Al Melvin: Convicts in the schools

by David Safier

In an article in today's Explorer, Al Melvin says one way to deal with school budget problems is to bring convicts into the schools to do maintenance work.

[Melvin would] like to see school districts and other local governments use inmate labor to maintain school buildings, bus fleets and grounds. This week, a program began that deploys inmates on cleanup of I-10 between Tucson and Phoenix.

"I'm saying, this is one thing to think about, this idea of inmate labor," Melvin said. "We have people who can do these things. These are things school districts, towns and cities are not looking at during these tough economic times. Why not look at them, and the savings would be in the millions."

A community has to do whatever it can to create a safe environment for children in schools. That's why employees, even volunteers, have to get fingerprint clearance from the state.

You don't bring convicts to work in schools.

Melvin has demonstrated once again, he has no notion where ideology ends and common sense begins.

Actually, I think it's worse than that. In the same article, Melvin made another one of his statements about the wonderful time he's having in the legislature.

"I am having the time of my life," Melvin said of his position. "I am enjoying this job so much."

I don't make the next statement lightly.

I'm beginning to believe Al Melvin is dangerously unbalanced. Again and again, he makes statements showing he is completely devoid of human compassion or empathy. It's one thing if he believes in his votes and thinks he's doing the right thing. I can understand that, even if I am in total disagreement. But when he says he's having the time of his life cutting schools, eliminating KidsCare, cutting AHCCCS so that you only get coverage if your income is below $7,300, ending GED programs, and on and on and on, that's different. There is something seriously wrong with the man's psychological makeup.