
The event that Americans commonly call the "First Thanksgiving" was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in 1621. This feast lasted three days, and it was attended by 90 Native Americans (as accounted by attendee Edward Winslow) and 53 Pilgrims. The New England colonists were accustomed to regularly celebrating "thanksgivings"—days of prayer thanking God for blessings such as military victory or the end of a drought.
On the CJTS plantation for several years employees of color have made complaints ( documented ) about racial bias, management using policy & procedure against employees as weapons, favoritism toward certain employees etc. For the most part a white management has turned tone death to entreaties, pleas, prayers or activism by employees. A class action lawsuit against CJTS by employees of color is still pending. Most recently CJTS was forced to deal with a white employee who repeatedly demonstrated negativity toward YSOs of color. Hey, let us not forget the white employee that called male residents of color at CJTS " porch monkeys."
In light of all these things going on within CJTS where are the blessings? Maybe employees can point to the old tired mantra " I have a job and food on the table." But what about all the injustices continually seeping out of the plantation into the public domain? The porch monkey comment was subject of a WFSB channel 3 broadcast on October 30th... 11:00pm ( WFSB led off with exculsive of comment as main story ). If workers are segregated along class lines at CJTS, racial epitheths hurled at residents, management using policies against employees as a form of workplace bullying- are there reasons for Thanksgiving on the plantation? Pilgrims gave thanks for their first harvest in 1612, at the table were Native Americans. At CJTS plantation the management gives thanks for expanding a facility to take in more youth. White management gives thanks for holding on to a power base -using youth of color as commodities for federal & state monies- and not sharing it with people of color. At CJTS you can bet no people of color will sit down at the table where true power is shared. When white management holds up hands to heaven to give thanks it is meant to be exclusive not inclusive.
In conclusion, the question must be asked of readers.
ARE THERE REASONS FOR THANKSGIVING ON THE PLANTATION?
The event that Americans commonly call the "First Thanksgiving" was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in 1621. This feast lasted three days, and it was attended by 90 Native Americans (as accounted by attendee Edward Winslow) and 53 Pilgrims. The New England colonists were accustomed to regularly celebrating "thanksgivings"—days of prayer thanking God for blessings such as military victory or the end of a drought.
On the CJTS plantation for several years employees of color have made complaints ( documented ) about racial bias, management using policy & procedure against employees as weapons, favoritism toward certain employees etc. For the most part a white management has turned tone death to entreaties, pleas, prayers or activism by employees. A class action lawsuit against CJTS by employees of color is still pending. Most recently CJTS was forced to deal with a white employee who repeatedly demonstrated negativity toward YSOs of color. Hey, let us not forget the white employee that called male residents of color at CJTS " porch monkeys."
In light of all these things going on within CJTS where are the blessings? Maybe employees can point to the old tired mantra " I have a job and food on the table." But what about all the injustices continually seeping out of the plantation into the public domain? The porch monkey comment was subject of a WFSB channel 3 broadcast on October 30th... 11:00pm ( WFSB led off with exculsive of comment as main story ). If workers are segregated along class lines at CJTS, racial epitheths hurled at residents, management using policies against employees as a form of workplace bullying- are there reasons for Thanksgiving on the plantation? Pilgrims gave thanks for their first harvest in 1612, at the table were Native Americans. At CJTS plantation the management gives thanks for expanding a facility to take in more youth. White management gives thanks for holding on to a power base -using youth of color as commodities for federal & state monies- and not sharing it with people of color. At CJTS you can bet no people of color will sit down at the table where true power is shared. When white management holds up hands to heaven to give thanks it is meant to be exclusive not inclusive.
In conclusion, the question must be asked of readers.
ARE THERE REASONS FOR THANKSGIVING ON THE PLANTATION?
STEVE PERRY IS RIGHT
This column appears in the Nov. 27 - Dec. 5 edition of the Hartford News. Please forward widely!
David Samuels
Founder
Community Party
http://www.facebook.com/CommunityPartyAction
Steve Perry is Right
The headline is not a misprint. Capital Preparatory Magnet School Principal Steve Perry is absolutely right when he says that he should not be the sole focus of public education advocates. Perry was at the center of controversy last week following the Hartford Board of Education's decision to reject Perry's proposal to create his own charter school management company and take over SAND Elementary School. The day after the board's decision Perry posted a message on Twitter. Perry said, “The only way to lose a fight is to stop fighting. All this did was piss me off. It’s so on. Strap up, there will be head injuries.” I was among those who called for Perry's suspension. After reading Perry's defiant tweets last Friday, I came to the conclusion that he was correct when he said that his opponents should not fixate on him. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
I submit that what public education advocates should do is use the events of last week to amplify their general message about the racist, profit-driven charter school industry that Perry represents. There should be more discussion about how Wall Street uses Blacks like Perry as cover while they exploit low income communities of color, and how Wall Street is using Blacks like Perry as a weapon in their war against public employees. Perry is a pawn (albeit a well paid one) in the Wall Street campaign to privatize city and state services and drive down wages and benefits. Activist Josh Blanchfield's response to my tweets about backing off of Perry was spot on. Blanchfield said, "Perry is a geek show in the corporate carnival of education reform. A freakish distraction. Stay or go, the systemic problems remain."
Public education advocates do an excellent job of making their case against charter schools. Perry has been playing the martyr on his Twitter page, using the outrage over his tweet to enhance his image as the Black man who is persecuted by whites because he is articulate. Perry has painted whites who oppose charter schools as racist. That's an interesting claim from someone who is staunchly anti-union and is working diligently to privatize education, considering the fact that unionized public sector jobs such as teaching comprise the largest source of employment for people of color.
The website politic365.com reported on the importance of public sector jobs to Blacks and Latinos during their coverage of the federal government shutdown.
"Government jobs remain a major source of employment for African Americans and a much smaller but still significant front of work for Latinos... Steven Pitts, an economist and labor policy specialist at the University of California Berkeley, has said repeatedly that government employment — be it at the local, county, state or federal level – together constitute the largest single employer of black men and women living in the United States. Between 2008 and
2010, nearly a quarter of all working African Americans were public sector employees. White workers are employed by a wider variety of industries.
The steady spate of government job cuts since the end of the Great Recession has also contributed mightily to the nation’s still critically elevated black and Latino unemployment rates."
The charter school industry has been rocked by a scandal involving Beverly Hall, a champion of school privatization. Black Agenda Report commentator Glen Ford reported on the indictment of Hall on charges of racketeering, theft, influencing witnesses, conspiracy and making false statements.
"Hall was a high-rolling player in the nationwide criminal enterprise to destroy public education and replace it with a privately managed, but publicly financed, system. She wound up being hoisted on her own petard, her career wrecked by the same high stakes testing regime that she supported to the hilt, and on whose altar she had sacrificed – fired – 90 school principals and countless rank and file teachers. Hall was caught in the minefield of No Child Left Behind and President Obama’s Race to the Top, trapped in a web of deceit.
"A key purpose of high stakes testing is to 'prove' that conventional public schools are inferior to the charter model, and that incompetent or uncaring teachers and their unions are the heart of the problem. The testing regimen is designed to fail large numbers of schools, so that they can be replaced with charter operations. Beverly Hall carried out a reign of terror in her overwhelmingly Black Atlanta district. Every public school teacher understood the rules: if your students get a low score, you are out the door. In return for torturing her teachers, superintendent Hall was awarded accolades and goo-gobs of bonus money and lucrative speaking engagements. She was a kingpin of the privatization gang, not too many notches below Michelle Rhee.
