This certainly didn't happen with regard to closing the Coke County private youth prison. And when the agency changed its use of force policy without a public process, the result was litigation that overturned it.
Where are these rules that allow public input into Texas Youth Commission decisions? I haven't seen them. Outside of a string of legislative hearings, what we got instead was TYC's "State of the Agency" tour, essentially a one-way and largely futile series of presentations, not a place to receive public comment on specific policies prior to their implementation. From SB 103:
Sec. 61.0423. PUBLIC HEARINGS.
(a) The executive commissioner [
board] shall develop and implement policies that provide the public with a reasonable opportunity to appear before the executive commissioner or the executive commissioner's designee [board] and to speak on any issue under the jurisdiction of the commission.(b) The executive commissioner shall ensure that the location of public hearings held in accordance with this section is rotated between municipalities in which a commission facility is located or that are in proximity to a commission facility.
Perhaps one question the joint committee can ask TYC next Monday: When is that going to start to happen?
Can it happen in time for new rulemaking on use of force policies? Or will TYC hold such a public hearing before it rolls out an ill-conceived privatization scheme for the youngest kids in its care? After all, this is an agency which contracted with a private youth prison, reported The New York Times, where within the last month:
Juvenile detainees as young as 13 years old slept on filthy mats in dormitories with broken, overflowing toilets and feces smeared on the walls. Denied outside recreation for weeks at a time, they ate bug-infested food, did school work that consisted of little more than crossword puzzles and defecated in bags.That being the case, can the public have input on new rules to improve contract management and oversight at TYC before changing policies to shovel the youngest kids in the system into private youth prisons? Or before changing use of force policies. Isn't that the kind of the purpose of the public rulemaking process envisioned in SB 103?
While I agree your point, I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself. First, we have to have an executive commissioner. Right now we still have Dimitria Pope as Acting Executive Director. Until the Governor appoints an Executive Commissioner and an advisory board, there are no commissioner's meetings. The public comment is currently only available through publication of proposed policy changes that are published inthe Texas Register.
ReplyDeleteThe public can also comment through direct telephone or written communication to Ms. Pope or her designee(s).
First, I don't see anything in the law that says the public hearings requirement wouldn't apply to an "acting" commissioner, and there's certainly no requirement that the advisory committee be appointed first. Where do you see that?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, if that's really the barrier to "transparency" (to use the catch phrase of the season), then clearly it's now PAST time for the Governor to appoint a permanent commissioner. The conservator is AWOL, the expert advice solicited from the Blue Ribbon Panel has been rejected, and the acting commissioner has been making changes to policies with mere directives that appear on their face to violate the agency administrative code. IMO both the spirit and the letter of SB 103 require the agency to develop rules to accept public input about its major decisions. Moreover, the agency has suffered from the failure to accept advice and input from stakeholders - this isn't just a formality, it's how agencies ensure they cover all their legal and political bases, and TYC obviously hasn't figured that part out yet.
Actually, If public comment were allowed, then employees would have to be heard as well. This would be totally unacceptable to a micromanager like Da Pope. If the Lege doesn't fire her and all her cronies, we will be getting a clear message from them that they don't give a damn.
ReplyDeleteTYC's public rule making process will start when Dimitria Pope and her crew are removed (surgically?) from TYC. 2:38 pm sounds like a true Pope flunky. Dimitria doesn't read correspondence from anyone inside TYC, why would she read anything from the public? And, she is not known for her accessibility via telephone either. Designee? A much better term would be scapegoat. 3:44 pm may be on to something.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you could help motivate the public to comment on the current General Administrative Policies (GAP) and Personnel Policies (PRS) for the agency? Ms. Pope has asked that ALL STAFF contribute their ideas and surely she would welcome public input, too ;}
ReplyDelete4:18, who are you? You make it sound it so simple, but I'm having a hard time just believing your words!
ReplyDeleteCome on folks these kind of people dont want any help from anyone much lees the Public,, You remember when they had a public hearing when all of this started ??? Man did we have a fair chance or what?? Anyone who was there knew it was a joke Pope and Her friends run TYC and its like a small Mafia Hell we are worse than what we started out with.......
ReplyDelete4:18 pm - What she welcomes is blind, mindless obedience to her every command (something akin to what you're doing here). She has appointed countless committees since her appointment as ED that have accomplished zilch. But keep sucking up and I'm sure she'll find a high paying position for you in her comedy of errors. Perhaps you could motivate the public by finding somewhere else to spread your fertilizer.
