Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Juveniles Clean Up 11 Day Summerfest 2010 Without Pay After Crowds Leave At Night

Children working after curfew and without pay at Summerfest?

By H. Nelson Goodson
June 30, 2010

Milwaukee - The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors might not be aware that an estimated 200 children ordered detained by judges at the Milwaukee County Juvenile Detention Center (MCJDC) are bused into Summerfest after midnight to clean-up bathrooms and the grounds. No public information is available from the County Board, the Milwaukee Sheriff's Department Office, Judicial order, or the Milwaukee County Executive's Office has been provided to address the partnership (using children to clean) with Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., the non-profit organization that sponsors the 11 day Summer festival at Henry Maier Festival Park.
The juvenile court system has ordered most of the juveniles held for delinquency behavior and might allow community service as a stipulation while spending time at the juvenile center. But in this case, allegations have been raised that juveniles are bused into Summerfest from midnight to 6:00 a.m. every day during the 11 day festival.
The City of Milwaukee has a curfew for underage children at 10:00 p.m. from Monday through Friday and 11:00 p.m. on the weekend. Children should be at home by law. Are juveniles from the MCJDC exempt from the city curfew in order to clean Summerfest?
Summerfest seems to welcome the decision of County officials to allow juveniles to do community service by cleaning up Summerfest. Community service allows a person to provide a service that is performed for the benefit of the public or its institutions, which is entirely different than cleaning up the facilities and grounds of a private non-profit that is generating millions of dollars as Milwaukee World Festival generates per year.
But Hispanic News Network U.S.A. could not confirm, if these juveniles are getting paid at least minimum wage as required by law and have the minimum age to actually work. Summerfest sources alleged, most of the juveniles are not getting paid, but are allowed by County officials to get out of detention for 6 hours a night.
Are these children being provided a worthy skill at Summerfest or being exploited? No doubt, Milwaukee World Festival can affort to pay the juveniles minimum wage and compensate the County for using the juveniles to clean-up Summerfest. 
Sound off, What do you think?

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