In the aftermath of Rick Perry's trouncing of Kay Bailey Hutchison in the GOP gubernatorial primary, Emily Ramshaw and Jason Embry have been suggesting attacks on the incumbent they thought Hutchison should have waged and now think Democrat Bill White should embrace. Their comments come just as the Democratic Party has put the Texas Youth Commission scandal at the top of its hit list of things for which it intends to blame Rick Perry.
Unfortunately, looking fairly at the details of Democrats' specific complaints against Perry on the Youth Commission, they either don't quite stand up or apply equally to ranking Democrats at the Lege. Most importantly, they fail to give credit for good work done in the aftermath of the TYC scandal.
Texas' weak Governor cannot control alleged sexual abuse by guards at TYC lockups. Sexual abuse at corrections facilities, after all, regrettably isn't that uncommon. To me, it's hard to blame the Governor for not reacting to activities that were being covered up by local law enforcement. Yes, there were red flags, but until Nate Blakeslee broke the story in the Texas Observer, nobody outside of a single Texas Ranger, a small group of enablers in West Texas, and a few now-fired administrators at TYC could have possibly known the extent of the scandal.
More importantly from the perspective of this blog, focusing solely on who knew what when ignores the fact that, once the story came out, the Governor and his appointed fixer Jay Kimbrough signed off on some fairly radical reforms in reaction, most of which Democrats should support.
Under Rick Perry, the number of offenders in Texas youth prisons was slashed by more than half, starting with eliminating misdemeanants from TYC and then dramatically reducing minimum penalties for most juvenile state prisoners. That's an extraordinary record, made even more remarkable and praiseworthy because (in large part thanks to Democrat John Whitmire and others at the Lege, though Perry signed off on it), the state also expanded funding for community based programs to manage these kids closer to home. Then afterward, when critics wailed that crime was sure to skyrocket as a result of these changes, juvenile crime continued to drop.
Overall, that's a record to praise, not criticize. I had plenty of disagreements in the beginning, especially with Kimbrough's selection of a coterie of staff from the adult prison system who wanted to model reforms on TDCJ's practices. But Perry's folks also commendably changed course when those adult-prison transplants didn't work out, and throughout the process they worked productively across the aisle with Democrats in the Lege. I don't say that as a Perry apologist; I'm often critical of the Governor. It's just a fact.
Accusing one's political foe of tolerating sexual abuse against children is a tempting attack, but in reality the finger should be pointed at the individual staff who're alleged to have engaged in that behavior and local law enforcement who looked the other way. The Governor should be judged based on his public policy decisions after the news came out, and with the exception of a few key appointments, I doubt that Bill White would have reacted to the scandal any differently.
Right now, going forward, the last thing TYC needs is to become a political football in the Governor's race based on unfair, overhyped allegations that ignore both the truth and the best interests of incarcerated youth. Please find another issue, Mr. White.
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DMN=Democrat Morning News
The sexual abuse in west Texas is old news. However, the dems definitely have valid ammunition to use if they expose the corruption and incompetence in TYCs Austin administration under Perry's watch.
As fas as any "good work done in the aftermath of the TYC scandal", I've seen very little, and I'm on the premises on a regular basis. To start with, recidivism is on the rise in TYC, and educational laws are still broken with reckless abandon. Not directly by those at unit level, but by directives handed down from Austin.
The big question is: when was Perry and the AG's office informed of the details concerning TYC?
Another question, was LB (the spider behind the scenes) his cousin?
7:49, half the kids are now somewhere else, so you're right, you're not seeing it. They're not there anymore. And you say recidivism is up (I've not see that data), but juvie crime figures overall declined during this period despite rapidly deincarcerating half the youth at TYC.
I'm not saying all TYC's problems are fixed, just that the Dems' characterizations were unhelpful and off-target.
We had a kid get arrested for a felony offense about three months after he was sent home, but he was 17 or 18 then so it wasn't counted as a juvenile crime. Is this change causing the stats to look better than they actually are? Are adjudications counted the same as convictions in counting juvenile crimes?