ReplyDeleteIt's silly to ask for comments on "all" policies, 4:18. That's not how the world works. When the agency PROPOSES policies, there should be an opportunity for public comment. The pattern instead has been to change what the agency does by directive or just internal emails without changing the actual GAP policies (since that requires a public process). That's what I object to.
ReplyDeleteGrits you object to everything.
ReplyDeleteYeah, well in this case the same objection I have on this caused TYC to lose a lawsuit because it didn't use a public process to change their pepper spray policy.
ReplyDeleteSo maybe you're right, the agency should just continue to ignore SB 103 and the Administrative Code and let the courts vacate their decisions one after the other - that's where we're headed, anyway, if things don't turn around. Good idea! Why not just openly defy the law and make it happen a little faster?
Scott,
ReplyDeleteYou now know how I have felt since the beginning of May. I beleve TYC's official policy is "Rules? We don't need no stinkin rules!"
Howard A, Hickman
Grits, this is 2:38/4:18...just pulling your chain a little bit to entice some tete a tete. Actually, I think you've got the right idea in your last comment, "just openly defy the law and make it happen a little faster." It's worked thus far, hasn't it? But, for real, there should be some policy revisions published soon and comments can happen. Of course, everyone realizes they will have to check the web site or the Register to know when something is published...I'm beginning to wonder how long we will bang our heads on this wall since it's obvious that there is no oversight by the legislature. Methinks we are being forced into litigation; unfortunately, employees don't have that option open to them.
ReplyDeleteWhile we are on this policy issue what is your opinion on Staff Uniforms. Most staff have no issue with the State purchasing the polo's. But, now Dimtria wants all staff to buy their own black slacks and shoes.
ReplyDeletePlease refer to any study regarding corrections and the break down in communication you have once the juvenile (future adult criminal according to current leadership) sees the staff not as a staff (person) they can confide in. This will have major implications down the road in regards to treatment.
Does anyone know the outcome of the court hearing on Sylvia Machado, the ex superintendent of Ayres House?
ReplyDeleteOn uniforms - I think they were discarded for a reason, and they should find somebody at TYC who remembers what that is, or ask Bill Bush. Then get rid of them.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone started wearing the uniforms? I think the yellow one with that badge looks sharp, but that blue one makes me think of the old Houston Oilers. That green one isn't bad but the badge doesn't show up too well on it. I don't care for the black pant and agree with the other commenters, I'd rather be in those STAR team like pants (BDU?) and the state should pay for those, not us. But what ever, if they're going to start calling us JCO's "Oilers," what's our counter to the yellow and green? Let's have some fun with it.
ReplyDeleteWhose job is it to enforce SB103? Why is Pope not in jail? She has obviously thumbed her nose at part of this law and twisted the rest of it to satisfy her desires since it has been in place. Will anyone stand up and hold her accountable or are her powerful ties that thick?
ReplyDeleteSince I’ve been involved in adult corrections [warehousing] for the past few years I’ve been out of touch with problems connected with TYC other than being aware that their units always seem to be overcrowded, at least since the middle 70’s. I was referred to Grits only about a month ago and since that time have been making a pain in the A** of myself with my postings as I tend to have diarrhea of the keyboard. Here I go again…
ReplyDeleteThe procedures for state agencies to change or Implement rules is clearly spelled out by statute in the Administrative Procedure and Texas Register Act which may be found in title 10, Chapters 2001 and 2002 of the Texas Government Code. Not only are the procedures for citizen input codified in these statutes, they are also a part of most state agencies’ internal rules which may be found in the Texas Administrative Code.
Problem. Unless a state agency’s feet are held to the fire the bureaucrats in the Austin offices are either unaware of the existence of the Administrative Procedure and Texas Register Act, merely consider it a necessary evil, or just don’t give a damn.
On numerous occasions over the last 36 years I have been told by Austin staff members of TCLEOSE, DPS, TCJS, TDCJ-ID, the Attorney General’s office, and others that:
1. “Those laws don’t apply to us, we’re a state agency.”
2. “You live in a small west Texas county with few voters and little money and the people in Austin just don’t care about you.” (At least that was the truth.)
3. “Oh, I didn’t know that was in the law.”
