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.