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| California Prison Teachers Protest Potential Loss of Jobs |
| By Imperial Valley Press |
| Published: 07/21/2003 |
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About 15 teachers picketed outside Calipatria State Prison - all day Friday to protest the potential laying off of 20 percent of teachers employed by the California Department of Corrections in connection with the state's budgetary constraints. The teachers are members of the California School Employees Association/Service Employees International Union, Local 1000, District Labor Council 710. Tom Stroud, union spokesman and adult basic education teacher at the prison, said it makes no sense for the DOC to make cuts in its education department, which produces revenue. 'Education brings in revenue from the receipt of average daily attendance money from the state... . Studies have shown that for every dollar spent on prisoner education, $2 are generated for the state in revenue,' said Stroud. According to Stroud, that is so because the academic and vocational skills taught to the inmates allow them to get jobs and become productive, taxpaying members of society upon release. Stroud added inmates who do not receive an education while incarcerated have an 85 percent recidivism rate. Those who do receive an education have a 5 to 10 percent recidivism rate. Statewide, about 300 teachers received potential layoff notices. While the statewide layoff rate for prison teachers is 20 percent, Calipatria State Prison has 14 teachers who were given potential layoff notices. This means the prison is looking at the possibility of losing a third of its teaching staff. Stroud said 13 of the 14 teachers are vocational education teachers, representing almost half of the vocational education staff. According to Stroud, correctional officers' lives will be put at further risk with the potential teacher layoffs because studies have shown there are fewer acts of violence in prisons with strong educational programs. |
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