4. “That rule doesn’t mean what it says.”
5. “Maybe you’re right, but that’s what we’ve always done in the past.”
I haven’t been successful in getting any of them to put those statements into writing.
Just for information, I did find TYC’s current use of force policy. Since the current question seems to be mostly concerned with the use of OC, I have included that portion of the policy. If you want to take a look, the entire policy may be found in Texas Administrative Code, Title 37, Part 3, Chapter 97, Subchapter A, §97.23 Use of Force.
By statute, the agency will have to comply with the Administrative Procedure and Texas Register Act before the existing policy may be changed.
§97.23 Use of Force
(k) Approved Techniques for Use of Force. Techniques that may be used for use of force are limited to:
(1) agency-trained:
(C) OC spray, under certain limited circumstances;
(p) Approved Use of OC Spray and Guidelines for Use.
(1) Approved Use of OC Spray.
(A) OC Spray is the only agency-approved chemical agent. It is authorized for use only when other less restrictive interventions have failed or are determined to be impracticable, and it is necessary to:
(i) quell a riot or major campus disruption;
(ii) resolve a hostage situation;
(iii) remove youth from behind a barricade;
(iv) secure an object that is being used as a weapon and that is capable of causing serious bodily injury;
(v) protect oneself from imminent harm when manual restraint would be impracticable;
(vi) protect youth, staff or others from imminent harm when manual restraint would be impracticable;
(vii) prevention of escape and fleeing apprehension when manual restraint would be impracticable.
(B) Unless it is necessary to prevent loss of life or serious bodily injury, OC spray is not authorized for use when:
(i) the youth has been identified as having respiratory problems or other health conditions which would make use of OC spray dangerous; or
(ii) the youth is assigned to a mental health treatment program or identified by a mental health professional as having a psychiatric condition or mental health diagnosis that would contraindicate the use of OC spray until the MHP has been given the opportunity to establish control; or
(iii) the youth is confined in a room in a security unit or an isolation room.
(2) Persons Authorized to Use OC Spray.
(A) OC spray is permitted only in TYC high restriction institutions and in high restriction contract care programs approved by the executive director or designee.
(B) Only staff who have been trained by TYC in the use of OC spray are authorized to use it.
(C) In TYC high restriction institutions, only the facility administrator, assistant superintendent, ADO, duty supervisor, director of security and security personnel whose regular assignment is outside the security unit are authorized to routinely carry OC spray on their person.
(3) Guidelines for Use.
(A) OC spray canisters must be carefully controlled at all times. Except for canisters in the possession of the facility administrators and assistant superintendents, access to canisters must be controlled at a single central location.
(B) After administration of OC spray, staff must initiate de-contamination with cool water as soon as the purpose of the restraint has been achieved.
(C) Immediately following de-contamination from OC spray, medical staff will be contacted to examine and, if necessary, treat youth and staff.
7:12 p.m./10-22 You've posted what all TYC employees know regarding the use of Pepper Spray.
ReplyDeleted'Pope, you and your cronies should be in JAIL. You are not above the law!
I may be wrong here but I thought that in Morales vs Turman case, not only was pepper spray an issue but so was the uniforms that they made the staff wear.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that not only did CO go aganist the lawsuit with the pepper spray, they are also backtracking on the uniforms. Made the staff wear them to prove authority figures over the kids.A show of force and power.
These uniforms need to go. If she thinks people at tyc dress bad now , give these uniforms a few weeks of washing and drying.
I smell another lawsuit, maybe that will toss the uniforms out!
ReplyDeleteFrom Texas Register, published 10/19/07:
ReplyDeletehttp://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/pubomquery$omquery.queryview?P_OM_ID=100136&Z_CHK=28204
Agency Name: Texas Youth Commission
Date of Meeting: 10/24/2007
Time of Meeting: 02:00 PM (Local Time)
Board: Texas Youth Commission
Status: Active
Street Location: 1700 North Congress, Room 170 (Stephen F. Austin Building)
City Location: Austin
Meeting State: TX
TRD ID: 2007008763
Submit Date: 10/15/2007
Emergency Meeting?: No
Additional Information Obtained Agenda: The Texas Youth Commission will be hearing public comments relating to the proposed Youth Grievance System rule, as published in the August 24, 2007 edition of the Texas Register (37 TAC §93.31).
