LEGISLATIVE HEARING ABOUT DCF/CJTS RACISM,BIAS

Juvenile Training School minister and activist begins hunger strike

Published: Monday, October 17, 2011

HARTFORD (AP) — Cornell Lewis is no stranger to activism.

He rallied residents of Hartford to root out drug dealers in their neighborhoods. He organized a protest against the planned closure of a post office in one of the poorest sections of Connecticut's capital city. And he formed a group mostly comprised of black and Latino men to escort fatherless children to school during a particularly dangerous time in the city's troubled north end.

But Lewis' latest demonstration is more personal. On Monday, the 61-year-old minister, who works as a youth service officer at the state-run Connecticut Juvenile Training School in Middletown, began a hunger strike. He is attempting to draw attention to what he claims is a racist attitude toward minority employees at the state's only secure facility for delinquent boys.

"I've been involved in a lot of different protests over the years, however, this one is intensely personal because who I am as a person is being attacked," Lewis, who is black, told The Associated Press. "I'm being objectified and marginalized by people within what I call the DCF plantation, the Department of Children and Families plantation, specifically the Connecticut Juvenile Training School." Click here to keep reading.

Connecticut activist ends hunger strike; plans protests

HARTFORD, Conn.

Black pastor and activist Cornell Lewis says he's ending his hunger strike protesting what he calls a racist attitude by mostly white supervisors toward employees at the state's only secure facility for delinquent boys.

Lewis says he ingested only fluids for seven days. He told The Associated Press on Monday that he now plans to meet with supporters and "form a strategy to put more pressure" on officials at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School in Middletown and the Department of Children and Families, which runs the facility. He said they are considering protesting outside the homes of supervisors.

Lewis' hunger strike came more than a year after he and four black co-workers filed a federal lawsuit claiming discrimination.

DCF officials have said they have not received specific complaints from Lewis. Click here to keep reading.

Lawmakers to Hold Meeting on Racism Concerns allegations of racism and discrimination at the Department of Children and Families in Middletown.

Two Hartford state legislators are organizing a public meeting to learn about allegations of racism and discrimination at the Department of Children and Families' secure facility for delinquent boys in Middletown.

Reps. Matthew Ritter and Douglas McCrory said they decided to hold the informational session on July 2 after being approached by employees at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School.

The meeting comes eight months after a youth service officer, Cornell Lewis, waged a seven-day hunger strike to draw attention to what he called a racist attitude by mostly white supervisors.

Lewis is one of four black workers who filed a federal lawsuit in 2010 alleging they've experienced racially motivated disciplinary actions.

DCF's commissioner will not attend because of the pending litigation. DCF officials previously denied receiving specific complaints of racism. Click here to keep reading.

Connecticut lawmakers urged to investigate institutional racism concerns in Department of Children and Families

Published: Tuesday, July 03, 2012, 1:15 AM

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — State lawmakers were urged Monday to use their legislative powers to pursue allegations of racism and discrimination at the Connecticut Department of Children and Families' juvenile detention facility in Middletown.

"I'm here to ask the legislators to investigate cases of discrimination and injustice within DCF at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School," said Lynette Gaunichaux, a supervisor and 19-year veteran at the state's only secure facility for delinquent boys.

Gaunichaux was one of several past and current DCF employees who testified at an informational session at the Legislative Office Building organized by Hartford state Reps. Matthew Ritter and Douglas McCrory. Some spoke of being wrongly terminated, believing their race had played a role, or being unfairly reprimanded. Click here to keep reading.

Hearing Looks At Allegations Of Discrimination At DCF Detention Facility

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) _ State lawmakers are holding a public meeting to learn more about allegations of racism and discrimination at the Department of Children and Families’ juvenile detention facility in Middletown.

Reps. Matthew Ritter and Douglas McCrory, both Hartford Democrats, are sponsoring Monday’s informational session at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. It will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The meeting comes about eight months after a youth service officer at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School, activist and minister Cornell Lewis, waged a seven-day hunger strike to draw attention to what he called a racist attitude at the facility. Click here to keep reading.

