STAFF WORKING TRIPLE SHIFTS / TROUBLE ON UNIT 5 B / ADMISTRATORS PROTECTING OPERATIONS STAFF

The Connecticut Juvenile Training School is chaotic, dysfunctional and treating Youth Service Officers like rented mules. Several sources inside the CJTS Plantation report how administrators are conscripting YSOs to work triple 8 hour shifts in order to supervise a diminishing number of incarcerated residents. You have to understand that the CJTS Plantation is in the death throes of closing in 2018 .. at least that is what local politicians are saying. Every since a white right wing disgruntled employee went to the Childs Advocate office with allegations of employee mistreatment of residents, there have been ominous clouds over the plantation. First inordinate amounts of media publicity on unlawful (?) resident restraints were shown on video, then management put the face of YSO Dupree [ a muscular young black man ] as chief culprit of these harmful restraints out in public. Yeah they did what America always does ... blame the black man. However the real culprit in this saga is dysfunctional management that allowed a toxic and racist culture to exist at CJTS that inevitably came crashing down, due to no real leadership from the ostrich like superintendent who always claimed " I did not know" what was going on. To be paid $130,000 yearly and be in charge of a facility but never know what is going on... is money not well spent. However let me not digress from the issues. Now since the facility is going down the crapper, management is forcing YSOs to work triple 8 hour shifts, this is becoming dangerous and a safety issue.

Sources report how on June 17, 2016 two YSOs were called upon to help restrain a male resident on Unit 5 B who did not follow staff directives. In the process of this restraint both YSOs Mala and Strachen were kicked in the groin, spit on, called names like nigger and even clinical staff got kicked. Now Strachen has been taken off the Unit 5 B and not told why. Strachen did nothing wrong during the restraint. Perhaps the real reason he is possibly being investigated by CJTS has nothing to do with a restraint but filing a class action lawsuit in 2010 with five people of color -employees of CJTS- about racial discrimination. The lawsuit is settled but CJTS white management still is harassing Kevin Strachen, and more recently a black female supervisor Linette Gaunichaux. Instead of wasting time and money on foolish errands like reprisal, CJTS management needs to run that facility with professionalism and not like the KeyStone Cops.

It has come to the attention of this blog that the superintendent of CJTS is protecting his  good old boy staff in the Operations Unit. He has brought back certain Assistant Unit Leaders -who were demoted under the new layoff plan for state employees- and given them safe haven to say and do whatever they want. A case in point is how a male Operations Unit staff made inappropriate comments about another colleague and management has done nothing about it. Oh it gets better, the superintendent is in full denial mode that he know anything at all about the remarks. When will white management at CJTS stop condoning white male verbal violence aimed at employees of color?? They [ white management ] allowed the right wing employee who blew the whistle on restraints- to go unleashed like Frankenstein for years, while harassing blacks and Hispanics at CJTS. So it is not surprising this type of behavior still goes on by members of the white inner circle i.e. good old boys.

ASSISTANT UNIT LEADERS / THE SUPERINTENDENT PROTECTS GOOD OLD BOYS / FRONT LINE STAFF SURPRISED THEY ARE LIED TO...AGAIN

The budget crisis in Connecticut has caused Governor Dannel Malloy to lay off dozens of state workers. This means that Connecticut Juvenile Training School also faced layoffs. It has been reported that Assistant Unit Leaders were laid off with the hope of coming back to CJTS, however with a demotion which means AULs would have to work on Units with Youth Service Officers. When the AULs came back to work the script was flipped, and now the once high and mighty AULs were just resentful and demoted people, crying about the injustice of their plight. Hey AULs you have jobs, so get your arse in gear.

Rumors from inside the CJTS Plantation are focusing on how the good old boys at CJTS are being protected by top administrators. For example the CJTS Superintendent informed the YSOs et al. that when AULs returned those supervisors would help alleviate the staff shortage... by working on the Units side by side with front line staff. The AULs demotion made it possible for them to receive their jobs back. However upon returning- rumor has it- the AULs did not want to work with YSOs. At this juncture sources told DCF Plantation Blog that AULs go into offices at work, put their feet on the desk and refuse to help YSOs on the Units. Say what ?? AULs are resentful of having to come back demoted and actually do some work for once. Oh let us not forget how most of the AULs are favorites of management and are mostly holed up in the Operations Unit, a bastion of favoritism and nepotism.  Seems as if the narrative never changes at CJTS. Like the Isley Brothers sang in their song Fight the Power..."i'm tired of all this bullshit going down.. hey."

Why are YSOs running around wailing and scratching heads over yet another lie told to them by management ? The head in the sand superintendent promised that AULs would work side by side with understaffed YSOs on Units at CJTS. When AULS did come back to work the promise was not delivered. People favored by management went back into the Operations Unit / girl's facility known as Pueblo Unit vowing not to do ANY work. It amazes this writer how grown men and women continually go for the fried horse manure served to them [YSOs] by management. For years one falsehood after another spoken by fork tongued management has been swallowed whole by YSOs. Is it just me or do YSOS feel like punching bags incapable of fighting back??

A LONG AND ARDUOUS JOURNEY

A Long and Arduous Journey

 The conspiracy against activist Cornell Lewis

The Department of Children and Families employed activist Cornell Lewis for over seven years. During this period at DCF and Connecticut Juvenile Training School, management erected barriers to hinder Lewis and expel him as persona non grata. This story is an attempt to tell the story of a black man entering into the toxic environment of agencies proclaiming to protect youth, while rejecting a man for no other reason than white management felt threatened. The following narrative has been collected from verbal and journal sources that this writer had access to.

ENTRY INTO DCF

Cornell Lewis initially was employed at another social service agency in 2007 when he decided to change jobs. His mother was diagnosed with colon cancer and he did not want her suffer the financial cost for treatment. Also there were structural concerns within the agency he worked at, that made it necessary to depart. Cornell talked to several people within DCF to get an idea of the workload and environment. He was told to come to the agency… enter the Child Protective Services department, then transition over to Community Liaison. After taking an entrance exam February 24, 2007 and passing it, Cornell was accepted as a new probationary hire within DCF in October 2007. However when word got out he was coming, there were rumblings from DCF middle management about this outspoken black activist being part of the agency. Would Lewis fit in? Would he conform to the agency milieu? It must also be noted that Lewis was assigned to the Hamilton Street office where a Director knew Lewis. They both were involved in anti-drug and violence campaigns in Hartford, Connecticut against drugs and gangs. This writer spoke with Lewis about entering DCF Hamilton Street office.  “I walked into the DCF office November 9, 2007 for orientation, and remember being escorted to some cubicle in back of a large area. People were looking at me. Due to all the publicity given to me as a result of the anti-drug campaigns, my face was well known. It was like being under some kind of microscope.” Lewis’ cubicle was located near an office that housed his supervisor. It was not until later that the reason for being placed so close to his supervisor became clear. He was being monitored more than other new hires. As Lewis settled into unfamiliar surroundings with the emphasis on volumes of production, people came to his cubicle to either gawk at him, or introduce themselves. When Lewis would talk to people in the office, either they replied cordially or gave him the cold shoulder. When Lewis worked at other social service agencies he often had contact with some of these same DCF workers at Hamilton Street who sought services for their clients. Now when he saw these same people their reaction was different… aloof…dismissive…. afraid.

All workers in the DCF basement worked on computers. Lewis did not receive a computer to work on initially for 30 days. He could only use a computer when another co-worker gave him access to her password. Again this was just another form of obstruction in order to befuddle or stymie Lewis in this new environment. Lewis met with a Director of Hamilton Street and mentioned the lack of a computer and being in possession of another password. At this point the Director said “what, no computer is not acceptable. Also having another employee’s password is prohibited.” The next day Lewis had access to a computer. It still did not dawn on Lewis that dark sinister forces within DCF were attempting to force him out of the facility. After all says Lewis, “I did not come to DCF with any agenda other than, trying to obtain enough money, to help pay for my mother’s cancer treatment in Detroit.” Soon the assignments were coming in for Lewis to   provide services for clients. This included, home visits or seeking resources for children removed from their homes. At the time Lewis did not realize he was being given harder assignments other co-workers could or would not be involved in. For example Lewis was sent to the home of Albanian Muslims. The official story on this family was that one of their boys had an injury that might be considered abuse. What was not told to Lewis is how all DCF workers up to this point had been run away from the Muslim home by the parents, or that DCF workers’ ignorance, and insensitivity to Muslim’s culture, made it difficult to gain entry into the home. Lewis said he went to the home and greeted the family in Arabic As-salamu Alaykum which means “peace be with you.” The greeting and reply from the family managed to get Lewis in the Muslim home. Then there was the time Lewis went to the home of a black female whose kids were removed from school due to allegations of neglect, and placed in a safe home in South Windsor, CT. At this woman’s home the excessive heat and infestation of fleas caused Lewis to end an interview and social history information collection. He had to go home, put his clothing in plastic bags, then shower before returning to work.  During this probationary period of Lewis at DCF, co-workers and management whispered about his outside activities. According to Lewis none of the community activities had anything to do with DCF work. Lewis claims to have shown up for work on time, accepting all assignments given to him. Still comments about him not typing fast enough to turn out several cases daily were grist for rumor mills. When the Director came down with another activist to visit Lewis the entire unit stopped and gawked. Being in the same office as the Director seemed odd to Lewis, he could not talk to his friend for fear of being accused of receiving preferential treatment. In addition to all the other nonsense, middle management in DCF monitored Lewis’ percentage of open or completed cases… always pushing for increased production.