10/22/2007-7:47PM
ReplyDeleteThanks, I hope so.
The purpose of the post was to inform the general public who may not know TYC's current policy on OC and to advise those who have not had the opportunity to deal with state agencies of the not so infrequent bureaucratic mindset in Austin. You sound like you may be one of the TYC ground troops and, if so, you probably know just what I'm talking about.
Personally, As both a peace officer and a detention officer, I like OC.
When used properly and for the proper reasons and when prompt decontamination procedures are employed the target subject and the officer are less likely to be injured (even accidentally) than when actual physical force is employed.
A good tool can be overused due to allowing anger, fear, revenge and other negative emotions to over rule sound training and adherence to good policy. When that happens injury, suspensions, and lawsuits follow whether you're dealing with juveniles or adults.
TYC uniforms, circa 1969, as described in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
ReplyDelete"Inmates call supervisors 'the man'."
"The man wears a khaki uniform with a dark brown stripe down each pant leg. He has a western hat and boots and a patch on his sleeve says 'Texas Youth Council.'"
Here's what some of the experts who inspected TYC facilities during the Morales case had to say about uniforms (excerpted from my dissertation):
"Guards also wielded symbolic power that derived in part from their khaki or black uniforms, cowboy hats, and cowboy boots, an ensemble that caught the attention of experts who visited Mountain View. 'I found myself saying yes sir, and no, sir, and being very polite,' recalled one visitor. 'All I could see was the uniform.' Marking staff as prison guards rather than counselors or mentors, uniforms put the lie to job titles like 'youth activities supervisor' and 'house parent.' One child psychiatrist noted that the Mountain View uniform could hardly promote rehabilitation in the institutional context when it so clearly signified 'control and punishment' everywhere else."
So, given that uniforms have a well-established, negative meaning that dates back over 30 years in juvenile justice, here's what TYC needs to ask itself in 2007:
Is the alleged security benefit really worth the known cost to treatment/rehab? Or is the latter no longer a concern at all? How is TYC defining rehabilitation? Have they given any thought to it at all?
Bill Bush
Good point Mr. B, I am glad we have someone with knowledge and history behind those of us that believe once again the "Leaders" of this agency are heading down the wrong path.
ReplyDeleteAt some point you would hope that they would look at TYC's past and not just the Pyote issue. But really look at the past and understand the purpose for not having staff who work with youth wear uniforms. If your intent is to rehabilitate youth a "Leader" in charge of this agency would not dare go down this path. But we are sorely lacking in any real leaders at this point.
Jay, Silent Bob, oops I mean Ed, and DaPope took out all the real leaders.
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to the Assistant from Mart I (Berry) that was sent home based upon asking a question about due process for youth?
ReplyDeleteI believe the story went like this, Bronco wanted some youth placed on a BMP at Mart, Berry asked about due process for the youth (didn't want to just throw them in a cell and leave them for weeks like they did at Coke County), Berry was sent home and then the following week was assigned to Victory Field.
Is he working in Vernon or did our leaders realize they made yet another mistake and this is not communism you can still ask reasonable questions, especially if the rights of the youth are at stake.
Has anyone seen the new home page for TYC? The letters for the Texas Youth Commission has changed and the Y I guess is suppose to look like an inmate with his arms thrown up in the air waiting to be frisked or shot! I glad we hired that new guy in graphic arts and communications, it sure is paying off by looking at this and to think he only makes $60k a year what a steal. Who said the Pope has no clue?
ReplyDeleteThe whole problem with staff wearing their own clothes came down to the fact many of them are sagging themselves and wearing gang colors, and enough is enough. They've been debating this issue before the new regime.Like for the past five years. If you'd clean up your dress, we'd not be having this discussion.
ReplyDeleteI guess what your saying is the Administration was not doing their jobs in hte past/present, just by placing uniforms on staff will not solve the problem "Einstein". So your saying they cannot sag because they are wearing "State" uniforms?????
ReplyDeleteThat the new colors (baby blue- fuchsia, and salmon) cannot be gang related? The fact remains the same, changing ones stripes does not change the person, by placing staff in uniforms we are turning back the clock to days that were not in the best interests of TYC.
Just in- Austin American Statesman-
ReplyDeleteAdvocacy groups claim Youth Commission isn't following court order on pepper spray use
Agency agreed in September to rescind order widening use of pepper spray against incarcerated youths.
