One More Reason to Despise Ashcroft- Refuse to Investigate W

[Anonymous]

You might also add that they are not allowed access to a public phone. All calls are made with supervision and the conversation is ended if the teen states anything negative, labeled "manipulation".

http://archive.salon.com/21st/feature/1 ... ture2.html
And on the last page of the 12-page contract, parents are also required to give Tranquility Bay the right to "monitor all outgoing and incoming mail."

http://www.rickross.com/reference/teenb ... sitor.html
The program bothered me the moment they told me I could have no contact with my daughter, except through the mail, which they read. They told the children over and over that 'your parent's don't care about you and that's why you are here!'

http://www.sociopranos.com/forums/threa ... 5&posts=41
They are mislead about how long they will go with out talking to their child. They are not told All mail, in and out is screened. They don't realize what this means is the kids have no way to ask for help or explain the truth.
By the time the kid is on a level were they can call home - the parents have been to a seminar or two. They are well indoctrinated into the manipulative tactic the kids use and so don't believe a word the kid says or might write home about. The kids know this. They know too, they will pay for it if they are negative or manipulating.

http://www.sltrib.com/2003/May/05252003/Utah/Utah.asp
Stateside or abroad, there is no access to television, videos, popular music or the Internet. Books are chosen for wholesome content. Telephone use is controlled and mail monitored. Rooms are spartan.

And World Wide has adopted its own tough-love approach to its critics. It has filed two defamation lawsuits in the past year against two parents, including one who started a competing program, for spreading what it sees as false and misleading information about its schools.
    "Parent dissenters," Kay said, "have been very, very vicious."

[Anonymous]

On 2004-01-13 22:39:00, Anonymous wrote:

""Anyplace that keeps a kid from sending and recieving his/her own mail is committing federal offenses with every single instance.



Strictly enforcing just that one, single, existing law would do a world of good. "





 :question:

don't know what program you were in, but it wasn't wwasps!  I agree that any program that would keep a kid from writing or getting mail from their parents is wrong.  Who does that?

"

Academy at Swift River in Massachusetts does that.

And they don't tell the kids before they get there, either.

[Anonymous]

On 2004-01-13 22:39:00, Anonymous wrote:

""Anyplace that keeps a kid from sending and recieving his/her own mail is committing federal offenses with every single instance.



Strictly enforcing just that one, single, existing law would do a world of good. "





 :question:

don't know what program you were in, but it wasn't wwasps!  I agree that any program that would keep a kid from writing or getting mail from their parents is wrong.  Who does that?

"

Kids have a right to write or get mail from *anybody*---not just their parents.

The Federal laws against interfering with the mail to any person don't have any kind of age limit.

It's as illegal to stop a letter from a kid's best friend as it is to stop a letter from her parents.

You may not think it *should* be illegal, but the bald fact is, it *is* illegal.  You keep a kid from getting a letter from her best friend, or sending one out, because you don't like the content, or just have a general policy against it, and you break federal law.

[Anonymous]

On 2004-01-14 08:41:00, Anonymous wrote:

"

On 2004-01-13 22:39:00, Anonymous wrote:


""Anyplace that keeps a kid from sending and recieving his/her own mail is committing federal offenses with every single instance.





Strictly enforcing just that one, single, existing law would do a world of good. "








 :question:


don't know what program you were in, but it wasn't wwasps!  I agree that any program that would keep a kid from writing or getting mail from their parents is wrong.  Who does that?


"

Academy at Swift River in Massachusetts does that.



And they don't tell the kids before they get there, either."

Oh, correction---I don't know if they stop mail from parents, but they stop mail from others, and don't allow the kid to write to others.

And that's a violation of federal law for every single instance.

If Ashcroft strictly enforced that one federal law, these places would be shut down, because grandparents, aunts, uncles, grown cousins or siblings, or neighbors, or parents of friends, would have the kids allegations of abuse in hand, and the kid's request to be under guardianship of that other adult, and those letters would give the other adult standing to sue for custody on the basis of the kid's request.

Enforce that one law strictly, and the rest of the whole rotten system crashes and burns.

[Anonymous]

As does Hidden Lake Academy.

It appears to be consistent throughout the industry and that the reason behind this is to monitor and intervene in communication between parent and child. Parents are advised to team up with staff by reporting all "complaints" to staff that go unnoticed, so the manipulation can be addressed immediately.. ya know, part of the "treatment". Parents are advised "not to go there with the teen", to hang up if complaints are made; while the teen is being told that the parent doesn't care about him/her and doesn't want to hear the "manipulation".

Very litte contact is allowed while this dynamic is being set up. Both parent and child are being conditioned. They tend to loosen up when both are fully conditioned and conversations are remaining within the imposed boundaries.