Hard to argue with your logic Grits. "What he knew and when he knew" is a forensic argument that is unlikely to gain much traction anyway b/c the governor is so far removed from the daily routine at TYC institutions.
If he had inserted himself personally into events in some way that would be different but he didn't do that.
And during the post-scandal debate over the direction and implementation of reform, there was plenty of blame (and praise) to go around between the two parties - at least from my outsiders' perspective.
I'd also caution generally that juvie justice tends to fare poorly when used as a prop in political campaigns. Today's lament about abuse of youth can easily become tomorrow's campaign for "get tough" solutions.
Bill B.
RAS, that same scenario regularly happened pre-reform, so it wouldn't affect the comparative recidivism stats. Also, anecdotes aren't data, and one recidivist tells us nothing about the overall recidivism rate.
Bill, I totally share your concern that "juvie justice tends to fare poorly when used as a prop in political campaigns." The Dems' initial salvo shows how it's usually not approached with much nuance.
Good post Grits.
I'm not exactly a fan of the Guv, but he doesn't have control of the day to day operations of state agencies, including TYC. His actions in the aftermath were appropriate.
TxBluesMan said:
"I'm not exactly a fan of the Guv, but he doesn't have control of the day to day operations of state agencies, including TYC."
I tend to disagree, since he appoints the people who do.
However, as I originally said, the West Texas scandal is old news, and TYC has moved beyond that. But, it has a new set of problems that continue to occur under Perry's administration.
There are plenty of things to attack Gov. Goodhair for, this one is unnecessary, and too easy to rebut.
The truth has never been sought and never will be, but the trials are going to cause some publicity, I'm sure. It doesn't matter who is to blame for what, if White can convince the public that Perry was asleep at the wheel then he might have a shot. Our last Democrat governor won based on a lot less of an issue.
The gov and his assistants were advised about improper conditions in TYC, before the scandal, and they chose to ignore the issues. White can use this to make the gov look ignorant and lacking in leadership. The attny gen also knew about TYC problems but also ignored them, under the gov's watch. Was the cousins involvement a reason to look away?
I understand the TYC board was aware of the book - "Raped by The State", prior to the big scandal and failed to act about the large scale abuses throughout TYC. Their failure to act lead to the administrator/youth sex abuse scandal. These folks were appointed by the governor and were only puppets and deaf and blind.
The TYC "culture of corruption" was not just a phrase made up by the Senators and reporters, it is a real thing. I have firsthand knowledge that the agency stank to the heavens for years and the Gov knew about it.
What did he do? Look at the contempt he showed by the board he chose to oversee this state agency! He apparently thought the voters of Texas were too dumb or apathetic to ever catch on to how the agency was being run. Was this rogue state agency an exception?
Y'all, just to have said it (for all the good it will do), in the specific case at WTSS, the Governor (and Sen. Whitmire) were indeed advised earlier, but they were also told it had been referred to the local District Attorney, who then basically refused to prosecute or pursue the case at all. That's not their fault. Before Blakeslee's piece, people who'd been informed could and did reasonably assume that local prosecutors would do their duty. They did not.
Also, because of its lack of documentation, "Raped by the State" raised many more questions than answers. Much of it still cannot be verified. It's not like that was David Grann at the New Yorker writing a detailed investigative treatise with a list of backup sourcing as long as your arm. That didn't happen until Nate Blakeslee got hold of the story, and if RBTS had been half as well-documented as Nate's Texas Observer article, the scandal could have been credibly exposed much sooner.
White should use this national-state TYC crisis to show what an idiot the gov really is. He did appoint people that were unconcerned about youth care and ignored abuse when it was placed in front of them. They are/were his cronies and every bit of abuse should be brought out to show what this gov is really like! This is not old news since so many problems are related that continue to go on.
It's important to understand the timeline. When did Chuy hold his hearings at Evins, 2004 or 2005? A summary of conditions below:
Abuse at Evins was a symptom, not isolated
By the time a rash of abuses occurred at the Evins Regional Juvenile Center in late 2004, the agency had seen an increase in abuses for a year.