Transfer to Connecticut Juvenile Training School-CJTS

Behind the scenes ominous forces within DCF conspired to remove Lewis out of the Hamilton Street office. A study of Lewis’ work was deemed not satisfactory during his probationary period in 2007-2008( this seems odd, due to the fact Lewis was told he was doing fine by two supervisors).However Lewis was not informed about this development, nor given an opportunity to remedy the situation. People waited until the Director was out of the office at a conference, then tried to ease Lewis out of the facility. Then the Director suddenly came back to the office and discovered the ruse.  At this juncture those detractors of Lewis backed off their position. DCF managers and Human Resources people now looked for cover; questions were asked about why no one informed Lewis about the decision to walk him off DCF property at the end of the work day. Neither was it explained to Lewis that during probation, there were little used clauses allowing this disqualification of the worker if performance requirements were not met. And this tactic is what those people tried to use to terminate Lewis without knowledge of the Director. Well. The word came down to allow Lewis opportunity to correct any problems. However the cabal led by a Latina in Human Resources emitted a Cri de Coeur [an impassioned outcry, as of entreaty or protest] claiming the head of DCF Hamilton Street facility could not be impartial with regard to Lewis. Several weeks passed and the HR Latina version of the hanging Judge Roy Bean, launched an investigation of Lewis on some trivial matter that was grounded in fiction and pixie dust. The trumped up investigation of Lewis ended due to insufficient evidence.

As time progressed, the DCF drama continued with Lewis being scrutinized about aspects of his work that other employees did not have to endure. Several co-workers were not proficient with typing, but they were allowed to get away with this due to inter-office relationships with top management officials. While Lewis always accepted all cases given to him, other workers refused to see certain clients deemed problematic, and no disciplinary actions ever occurred. Try as he might, Lewis could not satisfy those lurking enemies seeking to expunge him from DCF. To use an old phrase, “the handwriting was on the wall” and it was just a matter of time before Lewis succumbed to sinister forces around him. It is worth noting that the hijinks regarding Cornell at this juncture can be called a red herring. The Director made unpopular changes at Hamilton Street office, and ergo, was the real target of all of this foolishness and shenanigans by HR et al. Those low brow managers in DCF did not have courage to attack their Director face to face. Thus blindsiding Cornell Lewis proved another way of striking at the Director. At this juncture Lewis undaunted by the maelstrom surrounding him continued on, determined to save enough money for the cancer treatment of his mother in Detroit. Yet as the saying goes “the best laid plans of mice and men, often go astray.” Lewis soon had to make a decision about whether to continue working in the toxic DCF environment. Workers diametrically opposed to the Director used Lewis as a point of contention; they brought his name up in meetings and even went to the DCF Commissioner sounding portents of doom about Cornell’s activism causing issues inside the agency. One day while working in the office Cornell was informed Congressman John Larson and Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez called Hamilton Street management. Both politicians requested Lewis to attend a meeting May 26, 2008 concerning anti-violence, gangs and drugs at Weaver High School. No one wanted to tell these politicians Lewis is at work now, this led to management asking Lewis if he wanted to go to this event. Lewis replied to management “you make that decision.” Well Lewis went to the event but management resented his going, but also feared the fact politicians were seeking this black male for community activities. Soon HR went back to the DCF Commissioner asking to remove Lewis due to “being disruptive to the workforce.” Lewis claims that the time to depart from DCF seemed imminent. Lewis received telephone calls from friends inside DCF Central Office saying “middle management does not want you here. These people do not want an independent thinker in their midst. They have some type of negative performance report about you.” After hearing this portent of doom, Lewis asked for a transfer to another DCF outpost.

Friends in DCF contacted the Director of Connecticut Juvenile Training School about possibly hiring Lewis. The CJTS Director agreed to meet Lewis. In August of 2008 Lewis met the CJTS Director and was told “you are welcome to join our facility if that is what you want. Cornell, I know what happened to you at Hamilton Street and disapprove, but those people do not appreciate all the work you did to make sure drug dealing criminals did not take over entire Hartford neighborhoods. We can use someone like you at CJTS. We are seeking to change the culture at CJTS from what it presently is, to something more advanced than what it is now. Having you there is the beginning of a process to employ more educated people. If you stick it out for one year I can move you into a position in probation, working with youthful offenders.” Lewis accepted the offer to work at CJTS for less money but to be part of an organization where leadership actually embraced him. Upon hearing about the transfer to CJTS was indeed going to occur, management breathed sighs of release at Hamilton Street; by now Lewis’ co-workers had heard about management’s plan to ease Lewis out the door.  People started making comments about how railroading Lewis did not seem fair, and how Lewis came early and left late.  Now management trying to save face before office employees, set up this meeting with Lewis in an office at the head of several managers, telling people he decided to depart for CJTS.  When Lewis described intentions to transfer to CJTS management assumed the posture of Pilate in the Bible saying “my hands are clean.” September 11, 2008 was Lewis’ last working day at DCF. According to Lewis’ recollection and written sources, “people gathered in an office and gave me apple pie. I told them about the transfer to CJTS in Middletown, CT. Several people were visibly upset and a few women started crying. The supervisors responsible for my demise at DCF needed my help to quiet the natives.  People were not fooled about what was going on." They knew Lewis was hounded out of Hamilton Street office.  According to Lewis account, “it certainly was strange to sit and help your enemy –with kind words for them. Knowing this whole damn thing I went through was orchestrated by enemy forces.” Lewis would descend into another environment more toxic than DCF and with new challenges. Lewis’ first day working as Youth Service Officer at CJTS was on September 12, 2008, he stood outside of the facility and noticed incarcerated youth walking to breakfast dressed in brown pants and blue shirts. These youth marched in lockstep, throwbacks to Southern chain gangs or perhaps slaves destined to be sold at auction. Lewis would be placed in Unit 4-D and there face new perils and forms of racism.

The Conspiracy Begins

 Being on Unit 4-D caused Lewis to learn new systems of dealing with male residents, suspicious co-workers, and a toxic environment. Not to mention a Supervisor with an eighth grade education that felt threatened by Lewis’ presence. Lewis immediately noticed how the Unit Leader assigned another black male supervisor on the Unit to act as some sort of go between. All questions about the Unit were directed through the assigned black male supervisor. The Unit Leader tried to stay away from Lewis and used the black supervisor as a buffer. Perhaps this might be called the tale of two supervisors, one white and ignorant, the other black and politically ambitious. After several months of being monitored on Unit 4-D Lewis talked to some co-workers who explained the new CJTS culture. One male said, “Lewis if you want to work here it is best to follow our script. If you do not work with us, then when problems arise with residents, and you call for assistance-your help will come slow.” In other words co-workers issued their form of implied threat to Lewis. And so the gauntlet was thrown down to Lewis.

Shortly thereafter [2009] Lewis talked with the Director of CJTS. He explained to Lewis that “with your clinical skills it would be better to employ you in another fashion. The school comes to mind or perhaps in some clinical capacity since you have a Master of Education degree in Social Work.”  While the Director of this facility seemed to embrace Lewis’ gifts, other management types at this facility did not. A difference of opinion with another black male YSO brought the leadership running 4-D to exert authority over Lewis, they did this by giving him a letter of verbal warning. To make the point here let us highlight that CJTS management in the years to follow will investigate Lewis over every possible issue, including what he read. One supervisor from 4-D did not understand the contents of books containing political satire and branded Lewis racist. This vindictive supervisor encouraged HR to question Lewis, but no disciplinary actions were taken by CJTS. Every restraint of any resident Lewis engaged in brought management scrutiny [let it be noted top echelon management were white]. When Lewis sent management email concerns about safety issues on the Unit, it brought reprisals. When management discovered Lewis spoke by telephone with The Child Advocate in July of 2009 it only angered the hierarchy within DCF / CJTS. In addition, anarchists delivered letters to Governor Jodi Rell  and DCF Commissioner Susan Hamilton describing Lewis’ viewpoints about CJTS racism. Activists and Lewis met with Gov. Rell’s Chief of Staff to discuss CJTS. The year 2009 saw renewed attacks by white management on Lewis plus other workers of color at CJTS. Lewis needed allies to fight back against the toxic CJTS culture, and on October 2, 2009 help appeared in the form of a black female supervisor.

Help is Coming

In October 2009 Lewis and activists passed out flyers in neighborhoods of color in Hartford’s Northend about DCF /CJTS. A No DCF Zone was created in which posters proclaiming DCF workers were exploiting people of color were posted.

A female supervisor approached Lewis one day in October 2009 at work and said did you ever consider filing lawsuits about racism or hostile workplace against CJTS, Cornell?  The conversation lasted for 20 minutes. Lewis agreed that such a lawsuit would be of value. And so on that day Lewis crossed the Rubicon and there would be no turning back. It did not appear employees at CJTS were interested in legal action against CJTS, but eventually two women and three men obtained a lawyer who agreed to represent the group known as the DCF Plantation 5. That group had one goal in mind - use legal action to expose CJTS’ racism. The white hierarchy continued using black managers to attack Lewis in some fashion. In October 2009 a black Director of Residential Care (DRC) at CJTS called Lewis while he worked on Unit 4D and asked the following question: “Cornell, were you working on this specific day and time? There is someone at CJTS [female] who claims some male from your Unit answered the telephone when she called. This male then made remarks that she considered inappropriate.” Lewis listened to the remark this woman said was made, then Lewis answered NO. I never said any such thing. Lewis also asked why the DRC and woman thought he made such comments. The DRC replied after looking at the video tape of the Unit it appears YOU MIGHT be the only one around at that time, although we cannot be sure. To make a long story short, the lady never asked whom she spoke to and even waited 12 days before reporting this nonsense. The DRC actually met with Lewis and the Union Representative, then the case against Lewis was dismissed. In addition members of the gay community volunteered to assist Lewis in fighting DCF. For years Lewis wrote news stories in support of LGBT rights in the three black Hartford newspapers. Those people in the gay community did not forget Lewis as some so called friends would in the future.