"But Beverly Hall was trapped in a contradiction. In order to fulfill her commitment to the corporate charter school mob, she had to use her powers as superintendent to disrupt the educational process and make teaching a living hell. However, if she was to further her personal reputation as a school administrator, Hall needed the students in her district to register ever higher scores on the tests. She had to prove, by the numbers, that Race to the Top worked – when clearly it does not – or wind up in the same trash heap into which she was so eagerly throwing her teachers. Since the students could not facilitate her crime by actually achieving the impossible scores, Beverly Hall had to rely on the lowly, terrified teachers to work her scam. Thus, she became the Superintendent of Cheating, and is now free on $200,000 bail."
The Walton family, who own the Wal-Mart chain, have invested huge sums of money in charter schools. The Waltons are notoriously anti-union; they closed a Wal-Mart store in Canada when workers there tried to unionize. Wal-Mart employees in this country who have organized reported vicious retaliation from Wal-Mart management, including termination. Actor Aston Kutcher recently called out Wal-Mart for their low wages, which has resulted in workers being forced to rely on cash assistance. This issue was underscored when a Wal-Mart store in Canton, Ohio started a food drive to benefit employees who can't afford food as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches. The Huffington Post reported on a study by members of Congress.
"Walmart wages are so low that many of its workers rely on food stamps and other government aid programs to fulfill their basic needs, a reality that could cost taxpayers as much as $900,000 at just one Walmart Supercenter in Wisconsin, according to a study released by Congressional Democrats.
Though the study assumes that most workers who qualify for the public assistance programs do take advantage of them, it injects a potent data point into a national debate about the minimum wage at a time when many Walmart and fast food workers are mounting strikes in pursuit of higher wages."
Wal-Mart workers nationwide are once again organizing Black Friday strikes to protest the company's poverty wages. It's pretty easy to connect the dots, as the Walton family is making big bucks while they impose their business model on this country's education system.
Public schools have serious problems, including segregation and discriminatory disciplinary rates. However the charter school industry is not the cure. If charter school advocates and investors truly were acting in the interests of Black and Latino children, they would be working on the local, state and federal level to eradicate poverty. Poverty is a huge factor in the performance of public school students in communities of color. You will rarely even see the word poverty on Perry's Twitter page. The child poverty rate in Hartford is 53%. Blacks and Latinos earn approximately 60 cents for every dollar whites make and possess about 10 cents of net wealth for every dollar whites have. A community resident who posted a response to a Washington Post editorial on Perry's tweet made an insightful observation on how charter school supporters, Democrats and Republicans have avoided talking about poverty and racial economic disparity.
"Just one more example of why, when it comes to the school reform movement, it is necessary to abide by that old truism: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
I just came back from a meeting in DC where I heard House and Senate committee staffers, both Democrat and Republican, blather about school reform. Of course, none of them had any actual experience in education. So depressing. No one actually wants to try to understand the effects of poverty on children, their brain development, and the really long and hard work required to overcome them (or why schools cannot single handedly solve the social pathologies arising from extreme income disparity). Instead, both Ds and Rs spout their magic one-size-fits-all solutions: vouchers, charters, privatization, or whatever. They just want to declare victory and move on -- until the problem comes back around again."
I have presented facts which show that school privatizers will only exacerbate racial and class inequity in this country. Steve Perry is a megalomaniacal, profiteering workplace bully, and he should be held accountable for his behavior. However public school advocates should not allow themselves to become so consumed by their justifiable anger toward this man that they lose sight of the big picture. The community must be educated about Perry's puppet masters, who are using racialized politics and parents' understandable desire to see their children prosper as a means of undermining democracy, rolling back the gains of workers and turning education into just another profitable commodity for a corporate state.
Stay tuned for info on CP's Safe Work Environment Act and Rep. Matt Ritter's workplace bullying town hall, coming in 2014. Check out CP's A Public Bank for Connecticut page. http://www.facebook.com/PublicBankCT Follow CP on Twitter for state, national and global headlines. https://twitter.com/CommunityParty1 Contact us at 860-206-8879 or samuelssloflo@aol.com.
Resources:
Archive of Black Agenda Report commentary on charter schools:
http://blackagendareport.com/search/node/charter%20schools
Huffington Post report on Wal-Mart workers being forced to rely on cash assistance:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/31/walmart-taxpayers-house-report_n_3365814.html
Salon report on the planned Black Friday strikes by Wal-Mart workers:
http://www.salon.com/2013/11/21/wal_mart_labor_group_promises_1500_black_friday_protests_next_week/
Black Youth Project report on the impact of poverty on children attending Philadelphia public schools:
http://www.blackyouthproject.com/2013/11/povertys-affects-on-children-attending-philadelphia-public-schools/
Characteristics of fascism which are a result of corporatism:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article7260.htm
David Samuels
Founder
Community Party
http://www.facebook.com/CommunityPartyAction
Steve Perry is Right
The headline is not a misprint. Capital Preparatory Magnet School Principal Steve Perry is absolutely right when he says that he should not be the sole focus of public education advocates. Perry was at the center of controversy last week following the Hartford Board of Education's decision to reject Perry's proposal to create his own charter school management company and take over SAND Elementary School. The day after the board's decision Perry posted a message on Twitter. Perry said, “The only way to lose a fight is to stop fighting. All this did was piss me off. It’s so on. Strap up, there will be head injuries.” I was among those who called for Perry's suspension. After reading Perry's defiant tweets last Friday, I came to the conclusion that he was correct when he said that his opponents should not fixate on him. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
I submit that what public education advocates should do is use the events of last week to amplify their general message about the racist, profit-driven charter school industry that Perry represents. There should be more discussion about how Wall Street uses Blacks like Perry as cover while they exploit low income communities of color, and how Wall Street is using Blacks like Perry as a weapon in their war against public employees. Perry is a pawn (albeit a well paid one) in the Wall Street campaign to privatize city and state services and drive down wages and benefits. Activist Josh Blanchfield's response to my tweets about backing off of Perry was spot on. Blanchfield said, "Perry is a geek show in the corporate carnival of education reform. A freakish distraction. Stay or go, the systemic problems remain."
Public education advocates do an excellent job of making their case against charter schools. Perry has been playing the martyr on his Twitter page, using the outrage over his tweet to enhance his image as the Black man who is persecuted by whites because he is articulate. Perry has painted whites who oppose charter schools as racist. That's an interesting claim from someone who is staunchly anti-union and is working diligently to privatize education, considering the fact that unionized public sector jobs such as teaching comprise the largest source of employment for people of color.
The website politic365.com reported on the importance of public sector jobs to Blacks and Latinos during their coverage of the federal government shutdown.
"Government jobs remain a major source of employment for African Americans and a much smaller but still significant front of work for Latinos... Steven Pitts, an economist and labor policy specialist at the University of California Berkeley, has said repeatedly that government employment — be it at the local, county, state or federal level – together constitute the largest single employer of black men and women living in the United States. Between 2008 and
2010, nearly a quarter of all working African Americans were public sector employees. White workers are employed by a wider variety of industries.
The steady spate of government job cuts since the end of the Great Recession has also contributed mightily to the nation’s still critically elevated black and Latino unemployment rates."
The charter school industry has been rocked by a scandal involving Beverly Hall, a champion of school privatization. Black Agenda Report commentator Glen Ford reported on the indictment of Hall on charges of racketeering, theft, influencing witnesses, conspiracy and making false statements.
"Hall was a high-rolling player in the nationwide criminal enterprise to destroy public education and replace it with a privately managed, but publicly financed, system. She wound up being hoisted on her own petard, her career wrecked by the same high stakes testing regime that she supported to the hilt, and on whose altar she had sacrificed – fired – 90 school principals and countless rank and file teachers. Hall was caught in the minefield of No Child Left Behind and President Obama’s Race to the Top, trapped in a web of deceit.
