The head of the juvenile justice system fired nine of 11 managers of the District’s youth facility, the latest clash between the new director and rank-and-file employees of the beleaguered agency.
The managers said they’ll picket D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services offices and appeal to an arbiter who makes sure that the agency complies with a federal order.
“Vincent Schiraldi is abusing his authority as director,” said manager Joyce Freeman, an Oak Hill Youth Center supervisor for 19 years. “He’s a control freak.”
DYRS spokesman LaShon Seastrunk said the firings were part of the improvements the agency is making at Oak Hill. She said the employees’ accusations were wrong.
This is the latest step in a major reorganization of an agency that has been criticized for failing the juveniles in the system and releasing them into the city unprepared. Schiraldi, who was hired last year, has been battling the staff, who say his policies coddle the juveniles. The staff has twice had votes of no-confidence in Schiraldi.
The fired supervisors said they were each called into an office and read a termination letter signed by Schiraldi.
They were told they were being fired without cause. They were then escorted from the facility and not allowed to gather personal belongings, they said.
Monika Wilson-Greene, who was hired five months ago, said she believes she was fired because she filed charges against an Oak Hill juvenile after he struck her with a bottle two weeks ago.
She said Schiraldi has an unwritten rule that prohibits staff from filing charges.