Trying to Organize the Masses

Cornell Lewis attempted to organize CJTS workers during 2009-2011 to no avail. YSOs were so accustomed to being victimized by white racist management inside CJTS that fear had been expertly inserted in employees. There were no employees brave enough to stand against the many forms injustice took at that facility. Oh a few brave souls signed Lewis’ petitions to management about certain issues, but nothing else. Fear stalked CJTS; in addition people only wanted to work overtime, nothing else seem to matter. Disgruntled YSOs would grumble in the hallways during school hours or in their particular Units. Lewis told this writer “I never saw such mentally beaten down people like the YSOs working at CJTS.” Some of the workers complained Lewis tactics to expose management only made things at CJTS worse. A few employees even suggested Lewis stop “stirring up trouble.” In November 2009 the DCF Commissioner contacted Lewis through a high ranking black official located within Central Office which is the main headquarters… 505 Hudson Street. This black official said the commissioner wanted to meet and discuss issues such as the No DCF Zone created by activists in Hartford’s Northend. By now the office of Governor Rell issued an order that ALL DCF offices and facilities hold Courageous Conversations about race. In exchange for the conversations on race Lewis agreed not to disrupt the upcoming Veterans Day Parade in Hartford.

Challenging White Supremacy

The DCF Plantation 5 met with an attorney to begin the process of launching their lawsuit against DCF / CJTS over racism issues. According to Lewis this lawsuit was meant to shake the foundations of white supremacy and challenge people in the white apartheid DCF system. Finally in July 2010 the lawsuit was filed in court with sighs of relief from the DCF Plantation 5.  Now the fight was really on. In order to inculcate into the thinking of CJTS white apartheid management Lewis et al. were serious, a series of strategic actions were taken. Lewis also accessed Freedom of Information documents from DCF which revealed how leaders in state agencies viewed him. There were emails from CJTS to DCF asking how to supervise Lewis, and to be careful in responding to his inquiries. In addition Lewis’s Unit Leader asked for meetings with CJTS management to discuss methods of interacting with Lewis.

Oct. 14, 2011 An Associated Press reporter interviewed CJTS Superintendent about Lewis proposed hunger strike. Such actions by the Fourth Estate challenged white supremacy inside the CJTS Plantation and made Cornell Lewis number one on management’s hate list.

Oct 17, 2011 Lewis began hunger strike to protest racism at CJTS that ended after 8 days.

Oct. 22, 2011 Two State Representatives agree to host public hearing in June about Lewis et al. complaints of CJTS racism.

Jan. 5, 2012 two white female anarchists deliver letters to CJTS / DCF hierarchy describing racism

 Feb 5, 2012 rally outside CJTS with megaphones and multi- ethnic group about Lewis

Note: Lewis met with DCF Commissioner once in her office and again at CJTS over racism complaints

In 2011 Lewis appeared on several radio programs discussing racism at DCF / CJTS.

Agency Retaliation

In Oct. 2012 two residents fought in a room at CJTS. Lewis and two YSOs were looking at a computer screen during the fight at non work related issues. The trio of YSOs continued working until on Nov. 9, 2012 white management placed all three workers on paid administrative leave over the incident, citing Neglect of Duty as the cause. In reality this move by management was an attempt to get rid of Lewis. What made the maneuver of placing these men on administrative leave an acceptable risk is this, one YSO was Hispanic, the other Caucasian. Ergo if questioned about whether the move could be construed as racism, management only had to point out the ethnicity of the three YSOs. However the real motive was to get rid of Lewis at all costs. After secretly hatching their viper like plans, white management made a decision Nov. 9, 2012 to act upon three YSOs so-called neglect. Lewis continued holding DCF /CJTS accountable for promoting racism. Cornell gave a speech at Central Connecticut State University Dec. 8, 2012 in New Britain about racism in both state agencies. In the midst of all of the intrigue something happened that caught Lewis’ attention. Someone called from DCF Central Office on Dec. 12^th and said “CJTS administration is going to terminate all three of you over this incident on Unit 4-D. But Cornell they [administration] really are targeting you.” Lewis was also put on DCFs Central Registry as being a threat to children. This disqualified Lewis from working with children or earning a living. By this underhanded move, DCF tried to make Lewis submit to a settlement. Now the plot thickens because while Lewis et al. were waiting for the fatuous nonsense from management to proceed, other ripples began to surface within CJTS.

 Rats deserting the Ship

Lewis felt that management’s revenge was the only card playable by desperate people. Then another sort of problem arose when friends of Lewis basically abandoned him at CJTS and in the community. Lewis recounted how on Jan. 5, 2013 a teacher working at CJTS said this to him “your activism is causing backlash from management. Cornell, innocent people are paying for management’s witch hunt.” Lewis told this writer “man, those comments caught me off guard. Never thought this friend would say that to me. I knew this person 15 years, had been to their home and met the spouse. We were friends at least in my mind. It did not enter my thinking as to being rejected by my friend.” However the person [who is white] did what would become a familiar pattern, fear and threat of possible loss of income through DCF, fueled what was happening. In the months to follow more so called friends –black and white- would shun Lewis like he possessed leprosy. In the Greater Hartford Community agencies depending on DCF for grants or funding did not want to associate with Lewis. When Lewis applied for jobs he got rejected. One black run agency head said during an interview, “the subject has come up in meetings how you are working against DCF in the community. You know, Cornell, we receive grants from DCF and have to be careful.”  [translation-they were saying white folks will cut us off if you are hired]. This writer asked Lewis how being rejected by friends affected him. “At first my mind felt numb with disbelief, then it made me angry. Later I decided to keep pushing on and crossed all those betrayers off my friend list for life. To hell with all of them.”

Buried Alive Under Paperwork

The next phase in this DCF melodrama came in the form of meetings / paperwork by DCF. Lewis’ lawyer Lewis Chimes went to several meetings with Lewis about what supposedly happened on Unit 4-D when two youth fought. DCF /CJTS claimed one of the residents suffered a concussion even though no data was presented to bolster their claim. At the DCF legal lynching Lewis listened ad nauseum to DCF officials [primarily white females], describe what he did and the need for him to show remorse. What intrigued Lewis was how all these meetings and paperwork were used as cudgels to beat him into submission. At some of these Kangaroo Court proceedings the administrators trotted out black people to participate in Lewis’ legal lynching. During meetings on Capitol Avenue Lewis sat in front of a black man who was nothing more than a modern version of Buckwheat. In DCF Central Office white management trotted out some smiling black female during legal hearings and let her lead the charge against him. However it was not that black folks were sent against Lewis that bothered him so much. Those white females who sat before Lewis at certain hearings continued to say how he did not show true remorse for what happened. Yet Lewis did say he regretted not paying attention and that this fight took place. What these white female Kangaroo Court leaders really meant was Lewis did not grovel enough before white supremacy to satisfy them. Lewis said no matter what he did, these people were hell bent on using process and procedure to lynch him. He decided not to bow down. When Lewis went to file for unemployment benefits, DCF sent the head of Human Resources to oppose it. At every turn white supremacy tried burying a black man who confronted racism within DCF /CJTS.

Day of Reckoning - Lewis Terminated

Charades continued against Lewis for over a year before DCF finally made the decision to fire him. On July 1, 2013 Lewis was summoned to DCF disciplinary hearing at 1:30 pm at 505 Hudson Street, Central Office. During another dog and pony show Lewis listened to the CJTS Superintendent utter verbal swill about Lewis’ neglect of duties at CJTS. After listening to both the Human Resources person and Superintendent of CJTS it was Lewis’ turn to speak. He read a statement that was hard hitting and denounced the people sitting across from him as distorters of the truth. Then management stood and walked out of the room. On July 3, 2013 the Union representing Lewis called and said “as of today DCF / CJTS officially fired you.” This action came on the same day a black newspaper published a very strongly worded article Lewis wrote for the Hartford Inquirer. However the other two YSOs in this case did not get terminated. One of the YSOs was given back his job after DCF found him guilty of minor infractions. Let it be noted the other YSO made some kind of agreement with DCF for minimal disciplinary action.

Home Stretch-Arbitration

DCF decided to remove any offers made to Lewis since him being placed on administrative leave and seek arbitration. The white supremacists obviously thought they could win in arbitration, then shut Lewis out in toto. During the time of 2013- 2014 the arbitration hearings dragged on with DCF presenting 12 witnesses against Lewis. It was the purpose of hostile DCF management to try and overwhelm the arbitrator with so-called facts. The arbitrator however said she did not need all those witnesses and could read some of the documentation presented instead. In the end DCF decided not to cross examine Lewis. The Union representing Lewis questioned him and laid out their case that social activism about injustice at CJTS was the catalyst for Lewis being terminated. All kinds of documentation against Lewis was presented and finally the decision came down. On July 11, 2014 it was announced Cornell Lewis won his arbitration against DCF/ CJTS. Now the racist organization would be faced with placing Lewis back on the job or making some sort of settlement. Lewis said to this writer about the arbitration victory. “It [firing and final arbitration victory] certainly did take a lot out of me to fight these people. However my conviction not to quit carried me through this ordeal. I achieved lots of insights about how so called friends betrayed me and who stood with me during these perilous times. A few gray hairs suddenly showed in my beard but it was worth it." DCF management let it be known any settlement offer would include Lewis not returning to work. This stipulation came about because CJTS workers were elated over Lewis victory and awaited his return. YSOs asked Lewis to be the chief Union Steward at CJTS, and management did not want this to occur.