"A key purpose of high stakes testing is to 'prove' that conventional public schools are inferior to the charter model, and that incompetent or uncaring teachers and their unions are the heart of the problem. The testing regimen is designed to fail large numbers of schools, so that they can be replaced with charter operations. Beverly Hall carried out a reign of terror in her overwhelmingly Black Atlanta district. Every public school teacher understood the rules: if your students get a low score, you are out the door. In return for torturing her teachers, superintendent Hall was awarded accolades and goo-gobs of bonus money and lucrative speaking engagements. She was a kingpin of the privatization gang, not too many notches below Michelle Rhee.
"But Beverly Hall was trapped in a contradiction. In order to fulfill her commitment to the corporate charter school mob, she had to use her powers as superintendent to disrupt the educational process and make teaching a living hell. However, if she was to further her personal reputation as a school administrator, Hall needed the students in her district to register ever higher scores on the tests. She had to prove, by the numbers, that Race to the Top worked – when clearly it does not – or wind up in the same trash heap into which she was so eagerly throwing her teachers. Since the students could not facilitate her crime by actually achieving the impossible scores, Beverly Hall had to rely on the lowly, terrified teachers to work her scam. Thus, she became the Superintendent of Cheating, and is now free on $200,000 bail."
The Walton family, who own the Wal-Mart chain, have invested huge sums of money in charter schools. The Waltons are notoriously anti-union; they closed a Wal-Mart store in Canada when workers there tried to unionize. Wal-Mart employees in this country who have organized reported vicious retaliation from Wal-Mart management, including termination. Actor Aston Kutcher recently called out Wal-Mart for their low wages, which has resulted in workers being forced to rely on cash assistance. This issue was underscored when a Wal-Mart store in Canton, Ohio started a food drive to benefit employees who can't afford food as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches. The Huffington Post reported on a study by members of Congress.
"Walmart wages are so low that many of its workers rely on food stamps and other government aid programs to fulfill their basic needs, a reality that could cost taxpayers as much as $900,000 at just one Walmart Supercenter in Wisconsin, according to a study released by Congressional Democrats.
Though the study assumes that most workers who qualify for the public assistance programs do take advantage of them, it injects a potent data point into a national debate about the minimum wage at a time when many Walmart and fast food workers are mounting strikes in pursuit of higher wages."
Wal-Mart workers nationwide are once again organizing Black Friday strikes to protest the company's poverty wages. It's pretty easy to connect the dots, as the Walton family is making big bucks while they impose their business model on this country's education system.
Public schools have serious problems, including segregation and discriminatory disciplinary rates. However the charter school industry is not the cure. If charter school advocates and investors truly were acting in the interests of Black and Latino children, they would be working on the local, state and federal level to eradicate poverty. Poverty is a huge factor in the performance of public school students in communities of color. You will rarely even see the word poverty on Perry's Twitter page. The child poverty rate in Hartford is 53%. Blacks and Latinos earn approximately 60 cents for every dollar whites make and possess about 10 cents of net wealth for every dollar whites have. A community resident who posted a response to a Washington Post editorial on Perry's tweet made an insightful observation on how charter school supporters, Democrats and Republicans have avoided talking about poverty and racial economic disparity.
"Just one more example of why, when it comes to the school reform movement, it is necessary to abide by that old truism: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
I just came back from a meeting in DC where I heard House and Senate committee staffers, both Democrat and Republican, blather about school reform. Of course, none of them had any actual experience in education. So depressing. No one actually wants to try to understand the effects of poverty on children, their brain development, and the really long and hard work required to overcome them (or why schools cannot single handedly solve the social pathologies arising from extreme income disparity). Instead, both Ds and Rs spout their magic one-size-fits-all solutions: vouchers, charters, privatization, or whatever. They just want to declare victory and move on -- until the problem comes back around again."
I have presented facts which show that school privatizers will only exacerbate racial and class inequity in this country. Steve Perry is a megalomaniacal, profiteering workplace bully, and he should be held accountable for his behavior. However public school advocates should not allow themselves to become so consumed by their justifiable anger toward this man that they lose sight of the big picture. The community must be educated about Perry's puppet masters, who are using racialized politics and parents' understandable desire to see their children prosper as a means of undermining democracy, rolling back the gains of workers and turning education into just another profitable commodity for a corporate state.
Stay tuned for info on CP's Safe Work Environment Act and Rep. Matt Ritter's workplace bullying town hall, coming in 2014. Check out CP's A Public Bank for Connecticut page. http://www.facebook.com/PublicBankCT Follow CP on Twitter for state, national and global headlines. https://twitter.com/CommunityParty1 Contact us at 860-206-8879 or samuelssloflo@aol.com.
Resources:
Archive of Black Agenda Report commentary on charter schools:
http://blackagendareport.com/search/node/charter%20schools
Huffington Post report on Wal-Mart workers being forced to rely on cash assistance:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/31/walmart-taxpayers-house-report_n_3365814.html
Salon report on the planned Black Friday strikes by Wal-Mart workers:
http://www.salon.com/2013/11/21/wal_mart_labor_group_promises_1500_black_friday_protests_next_week/
Black Youth Project report on the impact of poverty on children attending Philadelphia public schools:
http://www.blackyouthproject.com/2013/11/povertys-affects-on-children-attending-philadelphia-public-schools/
Characteristics of fascism which are a result of corporatism:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article7260.htm
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
THE DEATH OF EARL LITTLE AND IMPLICATIONS FOR BLACK MALES ON CJTS PLANTATION
In the Autobiography of Malcolm X there is a passage recalling the death of Earl Little [ Malcolm X father ]. When Earl arrived in Lansing, Michigan the white hate group Ku Klux Klan began watching him. Whites said " Earl is disturbing our good christian negroes" with talk of Marcus Garvey & going back to Africa. Earl was not obsequious, did not bow down to white supremacist, and therefore had to be killed. It is the influence Earl could have exerted on blacks which caused his death. Earl was found with the back of his skull caved in, body on the railroad tracks, run over by a train. When the incident is viewed correctly there are similarities in what happened to a black male ( minus physical harm like Earl ) at Connecticut Juvenile Training School from 2007-2013.
Cornell Lewis employment at CJTS caused anguish among white management. Lewis believed in activism and stories about him from Greater Hartford region were constantly in the media. Like Earl Little perhaps such an activist [ Lewis ] might stir discord among placated Youth Service Officers at CJTS-who knew their place.Yet exactly what is the connection between Lewis & Malcom X's father? Well first of all both are vocal black men which automatically places them in cross hairs of white power brokers. Also neither man held back telling the truth [ Earl about KKK & black responsibility to Negroes in America, Lewis spoke about white bias etc at CJTS ]. Let me break this down like a organic compound; in American society black men historically are viewed with suspicion or distrust. Tangible reasons for such racial animus often cannot not be found, measured or weighed- thus not giving white fears credibility. Only in the thinking of CJTS management is Lewis a threat, but that is enough. One day CJTS management put together a string of circumstances against Lewis that made a mockery out of the term justice. Lewis first was placed on paid administrative leave by CJTS and later terminated. [ for just cause of course ].
Remember the story line about Earl Little, he suffered [ killed ] due to his convictions and willingness to proclaim the truth. Lewis suffered due to his convictions and proclaimimng a truth that CJTS is biased against employees of color [ backed up by Freedom of Information documents ] which angered white CJTS management. In contemporary times white power brokers are not so crude as to bash in heads or place black men on railroad tracks. This is a different crowd of white power brokers, sly as foxes and calculating as snakes trying to get chicken eggs from the nest. Lewis had his job taken, reputation sullied and banished from CJTS property. Now is this not similar to what Earl encountered? Earl embraced the Grim Reaper in reality. Lewis embraced the 2013 version of death--having employment taken. Both methods are skills whites have honed into weapons to use against black males in America.