How can these programs- that would prefer state regulatory agencies to think they are boarding schools with structure but advertise to the public as therapeutic facilities-get away with this? Mail isn't censored in bonifide psych facilities or any other institution, without substantial proof that it is not in the person's best interest. It is a blanket policy with programs. The teen has no advocate, no access to a phone and could not report abuse to anyone but their parent, who unfortunately has been assured that it is an attempt to manipulate their way out.

[Anonymous]

Tell Ascroft to get with the program (no pun intended).  If he doesn't, then a case could be made that the DOJ is in effect violating federal law by their refusal to enforce it.  

 :scared:

[Anonymous]

I can list 10 so called "facts" that I have read on this board that are short parts of the truth taken and twisted around to make it HORRIBLE!
Number one: This is the biggest bullshit on the board. "kids are told thier parents hate them"
That is the farthest thing from the truth that there is.. Kids are told your parents want a better life for you- your parents are trying to save you from where you were headed.. Give me a break! Your parents hate you?? Yeah- your parents hate you that's why they are spending more on this program then on their mortgage!  
Number two: Kids can't mail their friends.. Hello? Do you know who their friends were?? Don't you know that that is why they are there, partly because of their poor choice of friends?
So- they should let the kids communicate with the frieds they did drugs with- or the friends they snuck out of the house with- yeah- that would be a good idea! Do you people have kids?
Number three: Kids can say whatever they want in letters to their parents. I can tell you for a fact that letters are not read by staff, incoming or outgoing, they are just opened in front of a staff member to make sure there is nothing in them (drugs or weapons-yes, we are allowed to send packages as much as we want)
My daughter was the biggest liar in the world before I sent her to cross creek and I completely expected all the lies to come in the letters of how they are mistreated- how they are beaten and locked in a room naked- never happened. My daughter has only said wonderful things about the staff- even when My idiot ex husband sent the sherriffs department to the school to make sure she was okay (he is one of you) she got to speak with them privately and could have said anything she wanted to. She told them she was fine and not being abused.
I have been to Cross Creek- It is a wonderful place- my daughter and I were able to talk to six of the resident girls in the program WITHOUT A STAFF MEMBER IN THE ROOM FOR PART OF THE TIME- the girls could have said anything they wanted to- and they said Cross Creek has changed their lives- most of the graduates of the program go off to college, which is the last place my daughter ever had dreams of going.
Unless you have been there- Unless your child has graduated the program- Unless you even had a child that was putting her life in danger by doing things that a teenager should not even begin to think of doing- Don't post your crap based on what you have read on the internet.
My ex is one of you who gets all his info from the internet- GIVE ME A BREAK PEOPLE! Do you think though, that my ex is so concerned that he would go there and check it out- it's only a 7 hour drive from here... No- too much trouble- lets just take what we read on the net - and not get the facts for yourself-
Id like to say that later in the program the kids can get mail from other family members- the reason they only allow mom and dad to mail initially is becuase they want the kids focused on their work- not distracted from the purpose of them being there. There is a lot of work to be done and if my daughter got 10 letters a day it would certainly be a distraction.
And I do talk to my daughter for one hour every other week in therapy with my husband and a licensed therapist at the program. For the first 6 weeks there were not phone calls- then they earn the phone calls. My ex called demanding to speak with her- after only two weeks- and they let her speak to him (the program will let the parents do what they want- they just have guidelines on how they "like" things done) and my ex told my daughter if she said they were abusing her , or even if she is being held there against her will that he would get a court order to have her released- she said "they do not abuse us- where did you hear that". He practically begged her to say something negative but she didn't.
The comment about no access to television and radio and popular music- DUH- all the crap that is on TV- I question all the time whether I should even let my kids at home watch all that crap you can see on TV these days. The world would be a better place if kids didn't get all the crap they get from TV.
If my daughter told me once that there was abuse there I would go and pick her up. I am doing the best thing I could possibly do for her- I want a bright future for her and she was drinking/having sexual encounters and putting her life in serious danger before she left. Now , after only 4 months , she sees the mistakes she has made and thanks me for saving her life. She is starting to dream about her future- and has goals to be a wonderful young lady. She didn't have that before. Her dead beat dad abandoned her and doesn't give her the time of day- she has a lot of self esteem issues she is dealing with. That , in part, is why kids go through these things. They think they and their bodies aren't worth anything. I had to change that.

One more thing- when a place is investigated- there are no appointments.. Get real people! When the DEA is investigating a drug ring do they make an appointment for a bust?? No- of course they don't.  Cross Creek encourages anyone to tour the facility and speak to the residents any time- any day.
If anyone is intersted in hearing from Graduates of the program- which I have talked to met many of them and begged for information- anything at all negative you can tell me about the school. Never - only positive experiences. Yes, the program is hard! Of course it's hard! But it's hard for a reason and it works.
If you haven't been part of the program and you are posting based on crap you have read on the internet - keep your crap to yourself- I don't even want to hear it. But if you have ligitimate questions you would like answered- I will answer them.
Just post back and I will check when I can.