Good reading for those interested.
Did the Turman/Morales case have an expiration date on it as to how long TYC couldn't have uniforms. Thought I had heard at one point it was only in force for twenty years.
ReplyDeleteThe change regarding the use of force was not the only policy that changed without going through the appropriate procedures. Lets see there is no new policy regarding the handling of sentenced offenders over the age of 19 and those who were committed prior to June 8 who will turn 19 or older; there is no new policy regarding the release/review board; there is no new policy regarding release criteria; there is no new policy regarding a treatment program; and the list goes on and on. Yet TYC continues to do what they want to do. It would seem to me that one day this will catch up with them and more than likely it will be in court. How can TYC operate outside of their own policies and continue to be in violation of the law everyday!
ReplyDeleteIt's the same-oh same-oh. There is still some unethical practices going on. It's as if people think that rules don't apply to them or that they are somehow above policies. At Ayres Halfway House, caseworkers still meet with kids behind closed doors and window blinds closed. They are setting themselves up and they are putting the youth in a terrible situation that has potential for abuse. When will they learn and when will they stop. I was told that higher up's were informed about this, but still this continues to occur. I wonder if anyone is going to look into this.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if anyone is looking into other halfway houses. I wonder if their practices are just as unethical. I also noticed that York House is always hiring for JCO's JCO V's and now I heard that the JCO VI position is vacant. What's up with turnover rate there? Is anything being done to promote morale?
ReplyDeleteGrits, please stop referring to Dimitria Pope as Acting Commissioner or anything like Commissioner until she actually gets that title. For now, she is only Acting Executive Director. Let's not give her a promotion, please.
ReplyDeleteanon @ 9:31-why don't you stop complaining about this and do something about it if you're truly concerned about the youth. It sounds like you have a good reason to call the hotline!!
ReplyDelete9:38-I didn't know there was a VI position open in Corpus. I guess it hasn't been posted yet, thanks for the info!
ReplyDeleteseems that uniforms are here to stay as they were passed out on our campus.what a joke.
ReplyDeleteJust because uniforms were passed out, does not mean they will stay. This too shall pass, give enough rope and the rest will be history!!
ReplyDelete11:14, apparently Morales v Turman did have an expiration date of 2007 on it, judging by recent events...
ReplyDeleteBB
No one has commented at all on 8/22 10:13's post. Tomorrow at 2 p.m. TYC will hold a public hearing to discuss the new grievance policy (replacing GAP 93.31) that has been proposed. If you can, attend! Grits, this could be the first step in the public rule-making process that we need.
ReplyDeleteI fail to see the correlation between polo shirts, khaki pants and recidivism. What's the evidence that a uniform has a negative effect on rehabilitation? Anecdotal?
ReplyDeleteFor those calling into question the lack of ethic's at Halfway houses....get rid of Karen Lashbrook and you will remove 95% of the problems in those facilities. She covers up for her favored superintendents, and throws the others under the bus. Remove her and at least 4 superintendents will stop hiding behind her protection and be discovered for what they truly are...corrupt ego maniac's on power trips that allow certain staff to abuse, neglect and ridicule the youth in their care with no recourse.
ReplyDelete@10:08 - Thx. I can't go but some advocates plan to. I've been told General Counsel Steve Foster will preside, D. Pope won't be there, and to expect it will be short because no questions from the public will be allowed. I'll let you know what I hear back, and maybe we'll get a report from someone who goes.
ReplyDelete9:29-I agree 100% with you.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to uniforms and TYC goal of following the Missouri model of Juvenile Corrections please read:
ReplyDeleteCorrectional officers, similar to law enforcement personnel, wear uniforms that represent authority within their institutions, but the authority of the uniform is not what gets anything accomplished. Personal respect and proper use of authority is what gets the job of the correctional officer done. Those officers who abuse their powers and the uniform find themselves in abusive positions.
Many observers say the key to Missouri's success lies in the way the small groups are able to resist the formation of a prison culture. “You institutionalize them and get them used to an institution, and they can't get away from it,
Pat Connell, of the John Howard Association, a corrections reform group in Chicago, is eager for Illinois to copy what she saw on a trip to Missouri last month. Connell was most struck by the casual, nonprison-like feel of Missouri's high security centers. Illinois, in contrast, has eight large juvenile corrections centers, where offenders often live in private cells and staff members wear police-style uniforms. He said it's not that Illinois' system is a terribly bad one. Her concern, is that the “institution is not organized around treatment. It's organized around security.”