While this story is being prepared more employees of color at CJTS are being singled out for punishment.
Cornell Lewis employment at CJTS caused anguish among white management. Lewis believed in activism and stories about him from Greater Hartford region were constantly in the media. Like Earl Little perhaps such an activist [ Lewis ] might stir discord among placated Youth Service Officers at CJTS-who knew their place.Yet exactly what is the connection between Lewis & Malcom X's father? Well first of all both are vocal black men which automatically places them in cross hairs of white power brokers. Also neither man held back telling the truth [ Earl about KKK & black responsibility to Negroes in America, Lewis spoke about white bias etc at CJTS ]. Let me break this down like a organic compound; in American society black men historically are viewed with suspicion or distrust. Tangible reasons for such racial animus often cannot not be found, measured or weighed- thus not giving white fears credibility. Only in the thinking of CJTS management is Lewis a threat, but that is enough. One day CJTS management put together a string of circumstances against Lewis that made a mockery out of the term justice. Lewis first was placed on paid administrative leave by CJTS and later terminated. [ for just cause of course ].
Remember the story line about Earl Little, he suffered [ killed ] due to his convictions and willingness to proclaim the truth. Lewis suffered due to his convictions and proclaimimng a truth that CJTS is biased against employees of color [ backed up by Freedom of Information documents ] which angered white CJTS management. In contemporary times white power brokers are not so crude as to bash in heads or place black men on railroad tracks. This is a different crowd of white power brokers, sly as foxes and calculating as snakes trying to get chicken eggs from the nest. Lewis had his job taken, reputation sullied and banished from CJTS property. Now is this not similar to what Earl encountered? Earl embraced the Grim Reaper in reality. Lewis embraced the 2013 version of death--having employment taken. Both methods are skills whites have honed into weapons to use against black males in America.
While this story is being prepared more employees of color at CJTS are being singled out for punishment.
Friday, November 22, 2013
AN OBJECT LESSON AT CJTS WITH CONNECTIONS TO SLAVERY
During the period of American slavery barbaric methods were used to keep Negroes in a humble position. It has been noted historically that cropping off ears, lynching and giving slaves new names served a nefarious purpose in the plan of enslavement. However the tactic of a public slave beating on the plantation certainly made an impact. The method of a slave beating not only depicted the plantation owner as superior but cowed blacks into a state of fear. If a person can brutalize one human being in front of others, a clear message is transmitted. And this concept of a public beating of a black person at Connecticut Juvenile Training School is a subject to now address.
For several years activist Cornell Lewis ( a black male ) worked at CJTS as Youth Services Officer. It has been widely reported by media sources Lewis was critical of CJTS / Department of Children & Families. In slavery times Lewis would be called a 'bad Negro' i.e. someone causing discord among contented slaves. In the year 2013 CJTS administrators did not call Lewis a 'bad negro' they used euphemistic terms in depicting a vocal black man. These attempts at character assassination only served a small part in the scheme to publicly beat Lewis. As time moved on, at the CJTS plantation, management grew tired of the activism Lewis promoted in the community- a new plan was hatched by nefarious minds. A humiliating type of public slave beating needed to be implemented: with Lewis being hung out to dry-so to speak- other employees could be forced into a sort of quiet acceptance of CJTS culture. Ergo, when the opportunity presented itself CJTS / DCF used policy & procedure to publicly beat a black male i.e. Lewis.
Lewis was placed on administrative leave with pay then terminated July 17, 2013. There are reasons given for the charade leading to the termination but in the final analysis a public slave beating is what this amounted to. And now while Lewis fights the termination with a lawyer, CJTS white management gloats over their victory. What happened to Lewis in 2013 is a reminder of what took place in the past ; an object lesson at CJTS with connections to slavery.
For several years activist Cornell Lewis ( a black male ) worked at CJTS as Youth Services Officer. It has been widely reported by media sources Lewis was critical of CJTS / Department of Children & Families. In slavery times Lewis would be called a 'bad Negro' i.e. someone causing discord among contented slaves. In the year 2013 CJTS administrators did not call Lewis a 'bad negro' they used euphemistic terms in depicting a vocal black man. These attempts at character assassination only served a small part in the scheme to publicly beat Lewis. As time moved on, at the CJTS plantation, management grew tired of the activism Lewis promoted in the community- a new plan was hatched by nefarious minds. A humiliating type of public slave beating needed to be implemented: with Lewis being hung out to dry-so to speak- other employees could be forced into a sort of quiet acceptance of CJTS culture. Ergo, when the opportunity presented itself CJTS / DCF used policy & procedure to publicly beat a black male i.e. Lewis.
Lewis was placed on administrative leave with pay then terminated July 17, 2013. There are reasons given for the charade leading to the termination but in the final analysis a public slave beating is what this amounted to. And now while Lewis fights the termination with a lawyer, CJTS white management gloats over their victory. What happened to Lewis in 2013 is a reminder of what took place in the past ; an object lesson at CJTS with connections to slavery.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
ATTENDANCE RECORDS OF UNIT LEADER LEAD TO CLASS ISSUES
The DCF plantation blog recently reviewed five year attendance records of a Unit Leader in building # 4. These records gained through Freedom of Information reveal certain patterns i.e. (a.) when inclement weather arrives on the New England scene the Unit Leader is frequently absent from work ( rain and especially snow storms), (b.) There are several notations on the Unit Leader's attendance sheet of time missed from work due to on the job injury ( Worker's Compnsation). Well Connecticut Juvenile Training School does house troubled teenage male youth. Ergo, a person might make the case that this Unit Leader took off for legitimate reasons.
Unit Leaders are somewhat of a management type ( lower level ) and therefore create class distinctions between Youth Service Officers. CJTS traditionally plays fast & loose when showing favortism between ULs & YSOs. The question must be asked of CJTS management : did they allow a Unit Leader in building # 4 to receive special treatment to stay home during rain & snow storms? If this rumor is true then something is truly wrong within CJTS system; now the real crime might also really be this, the Unit Leader never possessed enough personal days, sick or vacation time to use during these instances taken off work. How then ( if this is true ) could management justify allowing such excesses to occur? The answer can be found in th structure of class distinctions at CJTS. For years CJTS leaders decreed how those in upper, middle, or lower management would get preferential treatment. However, if YSOs seek a day off for whatever reason, and have personal, sick, or vacation time to use--management might might it hard for that person to take leave from work.
In the future the Unit Leader's attendance sheet will be posted for all to see. There will be explanation of the codes on these attendance sheets for thinking people to peruse ( in several instances the UL called out sick etc after working a holiday thus getting double pay ). Since management is quick to investigate YSOs, about all matters, what about equal treatment for that building # 4 Unit Leader taking advantage of the system " with just a little help from friends."
Unit Leaders are somewhat of a management type ( lower level ) and therefore create class distinctions between Youth Service Officers. CJTS traditionally plays fast & loose when showing favortism between ULs & YSOs. The question must be asked of CJTS management : did they allow a Unit Leader in building # 4 to receive special treatment to stay home during rain & snow storms? If this rumor is true then something is truly wrong within CJTS system; now the real crime might also really be this, the Unit Leader never possessed enough personal days, sick or vacation time to use during these instances taken off work. How then ( if this is true ) could management justify allowing such excesses to occur? The answer can be found in th structure of class distinctions at CJTS. For years CJTS leaders decreed how those in upper, middle, or lower management would get preferential treatment. However, if YSOs seek a day off for whatever reason, and have personal, sick, or vacation time to use--management might might it hard for that person to take leave from work.