ANOTHER VICTIM OF THE DCF PLANTATION

NOTICE OF INTENT TO SUE

under Chapter 53, Section 4-141 et seq. of the Connecticut General Statutes

   

                            June 30, 2012

   
    Dear Claims Commissioner,
I and my sons Ryan Anthony Holman, Justin Henry Holman and Christian Lee Holman have been victimized by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families repeatedly.  Most recently DCF has refused to be present at custody hearings at the Meriden Courthouse on June 12, 2012, May 29, 2012 and March 12, 2012.  I have repeatedly questioned heavily redacted reports by DCF in which I have been represented as mentally unfit or challenged,  and severely abusive to the mother of my children, Wendy L. Smith.  In these reports I have also found on multiple occasions where the children were in danger and I was not contacted, though the reports by CTDCF show that I was contacted by Jiovanni Morales, Louise Deleo, and others.  The points in the reports where it states I was contacted have been redacted, when in fact I have a legal right to such information.  On or about March, 2012 I requested and was granted an investigation by Ombudsman’s Office Stanley Kassanowski.  Mr. Kasanowski would later respond that he found no evidence of violations of our rights.  This contradicts recent actions(February 2012) by the U.S. Health and Human Services, Office of Civil Rights who first reviewed, then began an investigation of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families on my families behalf.  CTDCF has repeatedly refused to investigate reports by me of Social Worker malfeasance who are in support of the mother, which I suggest are because of the children’s aunt, Mrs. Robin Nohelte having worked in the clerk’s office of the Meriden Courthouse for over a decade in the past.  I have been denied access to Court Transcripts by Christine Elkins, Meriden Court Reporter,  in the past (2006,2010, 2011)in which the mother was told by a Judge that she would lose custody of her children if she again abused illegal drugs, something that Wendy, and now her sister Robin, have done so , and continue to receive Methadone from the state of Connecticut.  I also recently found DCF to have expunged a report of sexual abuse made to a mandated reporter to their hotline in July, 2011, as did the Meriden Police Department.  The Meriden PD also refuses to address multiple FOIA requests and Internal Affairs complaints, to the extent that the Constituent Services of the Mayor’s Office of Meriden has agreed to present on my behalf.  I have had my efforts to protect my sons from sexual, physical and emotional abuse thwarted in 2010, 2011 and 2012 by the Child Advocates Office, CTAG’s office, CPS office of Connecticut, the Chief States Attorney’s Office, who’s Christopher Alexi wasted no time in sending me a letter stating no crimes had been committed by anyone in any office in which I had filed a complaint.  Mr. Alexi conducted no formal investigation or established any facts through sworn testimony.  My son Ryan wound up in a coma in June 22, 2008, 13 days after I emailed concerns to the CTDCF, and CTDCF has offered no evidence as to what steps they took to look into my report, but I do have email confirmation that my concerns were presented to two different DCF workers 13 days prior to my son being left in a coma at Yale, New Haven Children’s Hospital.  The mother was found guilty of Physical Neglect but as usual the Meriden PD acted egregiously in not prosecuting the mother for multiple instances of abuse of my three sons.  A major drug bust occurred in 2007, I was not made aware though CTDCF reports state that I was contacted by Louise Deleo, I believe.  In 2009 the mothers oldest son, half-brother to my sons stabbed repeatedly a stranger, and again CTDCF did not contact me to inform me of the danger my sons faced in the mothers presence.  The Meriden Courthouse hid these instances, and steps were taken to expunge them from public record, all in an effort to help the opiate addicted mother to remain in custody of my sons, as a favor to the former court clerk, and aunt of my sons, Robin Nohelte and the Smith family.  I am seeking damages of $10,000,000.00 and other monetary benefits to cover future medical expenses for Ryan’s subsequent brain damage from Physical Neglect through inaction by CTDCF, CPS, Meriden PD and John and Jane Doe, employees of the CTDCF, Meriden Courthouse, CPS, and others.

Co-conspirators are as follows:

New Hampshire Town Selectmen’s of Madison, NH, Madison PD former Chief of Police John Pickering, New Hampshire, New Hampshire DCYF (Athena Rios/Justine Octavek), NHDOJ, former NHAG Kelly Ayotte,  New Hampshire CPS, Washington State DSHS Maureen Martin, Washington State AG’s Office, and former Boston FBI Supervisor Jay Fallon, among others.