Grits,
ReplyDeleteHow can you have a public hearing and not allow any public questions? I thought that was the purpose of a public hearing. Please explain.
Public hearing....public? Don't be silly.....This is TYC...they have no common sense. It is ran by idiots.
ReplyDelete11:10, exactly, we don't want to make a fetish out of the uniform question, but they are part of a larger "prisonization" that experts for decades have believed has no place in a juvenile rehabilitation program.
ReplyDeleteBut really, to focus only on uniforms is to miss the massive forest for the most insignificant trees. The problem is not uniforms or OC spray but the large, high security, prison-like institutions, which make uniforms or spray seem necessary. Is the safety of kids or staff really best served by these settings?
Lazy, unimaginative thinking has absolutely crippled the discussion of what to do. There has been no genuine search for solutions, only an effort to find a way to put a cheap Band-aid on TYC as it is.
In fact, new ideas have been so thoroughly excluded from the discussion (witness the fate of the Blue Ribbon report) that it's hard not think it is by design, and for reasons that have more to do with ideology and political convenience than with facts or any genuine interest in rehabilitating juvenile offenders.
Critics need to maintain their focus on the big picture, or Texas will end up with the same old TYC with a few features of adult corrections thrown in. And frankly, based on their performance to date, I think the lege and administration would gladly settle for that.
BB
1:54 BB:
ReplyDelete"Illinois, in contrast, has eight large juvenile corrections centers, where offenders often live in private cells and staff members wear police-style uniforms."
So now that we plan to spend big bucks on making them 'private cells', how does this accomplish our goals of 're-socialization'? Just another HUGE waste of taxpayers money.
And I STILL see youth in their 'rooms' from 4 to 5 hours a day. Such a tragedy.
why are we wearing shirts with badges?
ReplyDeletegotta love doing counseling with a badge staring the kid in the eye...
ReplyDeletewhat a joke. like you already didn't have enough trouble filling those psychologist vacancies...good luck
When they go back to court over the pepper spray maybe someone could mention these uniforms as they did in the Morales case.
ReplyDeleteBB, your right we need to look at the forest, but the trees in the forest make up the entire setting and sometimes its the little things growing in the forest that kill the entire forest. I agree with you on what these uniforms will do. Change the culture of tyc from support for kids to a show of authority. I hope that the lawyers will have the forsight to bring this issue to light at the next meeting and rid us of these TDCJ ways.
The shirts were bought in bulk for around $7 a piece high quality stuff. After a couple of washings the staff will look a helluva allot worse wearing this crap than sagging pants and jerseys to their knees.
ReplyDeleteWe went from Wal-mart lime green vests to $7 polo's, what an embarrassment, but wait that is what they want to embarrass all TYC staff.
Starting next week all staff will have to sing the pledge of the Pope and have it memorized prior to her appearance on your campus. I have not seen the script or exact words to the song but basically you pledge your undying loyalty to the Pope, or you get ex-communicated.
are they going to wear these uniforms at central office?
ReplyDeleteOk, we couldn't let the youth see our handcuffs because that was intimidation but we can all wear police style uniforms to invoke a sense of authority?
ReplyDeleteWHATEVER.
oh and the fake looking police badge is really attractive.don't have to worry about washing and ironing everyday now.
ReplyDeleteI really am furious about these uniforms. I did not spend all that time and money going to graduate school, becoming a licensed professional to wear a stupid f@#$ing polo shirt with a fake iron on badge. And talk about promoting departmental cohesiveness. Lets put corrections in one color, education in another color, and treatment staff in fing marigold yellow. since when is a marigold yellow (or any other color) 7 dollar polo shirt with a cracker jack looking stupid iron on badge considered professional attire. with the below market pay it is disrespectful enough to consider quiting. we do not work with these kids for the money. we do not sacrifice lucrative skills to work with TYC youth for the money. i still cannot believe it. i still cannot believe the crossing guard uniforms either. AHHHH so damn stupid.
ReplyDeletethe pope better be walking around in the uniform. all professional central office staff better be walking around in these uniforms. if they are not they should be ashamed of letting those of us in the field be treated this way.
