TYC Executive Director to Resign?
February 23rd, 2007 at 4:54 pm
Word at the capitol is that Texas Youth Commission Executive Director Dwight Harris has decided to resign. “It’s not official, but I understand he’s going to resign on Monday,” Senator Juan Hinojosa said. “I’m not surprised, in lieu of the list of wrongdoing we have here,” he said.
One week after we broke the story of the sex abuse scandal at the West Texas State School in Pyote, Harris may have decided the fallout had become too much to handle. He is scheduled to appear before the Senate Criminal Justice committee on Tuesday to answer questions about his agency’s handling of the allegations of sex abuse, including what appeared to be an effort by the agency to cover up the scandal.
And there may be another unpleasant surprise in the offing: Yesterday the agency distributed a memo to elected officials warning that it had received a press inquiry into another incident of sex abuse, this one occurring in 2004-5 at the Ron Jackson State School in Brownwood, in Central Texas. According to the memo, a male staff member was found to have engaged in sexual relations with more than one inmate at the facility. He resigned when the agency began investigating, and no charges were ever filed, the memo said. As far as I can tell, this incident has never been covered in the media.
Harris’ possible resignation raises several questions, among them: 1) Who can the TYC board find to turn this troubled agency around, and 2) Who will field questions from Sen. Hinojosa and the Criminal Justice Committee on Tuesday? Our suggestion for question number two: Chip Harrison, the man who was superintendent at Pyote while the sex abuse was allegedly going on, who hired both of the alleged perpetrators, and who was later promoted to director of juvenile corrections in Austin.
February 24th, 2007 at 9:38 am
It is very possible that Chip Harrison was not aware of the things going on at WTSS back in ‘05 because he was out with a really bad back for months and Ray Brookins ran the show, he was a power hungry son of a gun. I worked on a dorm where students were consistantly being brought back to the dorm after midnight by security personel and I would ask why the student was out so late and the answer would be “Brookins”. I think everyone working at TYC during that time thought something, but TYC is a strange clicky place that should be investigated Deeeeeply… it is a very messed up place…. Start with Randy chance ex inspector for WTSS, he wrote the book Raped by The State. My other opinnion is even if Mr. Harrison didnt know it was happening, he found out and did nothing to help get Brookins convicted, and now he has been promoted to Austin????? Why???? There is a MOVIE of the week deal here!! There are many good staff at TYC, but the people allowed to work with these kids is unreal and this is Statewide…. Just investigate you will see TYC is A HUGE MESS!!!!
February 24th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
I agree with James (above) that..”TYC is a strange clicky place that should be investigated Deeeeeply… it is a very messed up place.” There is an incredible culture of corruption and almost nobody I work with ever tells the truth about what is “hidden in plain sight.”
There is a “one team” of about 30 people statewide and they take care of members of that corrupt team and cover up for each other and take turns promoting each other.
The Texas Youth Commision needs a comprehensive investigation. The problem is not limited to the sex abuse. There is much more wrong than just the sex abuse. It should be investigated Deeeeeply.
May 24th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
my son is in pyote as we speak, since the oput break of the case on the sexual miconduct my son has told me it takes place there daily he has made complaints, to the hotline to no avail.can someone please help me help my son get otu of that place any info would be great.