DCF finally paid Lewis a financial settlement not to come back to work. He accepted the offer and moved on to another job.

When Lewis’ victory over the DCF apartheid organization became public knowledge, people in the black / Hispanic communities were elated. Lewis was congratulated by people of color in public places and through private conversations. For many years DCF / CJTS rode roughshod over people of color in the community and at their facilities. Finally someone [Lewis] beat them at their own game.

RIOTERS ON UNIT 6 B CLEARED OF CHARGES, THREE EMPLOYESS HURT DUE TO MIXED MESSAGES FROM MANAGEMENT

The sources within the Connecticut Juvenile Training School report more dysfunctional actions by Key Stone Cops management. This blog reported last week how residents on Unit 6B refused to go into their room and staff were close to calling the State Police. Well, thankfully residents were finally ushered into their rooms without incident. However Supervisors on Unit 6B came to the conclusion that residents needed to be cleared of all charges against them -associated with the riot. It defies all explanation as to why management cleared residents of charges due to rioting. Sources report this is clearing residents of responsibility for their actions is par for the course from 6Bsupervisors. It seems there are tendencies from management to pamper residents or look at them through the eyes of Oprah or Dr. Phil. CJTS has no direction as to how residents shall be disciplined. All Unit Leaders act independently as it relates to discipline, there is no rule of law at the facility.

When Unit 6B supervisors absolved residents of riot charges it sent the wrong message. Even the resident caught with a sharpened half of broom stick handle in his room was given the proverbial slap on the hand for discipline. Now after the broom stick man got off the hook, he of course acted out behaviorally. Rumor has it the broom stick man acted out in the CJTS school and refused to adhere to staff directions. He threatened to hit male Youth Service Officers. When this resident tried to hit a female YSO three males were attempting to restrain him. However a former Director of Residential Care who now works as Operations Officers gave orders not to handcuff the residents. Then this resident ran out of the school onto CJTS grounds. The residents broke out windows in the green house and other buildings. At this juncture three male YSOs were forced to restraint this resident, and in the process were hurt. Now all three YSOs are out on Workers Compensation due to indecisive actions of management.

In the words of singer Marvin Gaye "makes me want to holler, throw up both my hands."

NEAR RIOT ON UNIT 6B BY RESIDENTS STATE POLICE NEARLY CALLED, PORNOGRAPHIC LITERATURE IN THE ROOMS

The report is that last night 5/5/16 eight residents out of thirteen on Unit 6B at Connecticut Juvenile Training School refused to enter their rooms. Unit 6B houses older residents ages 16-18. Sources report how employees threatened to call State Police if residents did not comply. Finally residents went into their rooms. However the larger issue that led to the riot on Unit 6B is that Unit Supervisors are allowing residents to circumvent  CJTS rules. For example when room searches are conducted on Unit 6B by Youth Service Officers, and contraband confiscated, it is given back to residents. Yeah you are reading correctly, Unit Supervisors playing Oprah or Dr. Phil give back contraband items. One complaint is that on the walls of residents in Unit 6B hangs pictures of suggestive sexual nature ... namely pornography. However the rumors are that Unit Supervisors give the pictures back as a method of appeasement to older problematic residents.
In addition it is reported how residents write to CJTS Superintendent about staff and the residents are believed. Now this leads residents to act out and consequently not enter their rooms. Let the record show that CJTS is dysfunctional and management incompetent.

DECISIONS BY MANAGEMENT CAUSING PROBLEMS, EMPLOYEE THREATENS TO SHOOT PEOPLE OVER LAYOFFS, RESIDENT HAS LARGE SHANK,

The last few remaining Youth Service Officers and other employees at Connecticut Juvenile Training School have strong views about the demise of that facility. Recent emails to dcfplantation@gmail.com read like the hurt feelings of a jilted lover. Last year the Childs Advocate in CT issued a critical report about YSOs abusing residents during restraints. After the report came out -with the whistle blowing of right wing white male YSO- lawmakers rushed forth to close CJTS. However the legislators in CT declared any closure of this facility MIGHT occur in 2018 ; of course the script changed and under cover of budget cuts the Governor's office began layoffs at CJTS. YSOs declare emphatically that weak leadership by the current CJTS Superintendent and headline seeking by Child Advocate Office have created unsafe conditions. For example, last week, residents were being escorted to lunch in the dining hall went fights occurred on the grounds outside. There are not enough staff available to break up disputes, ergo, this humbug continued until residents tired. In the past YSOs would be streaming out of Unit to end such fights. There is only one cook at the facility for second shift [ no other shifts have cooks ], and grass is cut on one side of the grounds but allowed to grow high in other places-due to layoffs of ground keepers.

During the week of April 18th layoff notices for employees at CJTS caused unintended consequences for KeyStone Cops management. A male Caucasian employee became irate over being laid off at CJTS. This white male employee then threatened to shoot people due to his being laid off. Someone called the State Police who arrived on the scene and promptly arrested the employee accused of threatening.

How did a resident on Unit 6B bring half a sharpened broom handle into his room undetected? It is not uncommon for residents at CJTS to make knives or shanks then threaten YSOs. However due to reduction in staff through layoffs, room / resident searches vanished like the dinosaurs. To make matters worse the resident then tried to injure some poor YSO with HALF A BROOM HANDLE. There are numerous stories like this circulating around CJTS that YSOs attribute to layoffs.. creating safety concerns.
"And the band played on."

THE CJTS PLANTATION IN DEATH THROES, DISINGENUOUS LETTER FROM TEACHERS,LAYOFFS

The Connecticut Juvenile Training School is in the midst of death throes due to a variety of forces. Last year CT lawmakers toured the facility after reports from a so called right wing whistle blower claimed residents mistreatment by Youth Service Officers [ YSOs ]. With inordinate amounts of publicity focused on "a so called culture of abuse by YSOs" by media et al. [ and others ] the clarion call went out from politicians to close  'the snake pit' known as CJTS. However the KeyStone Cops management at CJTS went so far as to blame the troubles at that facility on YSOs and chose a blackman named Dupree as the face of unlawful restraints. Dupree at that time worked as a YSO and got singled out for being overly aggressive ; let me also add Dupree is over 200 plus pounds of muscle and young, ergo he fit the description of the hulking or marauding blackman. I digress from the point of this story. Now CJTS is facing dwindling numbers of residents [ down to 35 ] at this juncture and reduced staff by virtue of layoffs. It is safe to conclude that this facility is in the midst of death throes and might be fazed out of existence in toto by 2018.

While looking in local newspapers my eye came across this story about teachers at CJTS. It seems as if teachers got together and wrote several letters describing how the staff reductions and other draconian measures affected the ability of residents to gain an education. Please forgive my words, "but this is complete hogwash coming from the teachers." All of a sudden these people are coming forth to declare how terrible it is CJTS is depriving residents of their learning. If these same educators were to speak truth, then they might point out how management dysfunctional actions in running that facility did more to affect these residents than anything else. In addition to mismanagement, teachers never spoke-up about clear examples of bias or racism directed toward employees of color. Hell, how many black teachers were employed by CJTS over the years?? Never heard these teachers wax eloquent about the paucity of educators of color in their school. While the DCF Plantation Five launched a class action / racial discrimination lawsuit against CJTS, these same TEACHERS SAID NARY A DAMN WORD. Now since teachers jobs are being phased out, these educators want to write letters and make them public. Hey teachers please take those missives and shove them where the sun don't shine.

Several emails to dcfplantation.com commented on the 70 layoffs at the CJTS plantation recently. We have discovered that all the Unit Leaders were laid off, plus five Directors of Residential Care. Naturally the largest layoffs are YSOs. Now it is reported that the lack of YSO per shift is creating safety issues while dealing with those remaining 35-40 residents. Most Units are staffed by females with only one male per shift. It has been be reported before this is an all male facility, and the lack of adequate male staff during working hours poses problems... at least for staff. There is a picture of CJTS staff standing across the street from their facility while this State Representative reads some document having to do with layoffs. Let me say those staff members and YSOs looked real sad. Well it is time to face reality. YSOs got played for suckers by CJTS management and state officials.

SIXTY FIVE LAYOFFS , NO PLAN FOR UNIT COSOLIDATION, " I'M ALL SHOOK UP"

The Connecticut Juvenile Training School is winding down as an institution and will close soon. At this juncture outside forces have determined CJTS is an albatross hanging around the neck of Connecticut. Now the Governor of Connecticut Danel Malloy has decided to layoff 65 people as part of  balancing of the state budget. After years of running CJTS into the ground administratively and blaming it on the Youth Service Officers, now layoffs come first to CJTS. To be sure, the budget cuts are coming and will touch all segments of CT services. However it is interesting to note ordinary YSOs receive the economic axe first.

KeyStone Cops administrators at CJTS are busy closing Units where residents are housed. After closing Units, administrators seem to be just tossing workers pell-mell together. It is reported since the closing of Units many YSOs are not working cohesively with each other. Yet another example of buffoonery from the KeyStone Cops administrators concerning this tossing workers together with no thought behind it.