ReplyDeleteWake up, they are treating us that way because they think it is amusing. If all TYC staff go on strike, what would Pope do then? If staff organized a walkout, Pope would have to call the Gov. to call the National Guard in from the border to put them in TYC facilities. That would send the media in to a feeding frenzy, and then we could tell the media how we are being treated, and the Gov. would be forced to put in place competent leaders. Anyone interested in fighting back, or are we going to just keep on blogging our complaints?
ReplyDeleteCan someone put up a picture of the new shirts?
ReplyDeleteDont forget, you have to wear black pants and black shoes and I they are SHORT SLEEVES to BOOT in WINTER.
ReplyDelete9:32 I feel the same way. I feel like I am in a fast food rest.in this damn garb. I too have began to think about just leaving over this dress code. These are the cheapest looking shirt and they are all mens shirts.
What bothers me is that if you quit you have to return them.If you need a new one due to yours wearing out, then I guess you get another one that some one else has worn because they quit. I will not accept that! I refuse to wear used clothing that I have no idea who has worn it before me or where it has been.
Talk about looking like hell at work, give these shirts a few months and then view all of us clones and see how professional we look.
If they don't like what some people were wearing to work, then put a guard at the gatehouse and don't let those people in if they are sagging or have on clothes that are not proper for the campus. It want take long for them to shape up! But hell they can't get people to enforce the rules they have now. But then there are those who are excited about FREE CLOTHES
Lordy, Lordy. What will it be next?
ReplyDeleteDid everyone see the e-mail about HR moving to the annex? Can you imagine how sad that makes Eric Young? Anybody who knows him knows he likes to play Mr. Big Shot. That must have really been a blow to his ego. I'm still waiting to hear that Mary Wood has taken his place. How can he possibly still be hanging in there?
Well, I don't have to worry about wearing the damn shirts. I got my RIF letter today and it makes me very sad. I've worked for TYC for a number of years and had intended to retire from there. Now I don't know... With all these Regional Managers/Directors of this and Regional Managers/Directors of that, it's a wonder anybody has a job in the field. They have placed so many levels between the field and CO that we can't speak to them - let alone get to know who they are. The intent was supposed to be for better oversight and communication...my ass!
ReplyDelete12:37, my prayers are with you. But I speak from experience, there is life after TYC, and it is a better one. What positions are the rif'ing now?
ReplyDeleteWhat's next? Combat boots? You can shine them up reel purty.
ReplyDelete12:37 p.m., My prayers are with too. I can't imagine how you must feel! I guess they need your salary to pay all those top heavy positions they've created in Austin. Pay attention elected officials!! What's it gonna take?
ReplyDelete8:52, As a matter of fact....
ReplyDeleteStop trying to confuse us with facts...unidirectional loyalty is all d'Pope accepts... goes with being infallible...also with being full of it.
ReplyDeleteDid everyone see the e-mail about HR moving to the annex?
ReplyDeleteNo, im out of tyc finally. But i have been to the annex many times and im wondering how everyone is going to fit into that building. it was almost overflowing, and one conference room divided into ools. Has alot of people been riffed or Are current annex people and HR just swapping places?
10:21 pm. Didn't you hear? They hired a space planner to take care of these matters! Don't concern yourself with worry. D'pope has thought of everything!! They don't want anyone in central office that might turn them in or disagree with them. It's all about TDCJ cronyism! By the time the lege figures out its a systemic disease, it will be too late for TYC!
ReplyDeletesomebody please tell me that's a joke and there really isn't a job called "space planner."
ReplyDeletesorry, it was posted.
ReplyDeleteYep, TYC hired a space planner, doesn't that solve all our problems?? Dementia Pope thought of everything, as the previous commentor stated!
ReplyDeleteAfter the mass move in CO, what's going to be left for that person to do other than to be RIF'd?
ReplyDeleteWhen the building is falling down around you, pick out new clothing for the minions and rearrange the furniture! That's what we have for leadership now. Thank you Senator Whitmire and Governor Goodhair!
ReplyDeleteAs Dr. Papschmear stated so eloquently, get rid of Pope and her crew (to include Bronco Billy, Jim Hurley, Mickey Neel, Marty Martin, HR Mary (can't remember her last name), and Mr. Ayo and the process can and will start. Until then, don't hold your breath.
ReplyDeleteAmen 9:34 a.m.
ReplyDelete