I’m sure everyone has heard that Ohio River Valley Juvenile Correctional Facility (ORVJCF) will be closing on Sept. 10, 2011.

This closing will leave 368 families without jobs, including my own family. I am a 15-year-old daughter of two proud employees of ORV who will no longer have jobs.

My father has 26-plus years invested and my mother has 18-plus years invested. I say families because not only are the employees of this facility affected, but also everyone around them will suffer devastating losses.

Parents should not have to sit their young children down and say, “We are forced to move and leave behind our family, friends and homeland.”

It is unethical, unnecessary and flat-out wrong.

The closing of the newest, best and most equipped facility will not come without major cost.

Not only will jobs be lost at the facility, but also small businesses, such as Giovanni’s, Bailey’s, BP, Shake Shop, Scioto Water and many others.

The millions of dollars you believe to be saved will go toward old, rundown prisons that are not as efficient as ORV.

Many say the facility will be privatized, meaning employees might make around $8 an hour and will be without jobs for a full year while the building sits empty and useless.

ORVJCF is not the first and it will not be the last.

This will likely continue until every part of Ohio that can be privatized, will be privatized.

This closing is not only a hit against the employees of ORV, but against southern Ohio. Yet again, we get the short end of the stick.

It’s time that we stand up and say enough is enough.

We need these jobs, that is obvious, so let our voices be heard.

Sierra “Skye” Barnett

Ironton