                           

Sincerely,

                            Michael A. Holman

CLINICAL STAFF ARE TENDING TO NATIVES BUT IGNORE ALL ELSE

The clinical staff at Connecticut Juvenile Training School are tending to mental needs of incarcerated residents. Yet, these same enlightened clinicians are not addressing the bias or injustice that administration at CJTS heap upon Youth Service Officers. How can these enlightened clinicians ignore something so obvious to the understanding of a thinking professional? Well, it might be said that these clinicians are being paid good salaries (vacations, nice cars, insurance benefits,etc) therefore it is easy to turn away from a truth and tend to the natives, plus caring for CJTS residents is safer than confrontting real injustices. When asked by YSOs to help in the fight against bias on DCF Plantations these clinicans come up with verbal arguments worthy of the Greek Cynic Diogenes or the Roman orator Cicero. Ah yes, tending to the natives but ignore all else is their mantra.

FORGOT WHERE THEY CAME FROM

People working in authority positions within the DCF plantation forgot where they came from. A few select superviors are now giving orders to front line staff and assuming a moral demeanor also. I remember how some superviors did not perform their duties (while on the job) but now want to assume a high moral ground about certain issues. Hey, don't be sooo righteous, you were once like front line staff.
signed----Kamikaze

RUMOR HAS IT

Just wanted to let readers know what a liitle bird said to me about two union representatives at Connecticut Juvenile Training School in Middletown, CT. A grievance filed by two supervisors is being dealt with behind the scenes i.e. a deal is being cut with management. Oh it gets better, the original union steward that filed the grievance did not know he was cut out of the procedure. Say what? A union cutting deals with CJTS management? without letting the initial union rep.who filed the damn complaint in on what is going on?? All I can say is STAY TUNED.

RUEL CATCHING HELL

Dear Joette Katz      --  Commissioner  DCF       ,   Connecticut             8-14-2012

     My name is Ruel Raphael and I’m an Instructional Assistant at Connecticut Juvenile

Training School , and also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.  Currently I’m

going through unfair treatment, discrimination, and harassment at CJTS.  I’m

writing in regards to two unsatisfactory ratings that I received.  One was for this year, and

the other was from last year.  Currently I’m serving a 30 day suspension for computer use. 

I’ve been discriminated, harassed, and treated unfairly by John Mattera , his

administration, and human resources for the past two years. I have pages of

documentation that shows that I’ve been targeted by them, and that I’ve been subject to

retaliation from them.  I also did my own investigation in regards to my co-workers /  

administration, and it’s shocking how a person like myself can be treated unfairly /

different because of skin color, cultural background, or simply because I’m loved by

many and hated by few.  I did a FOI ( Freedom Of Information) on just 15 employees

at CJTS and the results showed that if everyone was suspended for 30 days in regards to

non-work related computer use, then the facility would have to be closed.

      The FOI  shows that many higher management and teachers are on non work related

websites during work hours.  One teacher has been on over 20,000 sites within a year.  I

also noticed that a higher management person was on a match-making dating web-site. 

Last year I was given an unsatisfactory for attendance, this year I was given a fair.  My

first three years I got a good for attendance, and my attendance was worse my first three

years than these past two years at CJTS.  If my co-workers attendance was pulled and

reviewed, it will show that my attendance was better than many over the past two

years, and they still got a better rating than me.  My second unsatisfactory was given

because I got this 30 day suspension that started August 13,, 2012 and ends September 24,

2012.  I’m not the first person to be suspended for thirty days, and probably won’t be the

last. But when I told one of my co-workers – whom is a white male-  that I was given an

unsatisfactory for getting a 30 day suspension  he said  “ that’s bullshit Ruel,” because he

got a 30 day suspension before along with some other folks and never got an

unsatisfactory rating. 

     I’m putting all of my facts and documents together that shows that I’ve been subjected

to unfair treatment, harassment, and discrimination.  There has been a long time media

coverage of discrimination at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School, but never did I

think that I would be subjected to it.  To my knowledge there are multiple lawsuits

pending in federal court for discrimination at CJTS.  Currently I have no lawsuit pending,

because I’m all about justice at the moment, but my goal is to seek professional legal

counsel over these matters that is ruining my life.  Life is about freedom, peace, and

equality. If I’m suspended for computer use, then everyone that is guilty should be

suspended for computer use. What ever happened to whats good for the goose is good for

the gander?

