Wednesday, April 07, 2010
TYC eliminating employee positions at two, soon-to-be-closed units
TYC had already announced it would close the West Texas State School in Pyote as well as the Victory Field Correctional Academy in Vernon this August, but they're eliminating all employee positions there as of June 1. TYC executive director Cherie Townsend sent out this letter on Monday notifying employees of the move. "This is in accordance with our planned closure schedule and is not a part of our 5 percent reduction plan provided to the LBB and Governor’s Office in February." What's more, "All affected employees are being offered the opportunity to transfer to vacant positions at other TYC institutions. The agency currently has a hiring freeze in place to better accommodate staff wishing to transfer. We should know by next week which employees will transfer and where they wish to go."
TYC is at the lowest of lows--there is no discipline, empathy or respect being taught--instead their giving the youth i-pods, watching movies during school, etc. The recidivism rate is sky high-maybe the governor will put his foot down like Bush did in 1996 and make some changes with what's left of the broken agency-staff are ready to quit
ReplyDeleteThe subject is facility closures, and 9:14 your comment is unrelated to the post. Please stay on topic, folks, and avoid flaming others or I'll quickly shut this string down.
ReplyDeleteWhat ever happened to the thought of keeping kids closer to home? The ledge talks out of both sides of their mouth. They wanted kids closer to home, but screw the west. There's one facility left that's west of I-35, and that'd be Ron Jackson, an all girls unit.
ReplyDeleteMost of the youth served at West Texas were not from that region, but other areas of Texas. It makes sense to close and move local youth to other Texas locations. Pouring more funds down a hole just doesn't make sense either. Perhaps another state agency can make use of the facilities at Peyote.
ReplyDeleteWe, at West Texas State School, have gone through most of the stages of grief. We are presently at depression, but are headed to acceptance. The facilities that get our staff that transfer will be fortunate, as will their communities, because we have had some of the best people in TYC working here. For those who stay and serve this community, I hope the local employers will understand that they will be wise to hire you, because you've done a tough job for many years without the appreciation you deserve. For those people who have thrown stones without understanding or desiring to understand the truth, I hope you'll drop your stones and reexamine your own self-righteousness and let our school rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteIn the past 4 years or less, there will be five TYC Institutions that have closed down: San Saba, Marlin, Sheffield, West Texas and Victory Field. Sure hope that doesn't back fire and our population explode.
ReplyDeleteIt is bound to happen as more and more youth are committed as determinate sentence offenders with longer lengths of stay. Somebody is thinking straight.
ReplyDeleteTYC is not giving youth ipods. My son watched a movie during his class in public school the other day and the recidivism rate is no different than it was 3 years ago. Hopefully no one does what Bush did to juvenile justice in Texas, but yes hopefully someone makes some sensible decisions rather than just bending over.
ReplyDeleteI would like to point out that TYC gave the people of WTSS, one of the oldest institutions, one week to decide whether or not to accept a transfer. Although it takes the agency a month to fill most positions, they put a gun to the so-called "valued" staff of WTSS. Thanks for coming out Ms. Townsend, but be fruitful and multiply, but not exactly in those words.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you people want? Nothing seems to please you.
ReplyDelete10:27 Who the hell are you? Talk to me when you've spent a life time serving the state and get the same treatment.
ReplyDeleteIs your case 'self-inflicked punishment'?If things were so bad, why did you stay on? Get over it and move on. Life is what you make of it. Stop bitching....move on.
ReplyDelete11:39 Local youth? El Paso kids in Mart=600 miles from El Paso and less than 200 from Lousianna. For those of you that have never looked at a map of anything west of Ft. Worth, Lousianna is in the opposite direction. El Paso sends 40 kids a year to TYC, Odessa and Midland 30 to 50, Lubbock 20 or 30: yeah lets get the kids back local in Mart, Gainesville and Evins. Well, all the East Texas kids will be local, that's all that's important.
ReplyDeletePeople are starving and dying all over the world. You are pitiful. Grow up, move on, face facts; the world does not move at your pleasure. Get a real job and shut the hell up!
ReplyDeleteIts time to pull your panties up, wash up, take a shower, hold off on the good stuff for awhile; face life and go forward. The good life is over. You have taken the state long enough. Join the real world...for a change.
ReplyDeleteHey, yau'll have sucked off the state and ran us dry, with little in return. Now get a real job like the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteGet real folks, to blame the workers is what the politico's want you to do.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is this became a political nightmare because of mismanagement from the top down and the workers get the blame.
If you think you can do whats RIGHT in a political tug of war you are brainwashed by this sick government system.
Say it aint SO ? ! ? !
For all of you who think the state of Texas employees just suck off of the state, if every state employee called in sick on the same day in an organized blue flu, the state would grind to a halt.
ReplyDeleteTYC employees are no different that any other state agency. They are given instructions and rules. Some don't and give the rest a bad name.
Move on will not be possible for many at these two agencies. A lot are close to retirement and if they don't continue with some kind of state job, will lose all their sick time and health insurance.
They own their homes and are either from the community or lived there now a long time.
This will hit both areas hard as the facilities are major buyers of goods from the local merchants. It is not just about losing a job, the whole community loses.
Giving the staff at WTSS one week to decide where to apply for a transfer is no different than the other staff had at the other facilities which closed. There has to be a deadline set and the quicker the better. At least you will learn much sooner whether you get the transfer or not. You all have known for a year that it is closing no later than August and should have already been applying for those transfers.
ReplyDeleteSome people just feel 'entitled' or that they deserve more than the rest of the sect. Is that the problem? You just can't be pleased, whatever?
ReplyDeleteI am sorry that many of you are losing your jobs. I sincerely hope that you can find better ones with minimal affect on your lives.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your service to the state.
Sure.
ReplyDeleteRon Jackson Unit II needs to close- its a waste of money and time- there is no GED program, the drug and alcohol program is a joke- the recidivism is sky high- there's not enough staff to run it safely, kids are getting up on the roof and tearing off shingles, the kids aren't learning anything- a complete waste of money for the taxpayers of Texas
ReplyDelete