In the future the Unit Leader's attendance sheet will be posted for all to see. There will be explanation of the codes on these attendance sheets for thinking people to peruse ( in several instances the UL called out sick etc after working a holiday thus getting double pay ). Since management is quick to investigate YSOs, about all matters, what about equal treatment for that building # 4 Unit Leader taking advantage of the system " with just a little help from friends."
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
THE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION REGARDING OFFENSIVE TERM--- PORCH MONKEY
A white female Youth Services Officer called a group of Connecticut Juvenile Training School residents porch monkey. To make matters even worse a employee of CJTS on Oct.30th talked about the term -and climate on campus that produced it- on WFSB Ch.3 television station. After the broadcast the talking head Department of Children & Families publicity spokesman gave the usual reply " we intend to investigate this issue." There has been more than enough time for DCF to review residents, YSOs, etc. What is the hold up regarding a definitive decision? It is incomprehensible that administrators of state agencies allow racial epithets to be used, then not declare what the discipline will be for doing so.
When employees of color make marginal mistakes DCF / CJTS management invokes the spirit of Judge Roy Bean to pronounce disciplinary measures. Now a decision in the case of a white employee saying "porch monkey" is treated differently : what is the message being given out by DCF / CJTS to employees with such a non-decision?, residents do not matter or possibly it is okay to use terms like "porch monkey." Oh by the way, let us not forget a certain employee of color defending the white employee's use of porch monkey as " a mere slip of the tongue." From several accounts the white YSO knew exactly what she said and the residents even told her about that term.
A final thought on this matter leads thinking people to conclude a double standard exists within those segregationist walls at CJTS. Hell, seems as if certain employees get to do whatever they want---toward people of color. For example for years one white YSO wrote racially tinged notes about empoloyees of color. When heat of public opinion revealed what was going on, then management took a stance on that issue. Now here we are talking about "porch monkeys." And nothing will be done from a discipline viewpoint about this racially charged term until people complain.
When employees of color make marginal mistakes DCF / CJTS management invokes the spirit of Judge Roy Bean to pronounce disciplinary measures. Now a decision in the case of a white employee saying "porch monkey" is treated differently : what is the message being given out by DCF / CJTS to employees with such a non-decision?, residents do not matter or possibly it is okay to use terms like "porch monkey." Oh by the way, let us not forget a certain employee of color defending the white employee's use of porch monkey as " a mere slip of the tongue." From several accounts the white YSO knew exactly what she said and the residents even told her about that term.
A final thought on this matter leads thinking people to conclude a double standard exists within those segregationist walls at CJTS. Hell, seems as if certain employees get to do whatever they want---toward people of color. For example for years one white YSO wrote racially tinged notes about empoloyees of color. When heat of public opinion revealed what was going on, then management took a stance on that issue. Now here we are talking about "porch monkeys." And nothing will be done from a discipline viewpoint about this racially charged term until people complain.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
THROWING OUT THEIR GARBAGE : AGENCY STOOGES SACRIFICED
Over a period of several months CJTS management maneuvered behind the scenes in order to get rid of ceratin stooges. When I mention stooges it is a euphemism for agency employees working against co-workers for management. To understand what has gone on behind the scenes context is clearly needed. CJTS used other YSOs as informants; this also included allowing stooge YSOs leverage in using policy, procedure, and certain union protocols as weapons. For years management claimed their hands were clean as stooges terrorized employees. Hell, those stooges could flaunt CJTS rules ( abusing other residents or assaulting them ), walk off the job when angry, verbally abuse co- workers--- and no disciplinary measures were taken. After years of management using undercover stooges, something strange started happening. News concerning stooges escapades began leaking out; all of the dirty laundry hidden now became manifest in all hideousness.
With each new revelation of stooges actions CJTS management looked uncomfortable : how can you hit a resident but not get terminated, is it possible to verbally abuse co-workers for years and not be punished, spouting right wing propaganda appeared okay if working as a stooge. Suddenly stooge names became topics of conversation among co-workers who were disciplined for minor infractions. CJTS management looked for methods of separating the themselves from stooges or any legal liability from stooge past actions : historically when stooges are no longer of use to people in power it bodes bad for the former. Several months ago a decision made by management took place between April---- October. At all costs throwing out the garbage (stooge YSOs ) became a priority. Now once mighty stooges found out power given them by management started to erode : no saftey net to catch stooges now, legal issues pressing management demanded all minions be sacrificed. In the words of Motown singers Martha and the Vandellas stooges had "no where to run to baby, no where to hide." Thus another tale from the plantation is evolving into a life form with all stooges shaking from fear of being discarded by management.
With each new revelation of stooges actions CJTS management looked uncomfortable : how can you hit a resident but not get terminated, is it possible to verbally abuse co-workers for years and not be punished, spouting right wing propaganda appeared okay if working as a stooge. Suddenly stooge names became topics of conversation among co-workers who were disciplined for minor infractions. CJTS management looked for methods of separating the themselves from stooges or any legal liability from stooge past actions : historically when stooges are no longer of use to people in power it bodes bad for the former. Several months ago a decision made by management took place between April---- October. At all costs throwing out the garbage (stooge YSOs ) became a priority. Now once mighty stooges found out power given them by management started to erode : no saftey net to catch stooges now, legal issues pressing management demanded all minions be sacrificed. In the words of Motown singers Martha and the Vandellas stooges had "no where to run to baby, no where to hide." Thus another tale from the plantation is evolving into a life form with all stooges shaking from fear of being discarded by management.
SOLIDARITY AND DETERMINATION
The word for Youth Service Officers at Connecticut Juvenile Training School is solidarity. For years CJTS management used all types of divisive tactics to keep employees apart: using other YSOs as informers, implementing policy & procedure as cudgels to terminate YSOs, setting class distinctions between clinicians & YSOs. Historically oppressors always seek to divert attention from real problems of injustice, thus, no focus on solidarity. CJTS management has built a high wall of obfuscation between classes with sickening results. There seems to be very little inclination to fight for fair treatment from a corrupt management. This reluctance of demanding human decency from state agency administrators did not just appear suddenly, as if, by magic incantations. Well dear readers CJTS put together a diabolical plan to make certain worker solidarity would not exist at the plantation.
If meaningful change is to occur for YSOs then solidarity has to be a fulcrum used to start this process. When fear is overcome and replaced with determination, mountains can be moved. All is not not lost however, for several years a small vanguard of YSOs stood against management, and inspired their co-workers to resist ( albeit in non-visible ways ). Years from now perhaps history will record how solidarity plus determination overcame fear, oppression and treachery.
If meaningful change is to occur for YSOs then solidarity has to be a fulcrum used to start this process. When fear is overcome and replaced with determination, mountains can be moved. All is not not lost however, for several years a small vanguard of YSOs stood against management, and inspired their co-workers to resist ( albeit in non-visible ways ). Years from now perhaps history will record how solidarity plus determination overcame fear, oppression and treachery.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK IN YEAR 2013
I flipped the channel of my television and there was actor Spencer Tracy in a movie. After watching for a few minutes it dawned on me the movie BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK ( 1955 ) surely contained lots of drama. Part of the movie review read :"This powerful suspense drama also yields a grim social message." Spencer Tracy is a one armed man World War II veteran who comes into town and uncovers a secret; town folk have allowed racial prejudice against Japanese ( WWII ) to cause a murder.