      They have a goal to fire me, but at the end of the day, it was all a set up, and

is very unfair.  I could have at least got a warning.  This all happened in 2011, and I’m

just now getting suspended for it.  They dragged this out for almost a year.  With

consecutive unsatisfactory ratings an employee can be dismissed, but from the examples

that I have stated – I hope that you can see the unfair treatment, discrimination, and

harassment. The examples that I have given is nothing compared to everything that I have

documented.  Why does discrimination have to still exist in the American work  force? 

Is this the American way? Ms. Katz would you honestly agree with me?  I’m 43 years old,

and I’ve never been subjected to anything like this in my life.  Discrimination is illegal

within agencies that are federally funded.  This matter needs to be investigated from a

federal level, because people lives and families are being seriously ruined. Discrimination

/ Harassment needs to end at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School…

Kindest Regards

And Have A Blessed Day

Ruel Raphael

THEY IGNORE VOICES OF THE OPPRESSED

At Connecticut Juvenile Training School administrators are paid salaries to be informed about what takes place on CJTS property. However, when it comes to employees of color asking for justice from bias etc. then this is not considered. For a period of years people of color employeed at CJTS have made complaints, signed petitions,went on hunger strikes,protested outside CJTS and still management refuses to take these things seriously.What is curious to me is how a facility, with trained clinicians in it, cannot or will not acknowledge the pain of others. Surely the administrators at this DCF Plantation site are familiar with clinical teachings of sympathy and empathy for other people. Yet, any chance CJTS officials get to underscore or diminish the claims of the oppressed at their facility they do so. They ignore the voices of the oppressed at all costs.
In social work class 101 it is taught that people who ignore the pain of others do so for reasons; perhaps CJTS administrators do not want to open the complaint box, for fear of exposing a hideous side of that facility in which a culture of fear ins now normalized. Yes there is a culture at CJTS in which using policy & procedure to keep the natives(employees of color) in their places is standard operating procedure. When atrocities occur the employess hardly acknowledge what happened; like people in war zones CJTS employees are use to the legal violence taking place.However, the real crime is they (CJTS officials) ignore voices of the oppressed.

written by--Ali Baba

MAGICAL THINKING AT THE DCF PLANTATION

Not long ago a search of residents rooms and persons turned up a number of crude weapons called shanks. The Connecticut Juvenile Training School administration went into Keystone Cops mode; making statements but bumping into one another due to indecision about what to do. Finally, the powers that be made a decision that can be ranked among the finest in history-giving reisdents (where shanks were found) a pizza party two days after finding weapons.
Now, we fast forward to a situation in building # 4 where a shank was found by a resident. A search of persons and rooms were conducted and residents dealt with appropriately. However, a clinical decision was made to allow several residents to go off grounds on a trip the next day. It seems as if magical thinking by clinical staff et al. has no regard for safety of Youth Services Officers and seeks tolook after the mental well being of residents. Well, there is nothing like magical thinking on the DCF Plantation.

FREE WILL, NO WILL

The British philosopher John Locke once wrote about the concept of 'free will.' Locke basically said that the will is free, allowing you to do what is necessary, unless of course the will is hindered in some manner. He then goes on to use an illustration about a person sitting in a room looking at a door. The person at this point has free will, in so far as they can move toward the door. However, upon reaching the door this person discovers it is locked, now there is no free will due to an obstruction (locked door).
  The concept Locke writes about- free will- is in full effect on the DCF Plantation and it's satellite sites throughout Greater Connecticut. There are employees of color working on DCF Plantations that choose to exercise a God given right of exercising free will as it relates to denouncing, exposing, and demanding for bias-racial injustice to stop. But as Locke states, often, obstruction stops an exercise of free will. Let me list a few of the "locked doors" fighters for justice experience on DCF Plantations: (1) administrators do not acknowledge there are racial issues, (2) the unions representing employees of color negotiate with management on safe issues, (3) other employees side with management to betray their peers, (4) conditions of bias and racism are part of a culture that is normalized by management on DCF Plantations statewide. Now we can fully understand how /why there is really no "free will" on DCF Plantations in spite of mechanisms touted as giving a voice to employees (Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, etc). Now a statemnt has to be made, there is a charade being played out on DCF Plantations called free will, no will.