In November 2004, guards from a TYC task force who had been sent to Evins to quash riots there also committed abuses over a period of several days. Eight cases were confirmed that month alone, more than the previous four years combined.
Eight officers abused youth, investigators confirmed. Four were fired, one received a written reprimand, and three appealed and had their cases overturned.
The abuse left children injured, it hurt morale, sparked lawsuits and terrified parents.
TYC officials site the Evins incidents as one reason for the agency-wide increase in the rate of physical abuse in 2004. Youth riots and a change of leadership at Victory Field Correctional Academy in North Texas also contributed to the sharp rise, they said.
They came down hard on any staff who wouldn't go along and keep quite.
Investigations were also done in '03 at Evins and TYC tophats were highly aggravated that the investigator exposed how bad conditions were there. That was the initial revealation that brought the DOJ and others into Evins. The abuses in the contracts programs were also exposed during this period.
The senators were on to TYC way before Nate Blakeslee's 2007 Texas Observer article. The story was old at the capitol before Nate's article came out.
An investigator was sent to Evins in '03 and his report made the TYC tophats highly aggravated. He exposed how bad Evins was and that was the initial report that brought DOJ and others into the TYC pre-scandal. Some heads rolled but there was more coverup for the other abuses.
"Raped by the State" raised many more questions than answers. Much of it still cannot be verified. It's not like that was David Grann at the New Yorker writing a detailed investigative treatise with a list of backup sourcing as long as your arm. That didn't happen until Nate Blakeslee got hold of the story, and if RBTS had been half as well-documented as Nate's Texas Observer article, the scandal could have been credibly exposed much sooner".
lol.... that was THE SAME PROBLEM with his investigations back then!
The author of Raped By The State was retired before Brookins and Hernandez even went to work at Pyote. Randy is decent guy, but his book is just his personal journal of his frustrations and interpretations of what was going on. Nothing he said in the book had any relevance to the scandal, but good for him cashing in on it.
The AG has had the scandal case longer than the local DA ever did, and still nothing's happened. I know they blamed the local judge, but now the case has been moved. Why couldn't it have been moved sooner? Why was the Brookins trial moved from December to April, conveniently after the primary? Perry knew that all he had to win was the primary. White is no threat. Maybe there is nothing that can be pinned on Perry, but I doubt if he's innocent.
Scott, first of all the TDP put out the piece on TYC last fall. They are just reminding folks of it right now, since its come up again.
Secondly, Perry knowing about the abuse and only acting on it when it became public to the press is a public policy decision he made and Democrats are fair to criticize him -- as many commenters on this blog have -- for keeping it under wraps for so long.
Finally, their piece did address current problems as well as old ones, so it was not singularly focused on any one thing.
I am with Grits on this one. I do not think that the public at large is concerned with this issue. I hope White will focus on issues, that really concern the majority of Texans. I do not see how the issues with TYC will effect the next election. I think that any effort on doing this will be a waste of time. It is too hard to show a causal connection between what happened in TYC and Govenor Perry. I do not know what issue should be focused on, but it will be interesting to see which issues are selected by White.
Gosh darn it, Grits! You're gonna make a Republican yet!!! I'd have never figured you for a Perry supporter but I guess there's hope for everyone! Welcome! It's a "big tent" party!
To Fair Play --
I don't think what the TDP was saying last fall will necessarily be what Bill White will say next fall. Let's see what issues White chooses to focus on first.
Fair play, there is much more than a "casual connection" between Perry and the TYC. It was his Board and his responsibility. The fact that he and Abbott chose to ignore facts that sat on their desks for at least a year was a decision they made that reflects their priorities.
I suspect a TYC problem wasn't their political priority. After all, about that time, Abbott and team were out harassing African American and Hispanic seniors in their bogus "voter fraud" crusade.
