Reader’s Controversial Comments About Martin Gross’s Statements

These are few comments from yesterday’s post about Martin Gross’s interview and “Job Corps  and the Government Racket”.  I remain fascinated that Job Corps supporters and detractors are so passionately polarized.  Having worked in two different Job Corps Centers: Shriver in Devens, MA and Kittrell, NC I feel aptly qualified to say I saw for myself the waste, inefficiency and focus on numbers to the detriment of the students. I am thinking that Job Corps most passionate defenders have never worked inside a Job Corps Center? I can’t believe that anyone would have been an employee and still wholeheartedly defend its purpose.  Only an outsider, not privy to the inner workers of these contractor cash cows would make a statement such as the following:

-from Marianne

So many good kids take advantage of the Job Corps opportunity, do the hard work, follow the rules, get their GEDs or HS diplomas and tech certifications. Any good program has its failures, detractors and disappointments. But Job Corps is just about the only safe place left for youth who have fallen through the cracks of school & society.

Even on the most poorly-run center – and there are some, as well as superbly-run centers – the program works for kids who take it seriously. And on every single center there are dedicated staff who love the kids, believe in them, and love their jobs. Why? Because the program works, the opportunity is there, and it’s a great second chance for tens of thousands of kids each year.

Win some, lose some. At Job Corps there are more winners than losers by far. I dare you to prove otherwise!!

-from Andrea, Job Corps Fraud

We do not dispute that there are success stories from Job Corps. However, there are two sides to every story and the “other side” of Job Corps must be told. There is too much propoganda and illusions about this program in the press today. Please, I urge you to click around this site and read research studies done by scientists and reputable economists who have studied Job Corps extensively. Instead of challenging me, read the factual reports on this site. Thanks so much. I think the site speaks for itself. Andrea for Job Corps Fraud

-from Nancy

Exactly whose butt are you trying to KI##,  the Job Corps have had historically SUCH a LOW %%% of success that it DOES NOT make any of them worth the money that spent on them.  Stop drinking the Kool Aid, and WAKE UP.  And STOP most importantly condoning STEALING from honest tax payers by this program.

-from Harold

Marianne,

“I dare you to prove otherwise!!” ? Just look at the statistical reports, the OMS10, which is bogus anyway, and you will see the proof right there. If the statistics weren’t manipulated for that report, the results would be even worse.

Andrea is correct – unless you have worked in the system, as I have for many years, you have no idea what is really going on.

“Only safe place left” – I’ve been on centers where students rioted, assaults and beat-downs were common, gang activity flourished, drugs were rampant, and even a death occurred. These centers are not as safe as you might want people to believe. They are understaffed, especially after class and on week-ends, when most of the negative behavior happens. If you knew where to look for student accounts of what goes on “after hours” you would see the truth.

Marianne, you seem to be someone who wants to present a different picture of Job Corps to the public. Be honest, are you a contractor, a parent or a naive employee who doesn’t see the forest for the trees? Maybe you have a job at a Job Corps because you have a political patronage job and are protected for awhile anyway. If you are an employee, save your money – chances are your day will come and you will be unemployed too like so many others.

Filed under: Employees, Job Corps, Job Corps Centers, Kittrell Job Corps Center, Reader's Comments, Shriver Job Corps Center, Job Corps, Job Corps Employees, Kittrell Job Corps, Martin Gross, Readers comments, Shriver Job Corps

Responses to “Thoughtful Post” about Job Corps Employees et al

-“I would be delighted to testify, with witnesses and documentation.  Yes I want ETR punished, I would like to see them never dealing with any type of educational training ever.  I use my own name not some character name, because I am ashamed of them, not in fear of.  I realize many others may still be employed or have fear of retribution, all they can do to me is bring me to court.  To that I say, BRING IT ON.”

-“I’ll stand by the complaints I made to federal agencies, and I’m willing to testify in Congress about the Job Corps program.  I worked with abused and neglected children before I worked at Job Corps, and I didn’t like the negative discipline methods used at Job Corps which tore down the students self esteem. The majority of the students at the Job Corps Center I worked at needed mental health help and drug treatment which Job Corps can’t provide.  I made these complaints not for revenge, but out of a moral duty for my former co-workers and the students.  I was an R.A. and R.A.s see some of the worse stuff that happens at Job Corps.  I can also talk to the people that live near the Job Corps neighborhood, since they wanted Job Corps out of their neighborhood for years due to students causing problems. The Department of Labor’s main function is to enforce labor law and it is not in the business to run a secondary educational institute.  Job Corps should be shut down or taken over by the Department of Education.”

–“I have first hand knowledge and evidence to back up everything that I have conveyed on this blog. In response to the “thoughtful comment”,  many staff including myself  attempted but were powerless to fight all of the corruption at Iroquois. We had no avenues open to us including Human Resources, because everyone was in the CDs pocket.  Even the corporate office would not stand up to the CD. Our jobs were threatened even by talking to OIG auditors. There have been lawsuits and an organized protest all to no avail.

Yes we are interested in punishing the center management because the ultimate losers in all of this are the students.

Because the center is playing the numbers game, students are pushed through the system without being prepared for the outside world. They are given Mississippi diplomas which are very substandard in this area. A former vocational instructor there who is now in charge of placing students in jobs, stated that he cannot place anyone with a Mississippi diploma.  The center is just concerned with numbers not what happens to the students after they leave.

Living conditions are also terrible for the students. The only time the dorms are clean is when the center has visitors.

There was a surprise visit by the corporate office at night in which they inspected the dorms and found the conditions deplorable. They reprimanded the CD and of course she immediately blamed everyone else in an all staff meeting.

I don’t think that the center should be closed, I just think that a change of contractors is definitely necessary.”

“Readers might also want to check out YouTube, just search “Job Corps Fights.” I know that what is there is not reflective on all JC students but still sad.”

Filed under: Comments, Employees, Iriquois Job Corps, Job Corps, Job Corps Centers, Reader's Comments, Iroquois Job Corps, Job Corps comments, Job Corps documentation, Job Corps Employees