Since the clarion call went out to close CJTS workers seemed stunned. There is much wailing and thrashing around about layoffs and loss of income for ordinary employees. Yet it is safe to say that if courageous YSOs would have spoken up about all the injustice around racism, overtime abuse and administrative dysfunctional acts..... things might be different.

SUPERVISOR THAT ABUSES WORKER COMPENSATION IS BACK ON THE JOB

This writer has posted stories about the Connecticut Juvenile Training School Supervisor that abuses Worker Compensation. The Supervisor known for baking cookies [ during work time ] has consistently over a five year period missed months at a time claiming injury. The female in question is allowed to abuse the system and get away with something that CJTS administrators will not tolerate from Youth Service Officers. Why is there a difference in how Unit Supervisors are handled and YSOs are treated ?

It is a shame before God how KeyStone Cops administrators allow this one particular Unit Supervisor to abuse Worker Compensation.

Well, I heard during the most recent so called injury, this Unit Supervisor had fun-at Fox Woods Casino. She cannot work, but she can gamble !!

WHERE IS THE CRI DE COEUR OVER THIS INCIDENT ?

The term Cri de Coeur is defined as "an impassioned outcry, as of entreaty or protest." On March 19,2016 an email to DCF Plantation from Little Mother Jones brought to light an incident that is known, but not spoken about. Little Mother Jones reports that a certain DCF Plantation official has a "known sex offender living with them." Now to make matters even worse [ according to Little Mother Jones ] the DCF Plantation official "knows the person is a non compliant sex offender" yet chooses to still have them around children in the home. This same official has been involved in dubious activities  on the DCF plantation and off grounds with other employees after hours. Yet officials that administer the Department of Children and Families ignored the inappropriate behaviors of this person that is employed by them. Where is the Cri de Coeur over yet another incident concerning this well placed administrator that gets to ignore rules, not only on the plantation, and gets protection. It might be that the official mentioned as harboring a known sex offender is white, and ergo part of the apartheid regime.

You can rest assured that no preferential treatment was given to other ordinary employees who raised issues of racial discrimination or egalitarian rights for people of color. When Youth Service Officers engaged in suspect behaviors at Connecticut Juvenile Training School [ on property or when not at work ], the full policy weight of that facility fell on YSOs in order to discipline them. In the near future the incident mentioned above will come to light and once again embarrass DCF Plantation hierarchy.

SOME UNIONS HAVE FORGOTTEN THEIR BEGINNINGS AND NOW SEEK ACCOMMODATION WITH MORIBUND POLITICIANS

The activist talked about reaching out to Unions in different parts of Connecticut about social praxis around issues of egalitarian rights. After all if one reads the History of The Labor Movement by Philip S.Foner, then it is clear Unions were started and nurtured on protest. In one of Foner's three volume sets "From Colonial Times to the Founding of The American Federation of Labor" it is clear Unions and the people who believe in them also embrace praxis. However the activist who contacted this blog writer encountered another type of Union person, those that seek to avoid confrontation with oppressors. The activist said that recent attempts to organize labor forces into action this coming April met with push back. It seems as if other Unions outside of Hartford- led by organizers who either do not know labor history or don't care about it- are not willing to engage in street protests as part of a comprehensive strategy to attack oppression. At several meetings youthful labor organizers equated street protest with "hollering and screaming." Yes it is true that when the subject of peaceful demonstrations were broached the Union folks said "we do not want to be disorganized by hollering and screaming. We would rather talk to lawmakers. " Now it is clear that these neo-Union organizers not only have lost the dream and vision of Unions, but equate the mainstay of labor protest as "disorganized hollering and screaming."

Over the last few decades comments such as the people in Unions outside of Hartford made are part and parcel of a malaise known as accommodation with the oppressor. Just walking into buildings and talking to lawmakers is only one part of strategy. Talking is another form of praxis, both verbal discussion and direct action are necessary to impinge on the oppressor they must address needs of the unwashed masses. What the activist told this writer is how current Union leadership outside of Hartford is scared of street protests and getting arrested; lumping both with mindless activity on the part of the uneducated. The demise of once powerful labor Unions have happened due to tepid responses to oppression; powerful forces cut budgets and resources to the poor and needy but Union officials want to enter into endless disputations, verbal masturbation, with short term relief. Is it any wonder why the powerful no longer fear Labor Unions? I would not fear weak in the knee, vacillating people from these labor forces either, all they are going to do is sit down for "fruitful discussions" with oppressors who do not care about what is being said. Hell, they know you are scared and you prove it by wanting to avoid direct action.

In conclusion some of the great labor leaders of the past must be turning over in their graves about these tepid and spineless Union people outside of Hartford, and their refusal to hit the streets.

SILENCE OF WHITE PROFESSIONALS ON THE PLANTATION SEALED THE WORKER'S FATE

The Youth Service Officers at Connecticut Juvenile Training School have been betrayed by two groups. When the workers were trying to fight racial injustice on the plantation at CJTS the management -which is basically  all white - came out to thwart the aspirations of the unwashed masses. Key Stone Cops management singled out suspected agitators, used right wing YSOs to intimidate workers, and disciplined those fighting against injustice. From a historical point of view it is understood that those in power will do whatever is necessary to maintain their position. In the words of Shakespeare.... Macbeth reads "to be a king is nothing, unless one's position is safe." Well white management certainly tried to make sure no one threatened that lofty perch they sat on.

However the second betrayal at CJTS came at the hands of white professionals like clinical social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and teachers. The majority of these white professionals are women and watched in silence as the scene of rampant racism, nepotism, giving overtime to favored staff took place. In the mean time back at the ranch, these silent white professionals went about their task "of trying to get the minds right" with incarcerated residents. Now the CJTS plantation is about to lay off YSOs who are mostly people of color, because outside forces want to shut down the facility. While YSOs wait for their pink slips the white professionals have started to slither off to other places of employment, they see the reduction in residents from 150 to 40, and started deserting CJTS like rats off a sinking ship. The facility might not have been run into the ground by management, nor racial injustices taken place, if those white professionals spoke the truth to power. But the white folks collected pay checks, talked to the natives [ incarcerated residents ] in their natural habitat, and did not utter one damn word about what went on in terms of racial injustices. White professionals were drinking from the cup of white privilege.

Let me be as clear as I can be. The CJTS plantation is closing down because excesses occurred that diminished human beings who worked there; a culture of abuse took place for so long until even those that supported the white supremacy at CJTS could no longer ignore the facts. White management did everything possible to hide what was going on, and this includes putting blame for issues at the facility on YSOs like Dupree, former employee Cornell Lewis, current YSO Kevin Strachen, current supervisor Linette Gaunichaux. By the way all of those just mentioned are people of color, ergo, white management just followed in the old American tradition of "blame it on black folk.

In conclusion we must correctly state how the silence of white professionals contributed to years of dysfunctional activity on the CJTS plantation and abuse of workers of color. Desmond TuTu wrote  "to be neutral in a situation of injustice is to have chosen sides already. It is to support the status quo."

THEY SAID NO CHANGES FOR TWO YEARS THEN LIED; VISITING ROOM UNSAFE

The howls and anguish coming from Youth Service Officers at Connecticut Juvenile Training School can be heard throughout the state. When the Childs Advocate office released a scathing report about CJTS abuse of resident restraints, incompetence of management in running the facility, abuse of overtime it was like some sort of revelation from heaven. Suddenly people started investigations, lawmakers visited CJTS, used information from a right wing whistle blower and then proclaimed AMEN ! After all the employees got over their untold agonies from the sudden media attention management stepped in to calm the unwashed masses. It was widely reported how DCF Plantation management assured anxious employees "no significant changes at CJTS would come for two years." Now it has been reported the management lied to employees and are now preparing to layoff YSOs in a few weeks. This is just the latest example of bait and switch management foisted upon the unwashed masses [ employees ] under mordant leaders. YSOs are literally befuddled by being laid off ; why are employees mystified about the double speak? For years YSOs accepted the verbal swill doled out by management to employees, now it is clear that plantation leaders did not give a flying shit about them.

After this blog revealed how there are no longer staff present in CJTS visiting rooms, and monitoring is done from within a sealed off control booth- emails started coming in to DCF Plantation blog. The main complaint is this " there are residents and gang members that go to that visiting room. These groups often have 'beefs' and fight. How can you put unsupervised factions in one small area and hope to prevent problems? If fights occur how can someone in a control booth come into the visiting room in time if riot situations occur. They [ management ] are placing employees in dangerous positions." 

Well, "as the world turns."

TOUGH TIMES AT THE PLANTATION ; VISITS; LAYOFFS; DECREASED POPULATION

The Connecticut Juvenile Training School has indeed fallen on tough times due to incompetence and mismanagement by supervisors.  At one point there were over 150 residents at CJTS, Youth Service Officers worked overtime and took home outrageous paychecks. Alas, those halcyon days are but a distant memory. These days the DCF Plantation is but a mere shadow of what it once appeared to be ; under leadership of an ostrich [ ducking head in the ground to ignore troubles ]  like superintendent and dysfunctional supervisors CJTS hit rock bottom. It has been reported that last Saturday CJTS allowed outsiders to come for visits of residents but failed to provided staff to sit and monitor the visiting area. In light of the fact people try sneaking in contraband [ remember how someone tried sneaking in a loaded 380. automatic gun? ] this seemed odd. There are sources indicating that KeyStone Cops management had people in an enclosed control booth watching visitors. However monitoring from a booth is far different than YSOs inside the visiting area, rumor has it the idea is to cut down on overtime by not having anyone monitoring inside the visiting room 11am-3pm.