Whether or not this is the best issue for a 2010 campaign is open to question, but the criticism of Perry's performance in this case is part of a broader criticism. Perry and his crony appointees have repeatedly tried to sweep potential political problems under the rug despite the consequences. Same thing that happened at TYC happened at the Forensic Science Commission, the Corpus State School, and elsewhere
Meanwhile, howdy Scott.
Ed Martin
1:14 - Are you so critical because YOU were involved and knew about the youth sex abuse? How are your buddies CH, LB and Ray? Happy continued covering ups.
One small point to make, while the rest of TYC had riots and federal invesitgations. Since 2002 and maybe longer, at least West Texas State School had none of those. Yes there were the two stoogies and management cover up. but the rest was working, and helping youth more or less. And yet who is closing! Lets also remember the author of that book, was writing from a journal of his entire 20+ year career. He got to pick the best parts for his book.
Ham2MTR
Grits,
Your post wrings of the GWB Administration and 9/11, crowing about what a great job they did AFTER the attacks. Selective memory indeed. Guv. Perry was in charge for SEVEN years before the TYC scandal erupted. He appointed the board. How could he not be responsible? Shall we really pick and choose?
Perhaps, if he only appointed the board and had no budgetary authority he can't claim responsibility. Then he wouldn't be able to take credit for much either as we have a 'weak' Guv in Texas.
All voters, R,D,I, TP are turned off when they hear that children were abused on Perry's watch. I think you'll be wrong on this.
Best!
Its a BIG DEAL to the public. That is why TYC went so far to hide it all from the media and public. When it does come out, there will be a demand that the hide-a-ways there who were involved also be punished. This will hurt out lovely govennor for allowing conspirators to be shielded.
GFB -
I think this one of the best posts you've ever written on TYC and that whole mess. I see your point. Pretty fair and balanced, like Fox.
However, one thing to remember is Alfonso knew what occurred when TYC knew and there is evidence to prove that (e-mail). If Perry said he didn't know, then his staff didn't tell him. But the administration at the time, our chief of staff back then, let Alfonso know. Should be no dispute there. What ever happened to him after leaving TYC? I don't think he went back to Perry, but I could be wrong. Just don't know.
Don't forget that it was his man, Kimbrough, who while at the AG office, turned down the case in the first place. Well, technically, it was JK's subordinate that did the actual paperwork, but...
Can I get you to explain that a little more 6:01... I never understood it, and keep hearing about it....
The mystery of Kimbrough's role in all this could stand some real investigation.
Kimbrough methods were unorthodox but then end result is what matters. He came in and made decisions where others were too tepid, he accomplished what he set out to do, and it is appreciated.
"CHUY"
6:08 - That has been the problem, they/you didn't understand the problem. Never did and probably never will; part of keeping your head under the sand and creating 'deniability'. How some of you got your jobs is a msytery to me.
What is so sad is that there are still a few still in TYC Austin that knew about and covered for the sex crimes against youth at West Texas. How many other cases did they cover-up and are still there watching over crime against juveniles? It is simply terrible to know our youth are under the control of proven/suspected child abusers in active roles at the upper headquarters that should stop abuse of incarcerated youth. I am told that TB is a major cover for youth abuse in this warped agency of corruption. DOJ should come back in and place these monstors in prison where they belong. Just getting the prime abusers is not enough. Go White against crime and TYC! The gov had his chance and covered and it backfired, since his kin were part of the child abuse coverups.
7;54 - Im not going to respond.
It isn't worth my time....
It seems yout time is not worth much at any rate. You are in space and maybe should remain there. YOU are a good example of why TYC is a work of rot!
Perry and his rat pack are what is wrong with Texas. Look at the economy. Look at the outlook for Texas. We all will be in dire straights if he continues in office. TYC and that strange staff is a pimple on our real concerns. Texas unite - go White for reforms and the future. With White we can place all the abusers in the lockup.
God - do you even know who you are talking to?
