‘Beyond failure’: WA teen loses legs at school-based work program
www.cascadepbs.org
Thousands of students enroll in work-for-credit programs, but a 16-year-old’s case shows life-altering consequences of risky jobs and murky oversight.
  • vaguerant@fedia.io
    93·
    23 days ago

    Rotschy, which routinely hired teenage workers amid recent labor shortages, violated the law when supervisors assigned tasks known to be dangerous and prohibited for minors to perform.

    L&I later issued significant fines against Rotschy for the incident, but has for years approved special “variances” for the company to hire minors despite its history of serious safety violations.

    For their part, Derrik and his parents say they do not hold Rotschy responsible. It was a fluke, an unlucky break — not the company being neglectful, they said.

    “I don’t think Rotschy failed my son in any way,” Derrik’s dad said. “All these events culminated into this accident.”

    I hope they were paid very, very handsomely to say that.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
      531·
      23 days ago

      You have no idea how much corporate bootlickers love to bootlick. Even at the expense of their own kids.

      I guarantee you this guy is an avid Newsmax watcher.

      In fact, I’m suspicious of both of his parents:

      “I told Mom not to get angry … upset,” he interrupted, then paused. “What did I say?”

      and

      “I cut my legs off. Then, of course, she yells at me.”

      • Whats_your_reasoning@lemmy.world
        52·
        23 days ago

        I got the same vibe. From the kid’s expectations and reactions, to the parents’ own words on the incident:

        “I don’t think Rotschy [the company] failed my son in any way,” Derrik’s dad said. “All these events culminated into this accident.”

        The kid is on defense from the moment he tells his mom that something bad happened to him, then his dad absolves the company of any wrong-doing. Healthy, loving, supportive families don’t react like that. If his parents aren’t chugging the kool-aid, I’d be astounded.

    • ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.works
      6·
      23 days ago

      Oh Rotschy. L&I isn’t the only regulatory agency penalizing them. I would not set foot in a building their crews constructed.

    • bean@lemmy.world
      4·
      23 days ago

      I came here with the same quote about the dad not blaming. Seriously. WHAT. They’ve been fined for this kind of shit before, repeatedly. Son loses his legs and he’s still brown nosing them??

      Also yeah the mom getting mad was also a red flag. Oof. Sounds like this poor kid has had to grow up too fast, and it got him hurt by trusting in this program. They also mentioned they never went through a safety plan or anything. Oi vey.