The time for being nice is apparently over when it comes to the treatment of Dallas County’s juvenile delinquents.
In the last few days, Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price and the county’s embattled director of juvenile justice, Terry Smith, have sent each other nasty-grams in the wake of a Dallas Morning News investigation and Price’s outrage over the way kids in Smith’s care have been mistreated.
The email showdown came after Price sought to oust Smith after the News’ found that teenage boys at a lockup under Smith’s control had been denied access to the outdoors for months at a time. One boy said he wasn’t allowed outside in nearly 10 months. Even hardened prisoners are given outdoor time daily, according to federal prison standards. The Newsalso reported that Smith had been warned of the problem for a year by a state watchdog, yet did nothing. She said she never read the reports.
On Friday, Smith emailed an “Open letter to John Wiley Price” to all the members of the county’s juvenile board and commissioners court. The one person the letter was not addressed to was Price himself.
“We are living in an age where we can see how powerful men abuse their power,” Smith wrote. “All forms of abuse or harassment leave indelible marks and scars on each of us and our families.”
“I have stood by while you called me a liar, slandered my name, attempted to berate me to others and created a hostile work environment for me,” Smith continued. “I realize by standing and speaking out I may feel the full weight of your power going forward, however; I can no longer be silenced like so many powerful men have tried to do to those who are powerless.
Price answered Smith on Tuesday, after someone forwarded him the email.
“While you’re standing, you should consider standing for the children who were left in your care,” Price wrote. “Stand for the children who spent an unimaginable amount of time without being allowed to enjoy something as simple as the outdoor air. Or safety from sexually predatory acts.”
Price continued: “Your attempts to cash in on the “MeToo” movement ring hollow. I have never claimed to be perfect, but my record of inclusion and advocacy for the underdog has never been questioned. So while you are standing, use your voice to apologize to children who were sexually abused and misappropriated while in your care.”
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