The DCF Commissioner sent out an email last week about laying off employees at CJTS  due to a reduction in residents at that facility. Now that facility is only going to house 40 residents. I wonder if some of those over paid supervisors that do not work will be on the laid off list. For years management milked the State of Connecticut for large salaries while running CJTS into the ground. In all fairness the first heads to roll should be management layoffs.

The Units where residents live are usually staffed with enough people to handle situations and effectively monitor residents. Now it is reported KeyStone Cops management is running these Units with only TWO staff while having ONE staff  float between both Units. All of this is being done o save money on overtime.
 Ah, how the mighty hath fallen from their lofty perch. It must be noted how mismanagement for years at CJTS caused this current dilemma to manifest itself ; years of not addressing racial injustice among employees, allowing overtime to be doled out to management favorite employees, sexual peccadilloes between male managers and a certain $80,000 per year female supervisor, right wing persecution by the so called whistle blower about wrong doing at CJTS, not to mention YSOs not speaking up about troubles at the plantation -led to this current situation.  For sometime this blog reported on CJTS and how the joint was a cesspool of racial injustice, nepotism, overpaid and under educated supervisors, but very few people listened to our clarion voice shouting from the mountain top. Then the Child Advocate investigated allegations of improper resident restraints, also lawmakers visited the facility plus held hearings about it. Now after all of this activity people started asking tough questions about what the hell was and still is going on at the CJTS Plantation.

And as one reporter use to say "now you have the rest of the story."

THE HOUSE NEGROES WORKING ON THE PLANTATION / BLAKE AND TORRES ARE ASSAULTED

When February comes around people begin preparations for Black History Month celebrations. There are songs, poetry readings, guest speakers and events all over Connecticut. However within the Department of Children and Families there are Negroes who willing do the work of helping oppress employees of color. Take for example the Negro at Office of Labor relations who is trotted out whenever there are disciplinary or arbitration cases needing to be defended by DCF. This Negro sits on the side of the oppressor while trying to prove DCF is correct in handing out punishment against some employee of color. It is reported that this same Negro is always utilized for the benefit of an apartheid  hierarchy within DCF Hudson Street office.

Next it is reported DCF has several high placed Negroes at the Hudson Street headquarters who sell out their people. Sources report a black female with a firm grasp on the English language is trotted out during legal proceeding. She sits with designed eyeglasses on and speaks to the employee of color under investigation for some charge while white management looks on and takes copious notes. She is paid handsomely for her betrayal. Then there is the story of a black male elevated to management status at Hudson street who acts like a parrot for the commissioner. When they are out in public and the commissioner is asked questions about racial matters within DCF, the elevated Negro comes to the commissioner's defense. Community leaders are complaining how this male elevated Negro once walked among black people in Hartford and was respected by them, now he seems to have drank the Kool-Aid of being part of the white gate masters machine, and speaks like a parrot for the commissioner of DCF.

Blake and Torres are two Youth Service Officers that work at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School plantation. It is reported that both of these men were and are still injured due to an attack by an incarcerated resident. This same resident has continually assaulted employees while chanting " you folks cannot do anything to me." These words are being uttered by this resident because Key Stone Cops management at CJTS are now afraid to discipline residents and instruct employees to decrease restraints. CJTS management are dysfunctional in good times and now are scared since intense media attention about the facility. YSOs were blamed for using harsh restraints and management used YSOs as scapegoats.. throwing them under the bus. Since CT lawmakers tried to close CJTS there is a feeling of impending doom hovering over the facility like storm clouds. And since management is now treading on egg shells, the YSOs have been instructed not to discipline residents or restrain them when it is needed. Ergo, Blake and Torres go to answer an assistance call on Unit 6D and cannot effectively use restraint tactics on the out of control resident. This means half hearted measures were implemented and Blake / Torres are now injured.

SUPERVISOR CHOKES RESIDENT / TWO EMPLOYEES ASSAULTED ON UNIT 5C

The words sang by Fats Waller years ago ring true at Connecticut Juvenile Training School "the joint is jumping." It has been reported to DCF Plantation blog that several weeks ago an incident involving a restraint gone bad happened in building six. The story reported to this writer goes like this. A supervisor walked into building six and was told by an incarcerated youth "do not come near me." This same youth had previously been restrained by the supervisor and claimed excessive force was used. After telling the supervisor not to come near him, something occurred that is raising eyebrows among Youth Service Officers at CJTS. For reasons yet unexplained the supervisor grabbed the youth by his neck, picked him of the ground, then held him against the wall. Sources report all this WWE Smack Down type action by the supervisor is recorded on camera by management. However it is not known whether any discipline was meted out to the supervisor for improper use of this throat hold technique. Now the supervisor is sitting in the operations office and given more responsibility than running a Unit in building # 6.

Let us return to a scenario from years ago. YSOs Kevin Strachen and Scott Beck were involved in restraints of residents and supposedly used improper techniques. It is alleged the resident in question years ago was choked by Strachen. Well, management in their wisdom gave Strachen 30 days off without pay. Now years later we have something caught on camera by someone in a position of authority but nothing -up to this point- has been done in terms of discipline toward the supervisor. Is it possible that management has one standard for supervisors and another for YSOs? This writer might also add that the supervisor accused of implementing the throat hold has been in dire circumstances at CJTS before and given another chance to redeem himself. However YSOs Strachen and Beck were hounded and vilified by management about their restraint.

Ping Pong Paddle Attack.
Sources report that on Unit 5C an attack by a resident on YSOs took place. Such incidents happen frequently on the CJTS Plantation and are part of the culture. In this case though sources inside CJTS say perhaps the assaults could have been prevented if management did not act like Key Stone Cops with different orders shouted in all directions. It is reported that the resident on Unit 5C did not comply with staff directives, words were exchanged and the resident went into his room with ping pong paddles. One management person ordered staff to go into the resident's room with a mattress in front in order to prevent injury to them. Another management said no use impact cushions instead of mattress. When YSOs used the impact cushions the resident injured them with ping pong paddles, now YSOs are out on Workers Compensation because of injury. "Now you have the rest of the story."

LETTER ASKING FOR FACILITY NOT TO CLOSE BUT NO LETTER ABOUT INJUSTICES

There are people working at Connecticut Juvenile Training School and in the community wondering about sudden concern about that facility possibly closing. Harsh criticism by lawmakers and Child Advocates Office in 2015 made CJTS  look bad. The letter written and printed by the Hartford Courant newspaper detailed how CJTS school system is making a difference in the lives of incarcerated residents. However there are several things that need to be pointed out from this writer's perspective. First, reliable sources report how many of the students in CJTS's school system make little progress and "Johnny still can't read" once they depart that facility. Indeed -according to sources- many of the residents in school enter unable to read or write, then leave the same way. Second, now it seems the teachers at this school are speaking out about not closing the facility and for other than  noble reasons, they do not want to lose their jobs. People might reply this is harsh criticism of employees writing in support of CJTS remaining open. Yes it is harsh because there were other times at CJTS when white management treated employees of color in horrible fashion- disproportionate disciplines and terminations, allowing right wing workers to single out blacks for ill treatment, white female Youth Service Officers calling residents of color "porch monkeys", not to mention management placing higher scrutiny on black workers. Where were the letters to advocate on behalf of injustice run amok at the CJTS Plantation ?

How can you write eloquently about keeping open CJTS for " those unfortunate residents" in order to educate them, when statistics point out [ sources say ] those same residents ( mostly of color ) do not perform any better in reading or writing? Again it must be highlighted how when  employees tried to enlist the aid of these teachers in fighting racism against black Youth Service Officers no such letters were forthcoming !! On the contrary teachers retreated into their shell and remained silent. When the DCF Plantation 5 launched their lawsuit against CJTS those teachers kept their heads in the sand, doing a good ostrich imitation. When petitions were passed around by CJTS members of the DCF Plantation 5 to point out racism, some employees signed this petition but the teachers ignored it. Let me be clear. It is often ignored but must be stated that in most cases when people of color fight for freedom, whites stand on the sidelines and look. What the hell, it is not white life being marginalized or objectified, so why should whites care ! Historically whites care about injustices toward blacks in America when somehow the racism MIGHT touch the white body politic.

At CJTS for years white teachers at school looked the other way as adult co-workers withered under the white hot glare of that racist spotlight from management. Now these teachers are all distraught over keeping residents in school and the facility open. Give me a damn break.

A letter was published asking for CJTS not to close but no letter about mistreatment or injustices against blacks, with friends like this who needs enemies.

EMPLOYEE DUPREE IS BEGINNING TO BE FREE

The Connecticut Juvenile Training School ran into significant trouble in 2015 because of reports by the Child's Advocate of Youth Service Officers using harsh restraint techniques on residents. In addition the Child's Advocate Office also released a scathing report about CJTS management that were not running the facility well. Then CT lawmakers jumped on the bandwagon with investigations and public hearings about CJTS, plus many legislators actually toured the facility. During all of this turmoil the white management et al. picked YSO Dupree to portray as the face of harsh restraints of residents. Let me add Dupree is young, black, muscular and chosen as villain by media and others in order to escape the universal condemnation that rained down on the heads of white management about things gone wrong at the CJTS Plantation. Media coverage about Dupree was relentless and unforgiving ; white management took cover behind the muscular back of Dupree and in the time honored American tradition echoed those words "blame it on the black man." Dupree was placed on the Department of Children and Families Central Registry which basically claims anyone on that list is a danger to work with youth. However now after an investigation it appears as if Dupree was taken off the Central registry, but his fight for justice continues.