Last time I checked the Texas economy was one of the best in the US (not saying much) so this would not be a sales pitch for White. In all honesty Perry will win hands down and you so called White supported know this, so why waste your time commenting? And all of you conspiracy folks out there need to find something else to do, go back to looking for UFO's, anything but blaming and pointing fingers at people you have no clue regarding what you are saying. If you work for this agency quit, stop the bitching, 7-11 is hiring. I really believe most of you throwing these stones do not work the agency or you were fired for incompetence and this is your last ditch effort to build up that ego you have been lacking.
Aren't you forgetting that the legislature actually had to force the conservatorship of TYC? Perry would not do it and appointed Kimbrough as a "special master" whatever the hell that is. Then he brought in the Kimbrough, Evans, Pope crowd and the legislature again had to force the appointment of Nedelkoff. who had juvenile experience but ended up resigning because of conflicts of interests? Perry did none of this on his own. he went kicking and screaming the whole way.
Reducing population has nothing to do with effective reforms. Actually many of the legislative reforms are actually regressive and counter national trends and practices (especially the lower age of 19).
I really think the lower rate of juvenile crime may be an artificial outcome of a massive influx of money into the pre-tyc end of residential placements. It is my suspicion that more youth than ever are actually in residential facilities because funds were diverted and this explains the lower rate of juvenile crime. The kids are all simply locked up. I expect that there will be some increase in TYC commitments over the next two years but that many of these kids will age out of the juvenile system and get involved in the adult system because the TYC age has lowered to 19.
is possible that while the number of juveniles who are in TYC have gone down, the ove
sorry for the dingle-berry!
You sound like a blithering TYC administrative idiot. You have no idea what you are saying. That perhaps qualifies you to be a TYC administrator. Identified and certified idiot. Do you do the numbers and factors for TYC? No wonder TYC is in such shambles. You are the feeble, crazy professor that was promoted through incompetence. Please go away, there are folks here that want intelligent postings.
When the Governor's office was informed of the scandal, they did the same thing TYC people did: no one believed it. Why? because KIDS LIE. That's what we all believed then, and to an extent that's what we still KNOW to be true. Look at the serious incident reports, lying still occurs but now we check it out. If you're going to be critical, look at thyself first - get over it and let's keep moving on.
Everyone knows youth lie often. That can be seperated from the real abuse and coverup by employees and administration. The people directly involved in the youth abuse and those administrators that covered for their criminal conduct are the reasons for these bad times now and the lost reputation of the agency. We will come back, but these idiots that allowed this to happen should be in prison. The cover needs to end and the scandal be put behind us.
Why are there still some of those involved in the sex scandal still walking the halls of CO? Explain that to the public and the rest of the employees! Talk about criminals. Why do I have to see these people every day?
Why is this dude so full of hate? Jesus, hope he doesn't know how to fly a plane... what a raging idiot that keeps posting and spewing his hate here. Takes away from the discussion.
Remember when those "still walking the halls of CO" could get what they wanted and could get away with anything they wanted because they were completely covered? They thought the good ole days would never end. Their clique still protects them (and the TYC culture hasn't changed) but times are not as easy.
Sounds like some of you CO people might have been privy to some information that we didn't have here in West Texas. As far as we know all the people involved were dismissed. We've all been accused of being enablers, but what you guys are writing would suggest that you might have helped by speaking up. I hope that isn't true.
Sorry to burst your idealistic bubble, but it is true! It hurts to see it continue on right up close.
Why just complain about TYC. Under Perry the TDCJ-ID can not keep a secure prison (cell phones, escapes, do not fire guards who bring cell phones into the units ect, ect), and he has appointed a parole board chairman who has been found guilty of violating the civil rights of parolees, and has lost three other civil rights cases during her administration. His criminal justice accomplishments seem to be nothing to brag about.
Bill Habern
I'm about to lose my job because of other people's stupidity. Why would you think I'm being idealistic? I'm just disappointed.
When you work for TYC, part of your job is disappointment. We here see it every day, but we thought you folks out in West Texas knew the whole story. Too bad but I'm not surprised that you were kept in the dark. Has anything changed?
