The two-story units are decorated in white and salmon, and each ward gets his or her own cell, complete with an intercom, sink, shower, and toilet.
The new French Camp facility puts an end to inmates sharing bathrooms, and results in a total of 14 new beds.
$6.5 million for 14 additional beds?
Meanwhile, Bear Creek High School still lacks the "frills" that other schools in the area boast: a theater, pool, wrestling facility, and rain gutters.
Bear Creek's lack of facilities is due in large part to the fact that Lodi Unified School District has been unable to pass a bond in the last 20 years, including a $122 million bond measure that failed in November with 61.4 percent of the votes.
To alleviate the situation, Lodi Unified School District will soon become one of the 270 schools that receive hardship funds from the state government. Trustees plan to apply for millions of dollars in hardship funds (and risk losing control over local funds). The money will be used to build more schools like Bear Creek - schools without theaters, pools, gyms, and rain gutters.
The necessity of adding new schools to the district is clear: Bear Creek was built to house 1,900 students, but held 2,463 students in 1999. Other schools in the district face similar problems.
Why should schools in the area struggle to educate their students with adequate facilities while Juvenile Hall is equipped with the latest in jail facility technology?
The county built the new units with $4.5 million of its own money and $2 million in federal funds. The wards of the Juvenile Hall said they liked the new accommodations, but wouldn't get too comfortable because Juvenile Hall is no substitution for freedom.
How about freedom for students who stay out of trouble and struggle to graduate?
Like the freedom to express themselves in their very own theater. Or the freedom to read from an up-to-date text book. Or the freedom to not have to compete with 40 other students for the teacher's attention.
Forget the criminals of Juvenile Hall and remember the fledgling students of Bear Creek High School. We don't need our own bathrooms, but we'd like the chance to learn.