For me the themes of prejudice, denial of the incident by decent people, fear, wanting to fit in and finally acting against the racism are prominent. Then something crept into my thinking about Connecticut Juvenile Training School in Middletown, CT. CJTS administrators in many respects are like those people at Black Rock; full of bias or animosity against employees who are different. In the past several years employees ( i.e. those of color ) complained about unfair treatment. In their own method management got rid of employees deemed troubling- by using policy & procedure - to decent folks ( read white management ). Like in the movie there are CJTS employees afraid to speakup or standout in any manner due to possible retaliation. However five employees at CJTS did confront racial animus; filing a class action lawsuit, testifying at public hearings abouut CJTS racism, etc. In the movie three people helped Spencer Tracy to finally end the terror in Black Rock. At this juncture only a few souls dare speak openly about the long night of terror ( aimed at employees ) within CJTS plantation grounds.
It took a couple hours in the movie for Tracy et al. to overcome bigots, that is Hollywood for you. In reality the fight against employee bias might at the CJTS could take years for results to be manifest. Well one thing is certain, if you never begin a quest to eradicate evil -- nothing changes.
For me the themes of prejudice, denial of the incident by decent people, fear, wanting to fit in and finally acting against the racism are prominent. Then something crept into my thinking about Connecticut Juvenile Training School in Middletown, CT. CJTS administrators in many respects are like those people at Black Rock; full of bias or animosity against employees who are different. In the past several years employees ( i.e. those of color ) complained about unfair treatment. In their own method management got rid of employees deemed troubling- by using policy & procedure - to decent folks ( read white management ). Like in the movie there are CJTS employees afraid to speakup or standout in any manner due to possible retaliation. However five employees at CJTS did confront racial animus; filing a class action lawsuit, testifying at public hearings abouut CJTS racism, etc. In the movie three people helped Spencer Tracy to finally end the terror in Black Rock. At this juncture only a few souls dare speak openly about the long night of terror ( aimed at employees ) within CJTS plantation grounds.
It took a couple hours in the movie for Tracy et al. to overcome bigots, that is Hollywood for you. In reality the fight against employee bias might at the CJTS could take years for results to be manifest. Well one thing is certain, if you never begin a quest to eradicate evil -- nothing changes.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
THERE ARE WORDS OF RESISTANCE SPREADING
This column appears in the November 7 - 14 edition of the Hartford News. Please forward widely!
David Samuels
Founder
Community Party
http://www.facebook.com/CommunityPartyAction
Special Report: CJTS Employee Allegedly Calls Black/Latino Students Porch Monkeys
This week we'll share a report from activist Cornell Lewis' DCF Plantation blog (http://www.dcfplantation.blogspot.com/) on allegations against a Connecticut Juvenile Training School employee. CJTS workers claim that this employee, who is white, repeatedly referred to Black and Latino students as porch monkeys in front of the students and staff. Cornell was terminated by CJTS in retaliation for speaking out against stuctural racism at that agency. Folks who are interested in showing their support for Cornell can donate to his legal defense fund. www.gofundme.com/Cornel-Defense-Fund You can also sign this petition, which was started by activist Joanna Iovino. http://www.change.org/petitions/governor-dannell-malloy-dcf-commissioner-joette-katz-cjts-superintendent-william-rosenbeck-stop-the-racist-treatment-of-employees-of-color-at-the-ct-juvenile-training-school?share_id=lkFApecncA&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_invitation Stay tuned for info on the Community Party's Safe Work Environment Act and Rep. Matt Ritter's workplace bullying town hall, coming in 2014.
***
CALLING RESIDENTS PORCH MONKEYS ?? AND CHAOS AT THE PLANTATION
porch monkey:
A derogatory for a person of African or African American decent. However, it could also mean a generally lazy person. This term came to be when you think of African Americans sitting on their porch chatting it up.
The DCF Plantation has received a number of emails at dcfplantation@gmail.com about a term uttered about black residents at Connecticut Juvenile Training School in Middletown, CT. Several sources claim a white female Youth Service Officer in building # 5 called black & brown residents "porch monkeys." For purposes of clarification the definition of this derogatory term is posted above for readers viewing. Forgive me for going back to the main issue- this; racial animus flowing freely on the CJTS site is just the latest in a long list of actrocities. People of color complained for years to tone deaf CJTS management with no results. As a result of being in denial of racial incidents at CJTS, this kind of putrid negativity continued. Now a white female YSO is said to have used "porch monkey." Will employees of color complain about these comments?
A larger issue for this website writer centers around how management allowed a climate to exist where white employees feel it is okay to say such things. Not long ago people of color complained about how a white male YSO harassed employees of color with racially charged missives. It took an Act of Congress for CJTS to reluctantly deal with that situation. It is no longer reasonable for management coming forth with plausible denial claims; in other words the cat has long been out of the bag, racial ill will exists. In the past management tried to cast any racial discourse as work of a few black trouble makers ( concept of the bad negro); yet those voices that were rejected as extreme and hateful are now being validated ( by actions of a few & empirical data). Will employees of color make official complaints with Human Resources or NAACP?
John the Baptist proclaimed a messiah was coming to earth with a fresh viewpoint for mankind to follow. Historians called him "a voice crying in the wilderness" that no one listened to. Then the truth became flesh as the Bible reads. In a similar vein voices, at CJTS, have cried out about racial animus from white employees. Their words fell on a wilderness of mental indifference from management. John the Baptist lived to hear or see his truth in the flesh ( Jesus). Hell, employees at CJTS have yet to see any real progress in addressing white angst against employees of color. Guess black & brown truth must wait for another voice(s) to make their words into something corporeal ( justice for people treated negatively).
Who said the truth will set you free?
NOW THE MEDIA AND A BRAVE EMPLOYEE CONFRONT RACISM
The story about racist comments ( Porch Monkeys ) by a white female Youth Service Officer at Connecticut JuvenileTraining School was reported by DCFplantation blog this week. Since the initial story on ths website came out, WFSB News channel 3 interviewed a certain CJTS employee about racial comments . You can go to the link posted below and listen to the entire story of how white employees are targeting black or Latino workers. What strikes me as odd is how these Porch Monkey comments by a white female YSO tumbled forth from her lips so easily. Could it be management allowed a climate to exist which enabled whites to say such things?Let us not forget how a white male YSO-for years- said similar things or wrote racially slanted letters ( hanging in plain sight for all to see) but no discipline resulted. What the hell is going on at the plantation?
At this juncture the name of this YSO does not appear in comments offered by DCF spokesman Gary Keeblatt. He might not reveal who this woman is but we do know the following; she is tall, blond, and rumor has it worked as a teacher before transferring to YSO. Whether these facts are true will come out later for all the world to see. DCF talking head figures continue to utter words like " we are racially sensitive to the feelings of others" or how outside groups are coming in for the purpose of giving seminars about race. Why is DCF / CJTS suddenly seeking outside help to address racial issues within state institutions? For years people of color at CJTS wrote grievances, signed petitions, engaged in hunger strikes, held television interviews or went to talk radio about bias at the plantation. At every turn management thwarted people's efforts; often using YSOs to divert attention from real issues ( in order to give management a pass). Racism swept under the rug and sanitized by forums about Diversity Training at CJTS allowed the real problems to fester. A charade called Diversity Action Team came into existence at CJTS and only produced non threatening events ( ethnic lunches or dinners, posters of ethnic heroes on walls in school ). After all that tom foolery about D.A.T. nothing changed. Now people are calling residents Porch Monkeys: management has to act due to the fact their lies can no longer be hidden. Employees are tired of this duplicity played by CJTS and want something to change. Since leaders at the CJTS refuse to honor complaints of long suffering employees it is logical a person would go on public record about racism on the plantation.