I don't think anyone knows the whole story, but how CO works is a total mystery to the people out in the field. I was stunned that a man who wasn't allowed to drive a state vehicle was promoted first to DOS, then to Asst. Supt. and then became acting DOS and Supt. at the same time. We all assumed that Brookins had someone's picture with a goat.
There are several pictures of administrators with 'goats'. The skeletons are how they hold you morally and insure their own future with the agency. There are so many goaters that the criminal conduct and coverup will never end. They protect each other and sacrifice the overall agency for their greedy goals.
At TYC staff members rise through the rank though their connections and the bonds they form with the right person. We all gossip about this in secret, but what we don't talk about is how often these beneficial work connections are sealed by the exchange of body fluids.
I've worked for other agencies and there is always some of this activity. However, TYC could win an oscar since the sex exchange is rampant in TYC. It has the Austin example and has spread all over the state. If you are a true person and won't deal in sex, forgot a promotion or decent future in TYC. All part of the self-promotion and continued coverups.
Yall this appears to be one person with a split personality talking to his other sides. Pretty disturbing. Good medicine and therapy IS available, even out there.
Now watch. he'll accuse me of being an abuser of children and I don't even work at TYC. Can't even hold a discussion of juvenile justice without this same crazy person going off tangent into a blame game. I feel sorry for you, you really need help.
David, just because you don't work for TYC doesn't mean you're not possibly a child abuser. You just set yourself up as a target.
The continued problem with TYC even up to this day is the lack of leadership, it will continue until someone stands up and makes decisions based upon what is needed for a safe environment for both youth and staff. Believe me, we do not have this right now, and if you believe so you are clueless.
Deaths from child abuse and neglect in Texas soared 31 percent to 280 last fiscal year, according to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
The largest increase was seen in Houston and Harris County, where child deaths from abuse or neglect rose 90 percent from 2008, according to the department's annual Data Book
So who was the mayor of Houston at the time? Democrats should be careful who they attack for what.
It's really scary that someone would say something like this: "David, just because you don't work for TYC doesn't mean you're not possibly a child abuser. You just set yourself up as a target."
I work in finance for a non-profit sub-contractor of TYC? I work with money? What does that have to do with any of this?
Man, you really are out there.
Why are you so defensive if you have nothing to hide? You scare others. Lots of folks that work with money are also child abusers. Surely, even a dimwit has heard of that. Who was the rich guy that beat his kids all the time? TYC has big money problems. Are you a part of that? Maybe Mr White can use that to throw at the gov. also.
David,
You'd be "out there" too if you retired from TYC still in an "entry level" position, but I can assure you, there was a good reason for this idiot not moving up and on.
David Lesley: Please accept our apology. 11:55 is our troll. He's a commenter who clutters all TYC strings --talking to himself, asking and answering his own questions, pretending he has inside information. He loves to accuse anyone disagreeing with him of child abuse. Actually, I think he's projecting. (Look it up, 11:55.)
He must be extremely bitter. Those of us who have been reading for years recognize him; newcomers don't. David, I'm sorry you were his latest target.
Watch, everyone. I'm the next suspected child abuser. It will be a badge of honor.
XTYC
Just ignore Ranty. He gets a rise out of the attention. Oh wait, now I've just become a child abuser.
Some of you people sling out accusations when you really are in the dark about the truth. From what they say about central office staffers, you stay there because you are a problem or suck-up to keep your jobs. Which do you fit into? The crisis goes on and you are still part of the crisis. Throwing mud at others will not distract from your own unlawful behavior.
Amazing and laughable. Some of the posters on GFB were involved in the largest abuse and corruption scandal in this nation's history. Where have you earned the right to judge others for their comments? The present and ex-employees of a ruined and dreaded organization of mainly misfits have little to cheer about. Your comments show your real worth and true help to the Texas community. If you can't be part of the solution then why bother to post here?