Now Dupree is in hearings before Office of Labor Relations to ascertain whether any punishment is necessary for his alleged harsh resident restraint of a resident. It is safe to surmise Dupree has already suffered untold agonies from (1.) losing his job, (2.) standing before the glaring media spotlight, (3.) being used by white management to cover up their own incompetence about running CJTS and Pubelo Girls Unit.

In the Arc of the Moral Universe it is possible Dupree is beginning to be free, but that freedom comes at a high price.  Let me also remind readers that what is happening to Dupree is just the latest saga in America of ill treatment of black males in all spheres of life.

SUPERVISORS ON PLANTATION PAID LARGE SALARIES BUT NEGLECT DUTIES

The year 2016 should be time for fresh starts in the lives of people, new diets, self awareness, striving to become better people. You would think that after Connecticut Juvenile Training School was pilloried by the Child Advocate in 2015 for dysfunctional management, and legislative hearings about closing the facility down, maybe things might change on the plantation. However in 2016 there are reports of how CJTS supervisors are making in excess of $80,000- $100,000 dollars while neglecting duties related to male incarcerated residents. Let me be clear. it has been reported by reliable sources how resident's safety is being overlooked. When residents act out behaviorally and are not compliant with Youth Service officers directives, hands on restraints generally occur. Then it at some point decided to have the non- compliant resident isolated in his room or the padded cell. If this does happen, then periodic checks on that secluded resident should take place at regular intervals-but sources report it does not. Supervisors on the CJTS plantation are paid large salaries but neglect their duties.

Sources report how these well paid supervisors work hard to get overtime pay but are not checking on secluded residents. Instead many of these supervisors are busy walking around the facility or getting ready to visit bars on the weekend. Then these same supervisors pass on paper work to other management types to sign as having verified the resident is okay. Say What !! Yes you read it here first, top supervisors will ask other management types to sign papers that residents are cognitively and physically fine, even though these other supervisors might have been off work during the incident. How on God's green earth can top management officials fix their mouths to ask someone else to (1) falsify signing a document ,  and (2) not check on the mental or physical state of residents involved in traumatic restraint events ? The CJTS and Department of Children and Families hierarchy just don't seem to get it. There are several sets of eyes watching the CJTS / DCF monolith, waiting for the slightest infraction to occur. Now there are rumors about more tom-foolery from dysfunctional Key Stone Cops management.

And we thought the year 2016 would be about change on the plantation.

BLACK FREEDOM FIGHTERS AND THE UNEASY RELATIONSHIP WITH WHITE ACTIVISTS

This writer prepared to spend Sunday at home reading a book titled The Great Hunger Ireland 1845-1849 by Cecil Woodham-Smith. However freedom fighters involved in Moral Monday CT and #BlackLivesMatter invited me to attend a meeting with whites who wanted to learn about what the black struggle is all about. These white people recently went out and held up #BlackLivesMatter signs in their suburban bailiwick ad were surprised at the amount of negativity received from passing motorist. So we sat in the room and started to talk with whites and discovered something familiar in this conversation and past dialogue with white folk... "their existential angst."  Black people tried in this latest meeting to 'school' white folk that some of what they voiced as opinion and conversation was offensive in the context of this black struggle. A few whites became highly agitated and said so, some threatened to leave the meeting, voices were raised. And therein -at least for me et al.- lies the problem. For some reason whites continue to talk about wanting to be informed, work as allies, but these same whites come with mental baggage or notions of other worldviews [ All Lives Matter, Police Lives Matter ] and then get pissed off when told "hey your worldviews and speech are barriers to black liberation." Is it time for black freedom fighters to end this relationship with whites?

In Saint Louis, Missouri one prominent religious voice in the struggle for black liberation said this " I am so damn tired of listening to white peoples feelings." In several conversations with whites over the past year since Moral Monday CT was started by Bishop John Selders and wife Pamela Selders, white existential angst has been put forth as if it were The Holy Grail. Whites have questioned MMCT strategies, tactics, and indirectly the black leadership of Bishop Selders and Pam. And as granddaddy would say "here we be, once mo' and again with dis foolishness" i.e. white feelings about black agendas. It takes time, energy,  the patience of Job and thick skin to listen to whites emotional catharsis about "their feelings" while trying to explain how blacks feel. The striking thing about all conversations with whites is how they keep trying to dilute the very essence of this freedom fighter struggle, by injecting in to the conversation ideations like All Lives Matter or Police Lives Matter.    Not one of the whites attending the meeting yesterday could give working definitions of racism or discuss the origins of Moral Monday  or #BlackLivesMatter. Yet whites tried to tell blacks in that room about feeling uncomfortable about some tactics of the movement ; hold on white folks, didn't you come to Bishop John Selders and Pamela asking to be guided from your own version of Plato's Myth of the Cave, where you were looking at forms and shadows that you perceived were real ? And on that journey out of the darkness of your mental cave toward the light... representing truth, did not many of the white folk hesitate ? In Plato's Myth of The Cave some people viewed the light and went back to the forms illuminated on the wall, that light was bright and revealing, it was more comfortable to embrace the lie [forms on the wall ].  It is apparent that after several years of talking with white folk about the freedom fighter movement black dialogue is not resonating inside of white consciousness.

At this juncture it is necessary to make hard decisions about working with white activists. We as black people are living in perilous times inside of America, police killings of blacks, and all the social barriers erected to hinder blacks make our existence a living nightmare. There is no time to indulge whites in banter about "their feelings" when the very existence of blacks is at stake. Hovering over the heads of black people like "The Sword of Damocles" is endemic American racism which manifest itself in forms more hideous than the face of the Gorgon Medusa. And while we as black people struggle with the horror of this hideousness of racism white people come to us and want to spew forth "their uncomfortableness or feelings" about black organizations.

The meeting Sunday finally ended with whites feeling threatened and blacks unable to move a white one dimensional worldview into a better understanding of what it means to live black.

It is time for black leadership to make that hard decision and publicly break from white folk as it relates to being involved in this movement. White people have given us no choice and no room to maneuver regarding this subject. To be sure there will be wailing  and gnashing of teeth when we sever the relationship with white activists. They will claim to have been cast out into the Stygian Darkness. However whites will have to endure the pain.

 Memo to white people: blacks folks have endured pain for 400 plus years in America.

SECRET MEETING WITH PLANTATION WORKERS ABOUT INJUSTICE

The employees of Connecticut Juvenile Training School and Department of Children and Families Hamilton Street office contacted DCF Plantation staff writers. The goal of these employees was and is to discuss the racial injustice, bias, and white supremacy that exists within both organizations. Such a meeting as this is historic in many respects, for years certain members of DCF Plantation hierarchy tried to keep employees from talking about racial bias or injustice. Those in charge of the DCF white supremacy leadership used unsavory tactics to silence any possible opposition to their rule, even going so far as to fire former CJTS employee Cornell Lewis [ also founder of this blog ] on trumped up charges. However an arbitrator found Lewis had been fired for no justifiable reason and ordered DCF to rehire him. All of these shenanigans surrounding Lewis came about because he organized workers to file a class action lawsuit concerning racial discrimination. During the seven years Lewis et al. were fighting for justice other plantation workers would not help, shying away from people filing the lawsuit.

Now however it seems like there is some sort of consciousness raising among those oppressed and embattled workers from both facilities. Over the past few months lawmakers have held hearings about CJTS use of restraints on residents, the Child Advocate Office released a scathing report about CJTS and DCF. Youth Service Officer Dupree has been made the poster child of harmful restraints at CJTS, might I might add Dupree is this muscular black man-and of course white management put the blame of incompetent leadership on Dupree.. as reasons why that facility is in disarray.

Employees from both facilities sat down at a local eatery in Hartford to discuss issues they felt are representative of their particular institutions. According to Hamilton Street workers " we are pushed to perform at levels that cause stress for us. White management is using children of color to enhance the power of DCF and frustration grows at Hamilton Street office. Just because Commissioner Joette Katz promoted a black man to be second in command at DCF has no bearing on the fact discrimination is still rampant at Hamilton Street facility. Hell, the black man who is second in charge has no real power within a facility rampant with white supremacy." When it came to CJTS employees this was said " There is no doubt racism exists at our facility, we see it in how overtime is doled out to those people [ usually white ] management looks upon with favor. We [ YSOs ] are made out to be scapegoats for this dysfunctional facility and hoe management has run it into the ground. When we try organizing white leadership goes after all employees they consider threats. We realize now that when Cornell Lewis was an employee those things he said about CJTS were and are still true. Superintendent Rosenbeck never comes out of his office to manage this facility, when we bring him empirical data concerning injustice or racial bias his reply is  'I did not know', then things never get better." The meeting concluded with vows for future actions at both facilities by employees to highlight injustice which occur.

alea iacta est [ the die is cast ].

REAL EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF CORNELL LEWIS ARREST

Local media did not seem to understand that the roots of the December 14, 2015 shutdown of the YardGoats stadium construction site was initiated by the Minority Contractors Council based on their experience of being shut out of the serious dollars. They sought support for organizing a protest from Moral Monday CT (MMCT), and some media reports have focused on concerns that the Moral Monday "bunch" might again snarl traffic (interesting what causes the most fear these days). There are various ways to look at the stats, but the bottom line is that stadium jobs going to minority residents of Hartford are token and lower-rung. In other words, it's business as usual for so-called "development" projects. Money will be made, but largely by outsider investors.

