Looking to trim the fat off its budget, a school district in Arizona’s Maricopa County is banking on a controversial approach—employing prison labor from Lewis Prison for janitorial and landscaping tasks. The Gila Bend Unified School District, facing fiscal constraints after a funding override failed last November, is making a deal with the Department of Corrections, as per info obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix.
"We just now heard about it," stated Ron Loper. He expressed support, adding, "Everybody deserves a second chance."
While the district's superintendent Robert Varner has assured that these inmates will be heavily supervised and vetted, working only when students are absent from campus, the plan raises eyebrows amongst concerned parents and critics. According to azfamily.com, Caroline Isaacs from Just Communities Arizona slammed the mere 50 cents per hour wage as "legalized slavery" and counterproductive to rehabilitation and reintegration into society. "Why do we make it so incredibly difficult for them to do that?" Isaacs questioned, as reported by AZFamily.
The contract between the school district and Lewis Prison is expected to take effect during spring break and is poised to save the school district a chunk of change—around $18,000 over 18 months. This is significantly less than hiring regular staff, which could cost between $40,000 to $45,000 including benefits for one entry-level position, Superintendent Varner told FOX 10 Phoenix.