I have never seen the level of hatred and anger that one sees from current and former TYC employees. TYC must have been one hell of a bad place to work. It is very obvious that many of the former TYC employees exhibit pronounced symptoms of PTSD, which can be caused by long term exposure to a very toxic environment. There is no doubt very bad things happened to people who worked at TYC. I base this assumption on the level of anger and the long time period the anger has been displayed on this blog.
TYC employees have expressed wonder that the people who covered up the misconduct have not been investigated and or charged with failure to report child abuse at a minimum. A full investigation and punishment of the guilty would give some closure to TYC employees, but that does not appear to be. It is also strange to me readers cannot understand the level of anger held by people who lost jobs, health coverage, and retirements while having nothing to do with criminal behavior or its cover up.
People suffering from PTSD do and say things that make most uncomfortable due to the method of delivery. This being said, does not make what they have to say untrue. I hope all of the hurt and angry people who tried their best to serve the people of Texas at TYC can find closure and peace.
No need to aplogize XTYC. I sorta see what's going. Are yall serious though? Someone actually retired in an entry level position? I think I'd get the hint long before then.
Retired in an entry-level position is probably an exaggeration. They would have been promoted to a JCO III or IV, or they would have been let go. TYC has had some great people working for the agency, and some of those were JCO's that served for many years, and that is why it was often a good place to work. However, the Peter Principle ran rampant in the agency, and the amount of people who got promoted to leadership positions who shouldn't have been is mind-numbing. A first grader would understand that you don't put a person in a position of power that has nine reprimands, no matter who he's slept with.
"the exchange of body fluids." That was the case with the top admins in CO. They expected that from the females on their way up and they were not disappointed. That is the case with a lot of JCO promotions.
Its a racial thing. Some of the TYC females who make the rounds from facility to facility training everybody for the new programs pass this tradition on to the men they supervise and promote. Nothing's new.
Cronyism and nepotism - the TYC way.
Rick Perry and John Whitmire's way. Both of them deserve a special place in hell. Unfortunately, we will see both of them re-elected.
It amazes me that some of the long timers of the agency that think they know everything, actually know very little about some huge problems going on around them. Or, is it just that like before, they choose to not see or know about it? Quick to cover for questionable peer conduct and quicker to lie and run like cowards. Many of the enablers are just as guilty as Ray and his ring of thugs. Some took advantage of the racist atmosphere and casual sex available and were blinded to justice, in order to get ahead. We see many of you every work day and you are so ignorant of what fellow employees really think of you.
I hope this dude can't fly a plane. This is "Stack" reasoning.
This person worked for TYC? What the hell?
TYC is still a strange place. I could give many examples but will focus on just one - promotions. What I'm saying happens only in a minority of the cases but when it does it has a major impact. It's not simply a case of someone being pressured for sex in order to be promoted.
It's an understanding that those who give it up to the supervisor are the ones who get promoted. Secondly, it's a case of the supervisor thinking - "I like to promote those who have given me sexual favors."
Also, since several supervisors are in on it then it's a little more complicated. Several supervisors will look favorably on those who play the game even if they are not personally benefiting in that particular case. If she gives it up for supervisor A then supervisor B will promote her because he knows that supervisor A will promote someone who later does him (B).
Supervisor A, B, C, D, etc. socialize enough with each other and with these women to see who is doing who.
This is especially powerful when the superintendent has been in on these games for 20-30 years and provides cover for everyone. Those who he protects will be loyal to him so everyone keeps quite. None of those who have degrees and answer to an ethics board will ever say a word. They have put all their chips on the dirty superintendent. Because they are professionals, they offer some legitimacy to this dirty game so they are more guilty. Those in CO always go alone. So, that's TYC for you.
You know, that's kinda the way it is in the private sector too. That's not unique to TYC. It's funny how you put that though.... lol!
Okay 9:34 please name just one Superintendent with at least 10 years in the job (tick-tock, tick-tock, the clock is running).
People like you who make these posts have no clue what they are saying. The longest standing tenured Superintendent has maybe 6 years in the position, the rest are around 1 to 2 years.
Also, you can always file an EEOC complaint which are taken seriously and make your case, but sending out these messages because you were turned down for a shift leader job is quite ridiculous.