 

While it was indeed wonderful to have ONE courageous member of City Council put his body on the shut-down line, in fact the first arrest was the most telling about Hartford City Police tactics. As seen (but not narrated) in the WFSB news clip, Cornell Lewis was the first person arrested - taken by surprise even as he was conveying the warning the cops had asked him to that the protestors were to move or risk arrest. NOTE THAT CORNELL HIMSELF had moved from the gate area and was NOT trespassing nor planning to subject himself to arrest. In fact, he was preparing to leave the site in the hands of the other organizers to attend to another commitment. I know, because I was going to drive him back to his car in a few minutes. 

 

However, rather than carry out their stated plan to arrest those who did not move from the gate area, Hartford cops were heard to say, "Arrest Cornell first" - and they did so. Four officers marched toward him from behind, gave no warning to him, and instructed him to drop his bag (and the bullhorn they hate) and put his arms behind his back. Not one of the protesters still trespassing had yet been arrested (that would start some 10 or 15 minutes later). He asked why and they gave him no answer. He was cuffed and taken to a patrol car. Other cops on the scene could give no reason for his arrest - and Cornell himself was not told the charges until they got him to the station (essentially
creating a disturbance and excessive noise). 

 

Thus was Cornell clearly targeted and arrested while peacefully exercising his first amendment rights, complying with police directives and keeping the crowd informed of those directives AS REQUESTED BY ONE OF THE RESPONDING OFFICERS - and then kept in jail from 10 am to 8 pm. He is scheduled to appear at Community Court tomorrow (Wednesday December 16) at 9 am, and is vowing to fight this violation of his civil rights.

 

Kudos to city council member Dr. Larry Deutsch, lone among the city leaders willing to stand up against broken promises to, and missed opportunities for, the workers and residents of Hartford. But I can't help but note that WFSB clearly shows him being escorted to a patrol car upon his arrest for refusing to move from the construction site gate WITHOUT HANDCUFFS! I point this out not to take away anything from his courage to stand up (noting that he is one of few white city leaders but still to be counted on when there is a fight) but to point out the obvious discrepancy in the cops' treatment of Cornell Lewis, also one who does not shy away from standing up against injustice.

Nancy Bowden

REACTION TO THE TARGETING OF A BLACK ACTIVIST

December 14, 2015 activist Cornell Lewis was arrested by police at a rally. The words below are Debra Cohen's point of view as fellow Freedom Fighter. The protest was in front of a stadium under construction in downtown Hartford.


Two important points about this event NOT captured by WFSB: (1) the protest was initiated by the Minority Contractors Council for having received NO "piece of the pie" from a major HARTFORD "development" project, but supported by MMCT and (2) while it was indeed wonderful to have ONE courageous member of City Council put his body on the shut-down line, in fact the first arrest was the most telling about Hartford City Police tactics. Even as seen (but not narrated) in the WFSB clip below, Cornell Lewis was the first person arrested - taken by surprise even as he was conveying the warning the cops had asked him to that the protestors were to move or risk arrest. NOTE THAT CORNELL HIMSELF had moved from the gate area and was NOT trespassing nor planning to subject himself to arrest. Rather than carry out their plan to arrest those who did not move from the gate area, Hartford cops were heard to say, "Arrest Cornell first" - and they did so. Not one of the protesters still trespassing had yet been arrested. Thus was Cornell clearly targetted and arrested while peacefully exercising his first amendment rights, complying with police directives and keeping the crowd informed - and then kept in jail from 10 am to 8 pm.


posted also on Facebook.

THE FUTURE CLOSING OF THIS FACILITY IS DUE TO DYSFUNCTIONAL MANAGEMENT

In the December 8, 2015 edition of the Associated Press were words to this effect " the Connecticut lawmakers are currently adjusting the budget and this includes the future closing of Connecticut Juvenile Training School......" There is also a sentence about the closing of another training facility elsewhere in CT included in the adjusting of the future budget.

The point to be made here is that dysfunctional management by Key Stone Cops administrators at CJTS caused this future closing to finally become reality. For years under the reign of present leadership at CJTS there has been unfair distribution of overtime, rampant racism at the facility by right wing Youth Service Officers masquerading as whistleblowers, white female YSOs calling residents of color "porch monkeys", and attempts of silencing any voices of color who raise the issue of racism. All attempts to correct the dysfunctional nature of CJTS by employees was met with management using policy and procedure in attempts of harassment of so called troubled makers. It must also be noted how Freedom of Information Act documents from the Department of Children and Family describe how 66% of all terminations or disciplinary actions are directed toward males of color. This data is alarming when considered how people of color only comprise 45% of employment on the DCF Plantation. Yes CJTS is a facility run amok.. with injustice and favoritism.

There seems to be some justice in the universe after all , CJTS is going to be closed down in the future. Those management types at CJTS who fought so hard to maintain their hegemony and white privilege will final get the old boot in the arse.

MORAL MONDAY CT HELD A DEMONSTRATION BUT SOME WHITE ALLIES DID NOT APPROVE

The people that manage the Bushnell Theatre decided to host this forum on race December 3, 2015 with four nationally known panelists. While well meaning people [ mostly white ] put together an agenda they forgot one critical element, to include local activists on stage who are fighting for racial justice in Greater Connecticut. Bishop John Selders and wife Pamela Selders started Moral Monday CT over one year ago to address issues of racial injustice locally and nationally- Bushnell forum planners forgot (?) to include both Selders on the panel. In the last year MMCT held die-ins at Hartford City Hall, blockaded streets and highways to send a message, went to Ferguson, Missouri for Michael Brown's one year anniversary shooting death by police. In addition the Selders et al., received national media coverage while in Ferguson. However, none of this mattered because white managers of Bushnell Theatre did not consider the Selders or #blacklivesmatter activists in Springfield, Massachusetts to be part of the racism panel. With this thought in mind, MMCT went to the forum and held a light weight protest, stating the same facts in the previous lines above.

We entered the Bushnell armed with protest plan and megaphone. There were white allies in the vestibule and in the theatre seating; it was assumed when the "#blacklivesmatter" chanting started these white allies would at least lend their voices to the protest. In the back of the Bushnell people on an arranged signal hollered #blacklivesmatter ,while other activists went to the front and read their statement. In amazement MMCT people noticed white allies frowning with arms folded plus scowling faces while the chanting took place. After the protest ended the reason for white allies silence became crystal clear- they stated "to them the protest did not make sense." Say what ? Yeah you are reading correctly, white people that pledged allegiance to working with MMCT black leadership flaked out, because "in their esteemed opinion the Bushnell was talking about race, ergo, why disrupt the event." Let me be clear. Just because white people decide to host some sort of sanitized meeting does not mean that it is something black people must endorse. Maybe those so called white allies do not understand that it is for black people-engaged in resisting state sanctioned police terror against blacks- to determine what is proper content for such forums to take place. Those so called white allies saw nothing wrong, then or now, with the absence of local activists on that Bushnell panel. I would argue that the criticism, before and after the forum, from whites revolves around their inability to comprehend why black leadership did not approve of yet another talkathon about race. We understand that many white allies have blind spots about race due to their worldview on process and procedure in addressing America's unsolved social problem. In all honesty white privilege affords so called white allies the luxury of not having to endure the indignities of living black in America. White allies do not have to think about being hunted and shot by police, nor do white allies face humiliating racial slights daily like black people. Yet there they were after the Bushnell forum offering a damn critique that MMCT activists did not ask for.

The best part of this is how what white allies did is not unexpected; historically the narrative with white allies goes like this- they are with us until ideological or theoretical concerns from blacks do not juxtapose with white worldviews, then they become critics. When the Selders first started MMCT white liberals pledged support and allegiance to black leadership. Now it is apparent that the historical narrative of white worldviews clashing with black thought is happening again. Martin Luther King, Stokley Carmichael, Black Nationalists and Freedom Riders went through the same criticism from white allies of certain black tactics. In Connecticut white allies are showing their true colors by not chanting during the Bushnell Theatre MMCT protest ; there are deep underlying currents of paternalistic bias from so called white allies. These whites believe they know what to do in terms of strategy better than the Selders and other people associated with MMCT. Now these whites will not publicly say they have problems with the Selders black leadership but in subtle ways act these feelings out- like at the Bushnell by not chanting.. then offering some bullshit critique of MMCT.  It is time to do what is necessary and call out white liberals who are obstructionists to the black liberation movement. James Baldwin might be correct in writing " a liberal is someone who thinks they know more about your condition than you do." Well. It is now out in the open for all to see. Yes Lawd, white allies opposed to black leadership in MMCT. It is time to get rid of all flotsam that hinders MMCT and #blacklivesmatter, this includes white allies who secretly are diametrically opposed to working with black leadership. Man this road toward black liberation is hard enough without those secret haters lurking in the background. Whites believe they are doing MMCT a favor by tagging along or pledging solidarity, hey white folks read Sophocles who wrote "enemies gifts are no gifts and do no good." Are these white liberals who pledge solidarity really enemies ? Well all you have to do in order to answer that question is wonder about why they did not chant with us, "#blacklivesmatter", at the Bushnell Theatre during our protest to answer that question.

In closing many of those so called white allies are religious and attend churches. After what they did to members of MMCT at the Bushnell Theatre, it is appropriate to quote this scripture from the book of Zechariah chapter 13:6 "I was wounded in the house of my friends."