Central Texas Residents: Email the county commissioners of Williamson County and urge them to include the provisions of the 2007 settlement in the contract renewal. A message from Mary Ellen Kersch, WilCo resident:
We all know how utterly terrible and inhumane conditions were at T Don Hutto prior to the ACLU suit that resulted in Judge Sparks requiring some very minimal changes; prisoners were wakened in the middle of the night for head count, mothers had to have their young children in the room with them when they detailed the horrors that had led them to seek asylum in this country, no toys in their rooms, spoiled food to eat, etc.
Judge Sparks' order expires in August, at which time there will be nothing to prevent the return of those horrid conditions. WCCC approved renewal of the contract with no amendment to incorporate Sparks' mandates. Bad as it is that they voted to renew, it is totally essential that they add those standards to the renewal. Next Tuesday we will ask them to do that.
Please add your voice to this tragic plea. And tell everyone you know who has a conscience to call their commissioner and Judge Gattis, and email them. Repeatedly.
Message to Williamson County Commissioners' Court: If you refuse to remove Williamson County from partnering with imprisoning children, at least require Judge Sparks' standards to be part of the renewal contract.