There are cracks showing in the walls of CJTS / DCF white hegemony that until a few years ago seemed impossible. However, history teaches how oppressive regimes always come tumbling down. CJTS can fire employees but it won't stop justice from banging on their plantation doors. DCF can host meetings in Middletown about a new girls facility due to open in January and act like there are no issues at CJTS. The winds of social change continue blowing but management does not acknowledge them. And CJTS continues using black & brown youth as commodities or ciphers ( a nonentity), which allows state and federal grants to flow into coffers enriching a white hiearchy ignoring cries from employees for justice and a sense of fair treatment.
Justice will roll down like mighty waters one day at CJTS for the atrocities committed by management. This deluge has been building for years but management ignored it. In this story though Noah won't build any ark for saving management. Hell, hope some brave souls close the door of that ark on management when the time comes.
http://www.wfsb.com/story/23847176/school-employee-accused-of-making-racist-comments
***
Check out the Community Party Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/CommunityPartyAction. Follow CP on Twitter for state, national and global headlines, including updates on the developing story at CJTS. https://twitter.com/CommunityParty1 Contact us at 860-206-8879 or samuelssloflo@aol.com.
David Samuels
Founder
Community Party
http://www.facebook.com/CommunityPartyAction
Special Report: CJTS Employee Allegedly Calls Black/Latino Students Porch Monkeys
This week we'll share a report from activist Cornell Lewis' DCF Plantation blog (http://www.dcfplantation.blogspot.com/) on allegations against a Connecticut Juvenile Training School employee. CJTS workers claim that this employee, who is white, repeatedly referred to Black and Latino students as porch monkeys in front of the students and staff. Cornell was terminated by CJTS in retaliation for speaking out against stuctural racism at that agency. Folks who are interested in showing their support for Cornell can donate to his legal defense fund. www.gofundme.com/Cornel-Defense-Fund You can also sign this petition, which was started by activist Joanna Iovino. http://www.change.org/petitions/governor-dannell-malloy-dcf-commissioner-joette-katz-cjts-superintendent-william-rosenbeck-stop-the-racist-treatment-of-employees-of-color-at-the-ct-juvenile-training-school?share_id=lkFApecncA&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_invitation Stay tuned for info on the Community Party's Safe Work Environment Act and Rep. Matt Ritter's workplace bullying town hall, coming in 2014.
***
CALLING RESIDENTS PORCH MONKEYS ?? AND CHAOS AT THE PLANTATION
porch monkey:
A derogatory for a person of African or African American decent. However, it could also mean a generally lazy person. This term came to be when you think of African Americans sitting on their porch chatting it up.
The DCF Plantation has received a number of emails at dcfplantation@gmail.com about a term uttered about black residents at Connecticut Juvenile Training School in Middletown, CT. Several sources claim a white female Youth Service Officer in building # 5 called black & brown residents "porch monkeys." For purposes of clarification the definition of this derogatory term is posted above for readers viewing. Forgive me for going back to the main issue- this; racial animus flowing freely on the CJTS site is just the latest in a long list of actrocities. People of color complained for years to tone deaf CJTS management with no results. As a result of being in denial of racial incidents at CJTS, this kind of putrid negativity continued. Now a white female YSO is said to have used "porch monkey." Will employees of color complain about these comments?
A larger issue for this website writer centers around how management allowed a climate to exist where white employees feel it is okay to say such things. Not long ago people of color complained about how a white male YSO harassed employees of color with racially charged missives. It took an Act of Congress for CJTS to reluctantly deal with that situation. It is no longer reasonable for management coming forth with plausible denial claims; in other words the cat has long been out of the bag, racial ill will exists. In the past management tried to cast any racial discourse as work of a few black trouble makers ( concept of the bad negro); yet those voices that were rejected as extreme and hateful are now being validated ( by actions of a few & empirical data). Will employees of color make official complaints with Human Resources or NAACP?
John the Baptist proclaimed a messiah was coming to earth with a fresh viewpoint for mankind to follow. Historians called him "a voice crying in the wilderness" that no one listened to. Then the truth became flesh as the Bible reads. In a similar vein voices, at CJTS, have cried out about racial animus from white employees. Their words fell on a wilderness of mental indifference from management. John the Baptist lived to hear or see his truth in the flesh ( Jesus). Hell, employees at CJTS have yet to see any real progress in addressing white angst against employees of color. Guess black & brown truth must wait for another voice(s) to make their words into something corporeal ( justice for people treated negatively).
Who said the truth will set you free?
NOW THE MEDIA AND A BRAVE EMPLOYEE CONFRONT RACISM
The story about racist comments ( Porch Monkeys ) by a white female Youth Service Officer at Connecticut JuvenileTraining School was reported by DCFplantation blog this week. Since the initial story on ths website came out, WFSB News channel 3 interviewed a certain CJTS employee about racial comments . You can go to the link posted below and listen to the entire story of how white employees are targeting black or Latino workers. What strikes me as odd is how these Porch Monkey comments by a white female YSO tumbled forth from her lips so easily. Could it be management allowed a climate to exist which enabled whites to say such things?Let us not forget how a white male YSO-for years- said similar things or wrote racially slanted letters ( hanging in plain sight for all to see) but no discipline resulted. What the hell is going on at the plantation?
At this juncture the name of this YSO does not appear in comments offered by DCF spokesman Gary Keeblatt. He might not reveal who this woman is but we do know the following; she is tall, blond, and rumor has it worked as a teacher before transferring to YSO. Whether these facts are true will come out later for all the world to see. DCF talking head figures continue to utter words like " we are racially sensitive to the feelings of others" or how outside groups are coming in for the purpose of giving seminars about race. Why is DCF / CJTS suddenly seeking outside help to address racial issues within state institutions? For years people of color at CJTS wrote grievances, signed petitions, engaged in hunger strikes, held television interviews or went to talk radio about bias at the plantation. At every turn management thwarted people's efforts; often using YSOs to divert attention from real issues ( in order to give management a pass). Racism swept under the rug and sanitized by forums about Diversity Training at CJTS allowed the real problems to fester. A charade called Diversity Action Team came into existence at CJTS and only produced non threatening events ( ethnic lunches or dinners, posters of ethnic heroes on walls in school ). After all that tom foolery about D.A.T. nothing changed. Now people are calling residents Porch Monkeys: management has to act due to the fact their lies can no longer be hidden. Employees are tired of this duplicity played by CJTS and want something to change. Since leaders at the CJTS refuse to honor complaints of long suffering employees it is logical a person would go on public record about racism on the plantation.
There are cracks showing in the walls of CJTS / DCF white hegemony that until a few years ago seemed impossible. However, history teaches how oppressive regimes always come tumbling down. CJTS can fire employees but it won't stop justice from banging on their plantation doors. DCF can host meetings in Middletown about a new girls facility due to open in January and act like there are no issues at CJTS. The winds of social change continue blowing but management does not acknowledge them. And CJTS continues using black & brown youth as commodities or ciphers ( a nonentity), which allows state and federal grants to flow into coffers enriching a white hiearchy ignoring cries from employees for justice and a sense of fair treatment.
Justice will roll down like mighty waters one day at CJTS for the atrocities committed by management. This deluge has been building for years but management ignored it. In this story though Noah won't build any ark for saving management. Hell, hope some brave souls close the door of that ark on management when the time comes.
http://www.wfsb.com/story/23847176/school-employee-accused-of-making-racist-comments
***
Check out the Community Party Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/CommunityPartyAction. Follow CP on Twitter for state, national and global headlines, including updates on the developing story at CJTS. https://twitter.com/CommunityParty1 Contact us at 860-206-8879 or samuelssloflo@aol.com.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
SLEEPIN' ON DA FLOOR AT PLANTATION LEADS TO A BROADER DISCUSSION
Sources within the Connecticut Juvenile Training School report how some residents in building # 5 are sleeping on mattresses. Now CJTS denied such a thing is going on and then imposed silence over the whole issue. Let us focus on how the culture within plantation facilities choose to deny any thing is going on no matter what the question might be. Let me be clear. For years people of color made statements - backed by data- about racial animus flowing from fonts of negativity. However, no real acknowledgement about racial bias ( from some whites) toward people of color were firmly dealt with.