A major cause of the loss of credibility in TYC are indicated in many of these posts showing how lightly youth abuse and other administrative concerns were handled. That apparently lead to the past and continuing scandal. It appears across the board that complaints from youth, employees and some administrators were ignored or treated extremely lightly. These concerns appear to still be highly actice based on inappropriate posts that tear down or attempt to destroy others concerns. This would lead any observer to believe there is still relevent issues being hidden by TYC. Mr White should use these serious questions to force the present gov. to 'fully investigate' the agency and its policies. Trashing everyone's posts that presents concerns only reenforces the suspicion that there is misadventure still at the agency. Trying to find technical errors or calling one ridiculous is degrading and showing any lack of respect or self credibility.
It seems apparent you could not name one Superintendent with ALL of these years of experience, so you went with your pity party post. Grab another Kleenex wine-bag, I just responded to a post that was not factual and I did use the term ridiculous because people like you come on here and lie, then when its pointed out you begin to get all butt hurt.
We know who he's talking about and so do you. You sound like one of those TYCers who can do nothing but lie. You've got a lot of company in this agency.
51 - You are the average TYC-Austin dummie/loser. You and the hurt agency should be closed down.
Enough with the tyc bashing, it’s like picking on a retarded kid. This is a toxic culture, a 120 year old state agency whose purpose is to physically, mentally, verbally, academically, and sexually abuse the throw away children of Texas. The tyc is doing what it’s supposed to do. This has been a known historical fact for most of that 120 year history. Its political fodder and there isn’t one politician who has the balls to really do anything about it, never has, or ever will. And like any state agency it’s going to have its abundances of managerial abuses. Look at how money is handed out by the ag group to feed children in day cares.
You have a lot of good people who work at tyc who are trying to make a difference in a kids life. A kid who has found themselves at the last stop, Texas kid dump. I would be willing to bet that for every abuser in tyc there are four dedicated emps who will unite to expose them.
Don’t get me wrong people I loath tyc more than any human living but those kids and staff are attempting to do the impossible under some extremely toxic conditions. And yes Randy’s book is mostly a G rated scratch of the surface. You would have to be a real moran or guilty to even think for 1 minute to disagree with that. But this is tyc, a Texas prison for kids. If people really want to do something to fix tyc besides banging on your keyboard, get some funding to help these kids with PTSD when they get out of tyc and for the emps who can’t take it anymore.
Let me reiterate my point, no one will ever have the balls to fix tyc. So please stop bashing my high school alma mater.
Sheldon tyc#47333 II C/S
mvssb,gssb,Ftyc
Sheldon, you are obviosuly bi-polar. You need to seek help for yourself and before you sourly effect your kids and others. You make no sense - you drift with the wind and your mind wonders...a leftover of the good agency times? One day that Randy and his book are great and the next you just don't know. There is help out there and I highly recommend you find it.
I think Sheldon is fairly consistent, and Narcissistic more than Bipolar. He makes a good point about all the bashing. Either fix it or shut up. And about RBTS, its right on but only uncovers a small percentage of the abuse. How if you disagree you must be guilty of abuse. And his mantra 120 years bla bla bla…He’s consistent and hauntingly has some inside knowledge of the good work that does go on in TYC in spite of itself. So you tyc child molesters should give him a break.
Hang in there Sheldon 3:00 must be a TYC shrink, they always make bad diagnosis.
The issue was whether or not the Democrats should attack Perry over TYC. The point was well made that the Dems don't have the moral authority to do so. Still, I wonder what issue White could use to defeat Perry. Cronyism is as much a problem for Dems and Republicans.
I agree about the shrinks. Every one I ran into were weird and their solutions and ideas were worse than those being evaluated. Their atmosphere starts to effect their own internal workings in a downhill direction. White should use them to degrade the agency also.
04:53 - What si RBTS?
I think White better be careful what he brings to the surface, it could become his albatross.
I agree with you. Mr.White should choose another political agenda.This will not work.
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