A NEW VOICE CALLED THE BAD NEGRO (BN)

The comment from this person caught me off guard for a moment. It seems as if a new voice from the DCF Plantation has decided to contribute a periodic column  to the blog. When I asked what name this person will use as identification for their articles the reply was "the bad negro" (BN). So now there are a number of people willing to speak behind cover of this DCF Plantation blog, shedding light on bias,racism,and discrimination towards employees of DCF.Look to hear from the "bad negro" soon about discrimnation towards females etc.

IS THIS AN INVESTIGATION OR A WITCH HUNT?

There are a group of people brave enough to file a class action lawsuit against Connecticut Juvenile Training School and Department of Children and Families. Almost three years ago the DCF Plantation Five employed at CJTS threw caution to the wind and asked the law to correct possible racial injustice at a satellite plantation of DCF. Now it appears as if one of the DCF Plantation Five is under investigation for vague reasons that only a person consulting the Oracle of Apollo for an answer could understand. This male of color has been taken off his regular unit, while CJTS management determine if there are reason(s) for any disciplinary action. The rumor mill has it CJTS jumped on a chance to launch yet another investigation on this male of color. I am not hear to argue what dialogue transpired between this male Youth Service Officer and a resident while on a Unit in building #4. But, it would be remiss of me not to ask a simple question like "is this an investigation or a witch hunt?" Once before CJTS management investigated this same person with vigor- that intrigue fell short; is it possible management is crouching in the tall grass, like a ravenous beast, waiting to pounce on a member of a group daring to defy their hegemony?
Again tthe specific details of what the investigation of this man of color do not concern me. What is of concern is how quickly CJTS decided to look into this incident.

IS THIS AN INVESTIGATION OR A WITCH HUNT?

THE FIELD HANDS ARE NOW CRUCIFIED

The Department of Children and Families have long utilized a method to keep employees of color in their place. There are certain employees of color working undercover (or in a few cases in the open) to betray their peers. Now a different wind seems to be blowing throughout the DCF Plantation in which the field hands (undercover employees of color promoting ol' master's dirty work) are now in a precarious position. It has been brought to my attention by an employee of DCF Plantation that ol' master at Connecticut Juvenile Training School has decided 'the field hands' are now expendible. Historically we read how oppressors,tyrants, despots or powerbrokers use an ethnic group to betray others in the group; rewards for such dirty work range from an extra biscuit or piece of chicken (rewards in American South during slavery) to money,titles,or a pat on the head for luck. Yet, history also points out clearly how oppressors discard these villainous ethnic turncoats once an objective is complete.
The man of color approached me with these words in a parking lot on sunday at a DCF Plantation facility in Greater Hartford. He shared detailed stories of how management deceives or bullies employees of color by using ethnic traitors. Then he stood and laughed when saying "but the field hands are now crucified" because the DCF management no longer needs them. His words certainly gave me pause for reflection about injustices on the DCF Plantation and its satellite facilities..

CONVERSATIONS IN THE BACK HALL ARE MISSING THE POINT

The Connecticut Juvenile training School Youth Services Officers are fighting among each other (again) over nonsense. Seems as if a YSO filed a grievance about his peers et al. getting overtime to instruct residents in football practice, while other YSOs cannot get certain days off. My concern is how YSOs spend inordinate amounts of time discussing things that have nothing to do with the problems management is foisting upon employees of color. For example, why is there no discussion about management's unfair disciplinary actions towards YSOs that commit infractions of policy? Hey, YSOs, did you holler when one of your peers that is white placed hands on a resident of color only to be given a mild rebuke? Hey YSOs, did you sign those petitions circulated at CJTS about having clinincal staff and YSOs working in tandem, and not master (clinicians) slave (YSOs) relationship?Hey, YSOs have you informed management about the Unit Leader in building #4 that is always allowed to avoid inclement weather (snow-rain) due to schedule changes while forntline staff are mandated to be at work? There are larger issues YSOs need to confront with managent-not each other in order to bring justice to the DCF Plantation employees.