Most recently there are allegations a white Youth Service Officer called black or brown residents "porch monkeys." Yes "porch monkey" is a negative term for black people. What transpired after the "porch monkey" comment became public is consistent with an agency in denial. DCF spokesman Gary Keeblatt said how Human Resources launched an investigation about the term. Also verbal mumbo jumbo from Keeblatt focsed on how DCF values employees concerns etc. Do readers of this blog notice there was no mention of a culture within DCF / CJTS which permits racial animus to exist? This is what definitely Keeblatt excluded from his public statement. At no point has DCF /CJTS admitted there looms over their facilities a systematic culture of racial animus aimed at employees of color; soil of hatred prepared by willing hands and minds of management.
New allegations continue surfacing at CJTS / DCF but no management person addresses those real issues thus permitting such things to occur. Don't worry though readers, in the future some epiphany about how management allowed a white male employee to run amok among fellow workers of color will surface.
Wonder how DCF /CJTS can duck from allegations blacks etc were harassed -with the blessing of white management.
Most recently there are allegations a white Youth Service Officer called black or brown residents "porch monkeys." Yes "porch monkey" is a negative term for black people. What transpired after the "porch monkey" comment became public is consistent with an agency in denial. DCF spokesman Gary Keeblatt said how Human Resources launched an investigation about the term. Also verbal mumbo jumbo from Keeblatt focsed on how DCF values employees concerns etc. Do readers of this blog notice there was no mention of a culture within DCF / CJTS which permits racial animus to exist? This is what definitely Keeblatt excluded from his public statement. At no point has DCF /CJTS admitted there looms over their facilities a systematic culture of racial animus aimed at employees of color; soil of hatred prepared by willing hands and minds of management.
New allegations continue surfacing at CJTS / DCF but no management person addresses those real issues thus permitting such things to occur. Don't worry though readers, in the future some epiphany about how management allowed a white male employee to run amok among fellow workers of color will surface.
Wonder how DCF /CJTS can duck from allegations blacks etc were harassed -with the blessing of white management.
Monday, November 4, 2013
MORE TURMOIL AT THE PLANTATION
People who read this blog might be interested in the following video. A person claiming to be employeed at Connecticut Juvenile Training School speaks out about racism.
http://www.wfsb.com/story/
http://www.wfsb.com/story/
Friday, November 1, 2013
NOW THE MEDIA AND A BRAVE EMPLOYEE CONFRONT RACISM
The story about racist comments ( Porch Monkeys ) by a white female Youth Service Officer at Connecticut JuvenileTraining School was reported by DCFplantation blog this week. Since the initial story on ths website came out, WFSB News channel 3 interviewed a certain CJTS employee about racial comments . You can go to the link posted below and listen to the entire story of how white employees are targeting black or Latino workers. What strikes me as odd is how these Porch Monkey comments by a white female YSO tumbled forth from her lips so easily. Could it be management allowed a climate to exist which enabled whites to say such things?Let us not forget how a white male YSO-for years- said similar things or wrote racially slanted letters ( hanging in plain sight for all to see) but no discipline resulted. What the hell is going on at the plantation?
At this juncture the name of this YSO does not appear in comments offered by DCF spokesman Gary Keeblatt. He might not reveal who this woman is but we do know the following; she is tall, blond, and rumor has it worked as a teacher before transferring to YSO. Whether these facts are true will come out later for all the world to see. DCF talking head figures continue to utter words like " we are racially sensitive to the feelings of others"or how outside groups are coming in for the purpose of giving seminars about race. Why is DCF / CJTS suddenly seeking outside help to address racial issues within state institutions? For years people of color at CJTS wrote grievances, signed petitions, engaged in hunger strikes, held television interviews or went to talk radio about bias at the plantation. At every turn management thwarted people's efforts; often using YSOs to divert attention from real issues ( in order to give management a pass). Racism swept under the rug and sanitized by forums about Diversity Training at CJTS allowed the real problems to fester. A charade called Diversity Action Team came into existence at CJTS and only produced non threatening events ( ethnic lunches or dinners, posters of ethnic heroes on walls in school ). After all that tom foolery about D.A.T. nothing changed. Now people are calling residents Porch Monkeys: management has to act due to the fact their lies can no longer be hidden. Employees are tired of this duplicity played by CJTS and want something to change. Since leaders at the CJTS refuse to honor complaints of long suffering employees it is logical a person would go on public record about racism on the plantation.
There are cracks showing in the walls of CJTS / DCF white hegemony that until a few years ago seemed impossible. However, history teaches how oppressive regimes always come tumbling down. CJTS can fire employees but it won't stop justice from banging on their plantation doors. DCF can host meetings in Middletown about a new girls facility due to open in January and act like there ar no issues at CJTS. The winds of social change continue blowing but management does not acknowledge them. And CJTS continues using black & brown youth as commodities or ciphers ( a nonentity) which allows state, federal, and grants to flow into coffers enriching a white hiearchy ignoring cries from employees for justice and a sense of fair treatment.
Justice will roll down like mighty waters one day at CJTS for the atrocities committed by management. This deluge has been building for years but management ignored it. In this story though Noah won't build any ark for saving management. Hell, hope some brave souls close the door of that ark on management when the time comes.
http://www.wfsb.com/story/
At this juncture the name of this YSO does not appear in comments offered by DCF spokesman Gary Keeblatt. He might not reveal who this woman is but we do know the following; she is tall, blond, and rumor has it worked as a teacher before transferring to YSO. Whether these facts are true will come out later for all the world to see. DCF talking head figures continue to utter words like " we are racially sensitive to the feelings of others"or how outside groups are coming in for the purpose of giving seminars about race. Why is DCF / CJTS suddenly seeking outside help to address racial issues within state institutions? For years people of color at CJTS wrote grievances, signed petitions, engaged in hunger strikes, held television interviews or went to talk radio about bias at the plantation. At every turn management thwarted people's efforts; often using YSOs to divert attention from real issues ( in order to give management a pass). Racism swept under the rug and sanitized by forums about Diversity Training at CJTS allowed the real problems to fester. A charade called Diversity Action Team came into existence at CJTS and only produced non threatening events ( ethnic lunches or dinners, posters of ethnic heroes on walls in school ). After all that tom foolery about D.A.T. nothing changed. Now people are calling residents Porch Monkeys: management has to act due to the fact their lies can no longer be hidden. Employees are tired of this duplicity played by CJTS and want something to change. Since leaders at the CJTS refuse to honor complaints of long suffering employees it is logical a person would go on public record about racism on the plantation.
There are cracks showing in the walls of CJTS / DCF white hegemony that until a few years ago seemed impossible. However, history teaches how oppressive regimes always come tumbling down. CJTS can fire employees but it won't stop justice from banging on their plantation doors. DCF can host meetings in Middletown about a new girls facility due to open in January and act like there ar no issues at CJTS. The winds of social change continue blowing but management does not acknowledge them. And CJTS continues using black & brown youth as commodities or ciphers ( a nonentity) which allows state, federal, and grants to flow into coffers enriching a white hiearchy ignoring cries from employees for justice and a sense of fair treatment.
Justice will roll down like mighty waters one day at CJTS for the atrocities committed by management. This deluge has been building for years but management ignored it. In this story though Noah won't build any ark for saving management. Hell, hope some brave souls close the door of that ark on management when the time comes.
http://www.wfsb.com/story/
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