[Anonymous]

On 2004-01-17 08:54:00, Anonymous wrote:

"I can list 10 so called "facts" that I have read on this board that are short parts of the truth taken and twisted around to make it HORRIBLE!

Number one: This is the biggest bullshit on the board. "kids are told thier parents hate them"

That is the farthest thing from the truth that there is.. Kids are told your parents want a better life for you- your parents are trying to save you from where you were headed.. Give me a break! Your parents hate you?? Yeah- your parents hate you that's why they are spending more on this program then on their mortgage!  

Number two: Kids can't mail their friends.. Hello? Do you know who their friends were?? Don't you know that that is why they are there, partly because of their poor choice of friends?

So- they should let the kids communicate with the frieds they did drugs with- or the friends they snuck out of the house with- yeah- that would be a good idea! Do you people have kids?

Number three: Kids can say whatever they want in letters to their parents. I can tell you for a fact that letters are not read by staff, incoming or outgoing, they are just opened in front of a staff member to make sure there is nothing in them (drugs or weapons-yes, we are allowed to send packages as much as we want)

My daughter was the biggest liar in the world before I sent her to cross creek and I completely expected all the lies to come in the letters of how they are mistreated- how they are beaten and locked in a room naked- never happened. My daughter has only said wonderful things about the staff- even when My idiot ex husband sent the sherriffs department to the school to make sure she was okay (he is one of you) she got to speak with them privately and could have said anything she wanted to. She told them she was fine and not being abused.

I have been to Cross Creek- It is a wonderful place- my daughter and I were able to talk to six of the resident girls in the program WITHOUT A STAFF MEMBER IN THE ROOM FOR PART OF THE TIME- the girls could have said anything they wanted to- and they said Cross Creek has changed their lives- most of the graduates of the program go off to college, which is the last place my daughter ever had dreams of going.

Unless you have been there- Unless your child has graduated the program- Unless you even had a child that was putting her life in danger by doing things that a teenager should not even begin to think of doing- Don't post your crap based on what you have read on the internet.

My ex is one of you who gets all his info from the internet- GIVE ME A BREAK PEOPLE! Do you think though, that my ex is so concerned that he would go there and check it out- it's only a 7 hour drive from here... No- too much trouble- lets just take what we read on the net - and not get the facts for yourself-

Id like to say that later in the program the kids can get mail from other family members- the reason they only allow mom and dad to mail initially is becuase they want the kids focused on their work- not distracted from the purpose of them being there. There is a lot of work to be done and if my daughter got 10 letters a day it would certainly be a distraction.

And I do talk to my daughter for one hour every other week in therapy with my husband and a licensed therapist at the program. For the first 6 weeks there were not phone calls- then they earn the phone calls. My ex called demanding to speak with her- after only two weeks- and they let her speak to him (the program will let the parents do what they want- they just have guidelines on how they "like" things done) and my ex told my daughter if she said they were abusing her , or even if she is being held there against her will that he would get a court order to have her released- she said "they do not abuse us- where did you hear that". He practically begged her to say something negative but she didn't.

The comment about no access to television and radio and popular music- DUH- all the crap that is on TV- I question all the time whether I should even let my kids at home watch all that crap you can see on TV these days. The world would be a better place if kids didn't get all the crap they get from TV.

If my daughter told me once that there was abuse there I would go and pick her up. I am doing the best thing I could possibly do for her- I want a bright future for her and she was drinking/having sexual encounters and putting her life in serious danger before she left. Now , after only 4 months , she sees the mistakes she has made and thanks me for saving her life. She is starting to dream about her future- and has goals to be a wonderful young lady. She didn't have that before. Her dead beat dad abandoned her and doesn't give her the time of day- she has a lot of self esteem issues she is dealing with. That , in part, is why kids go through these things. They think they and their bodies aren't worth anything. I had to change that.



One more thing- when a place is investigated- there are no appointments.. Get real people! When the DEA is investigating a drug ring do they make an appointment for a bust?? No- of course they don't.  Cross Creek encourages anyone to tour the facility and speak to the residents any time- any day.

If anyone is intersted in hearing from Graduates of the program- which I have talked to met many of them and begged for information- anything at all negative you can tell me about the school. Never - only positive experiences. Yes, the program is hard! Of course it's hard! But it's hard for a reason and it works.

If you haven't been part of the program and you are posting based on crap you have read on the internet - keep your crap to yourself- I don't even want to hear it. But if you have ligitimate questions you would like answered- I will answer them.

Just post back and I will check when I can.

"

WWASPER DUH to you.  I have had a child in CCM....What I know of the program I know first hand....there isn't one of you or one of them or any of that type of crap you are slaying.  When your child returns and the honeymoon period ends perhaps then you will open your eyes.  If things on this board are not in alingment with you move on as no one needs WWASPers gospal bull crap shoved down their throats.  You are all a dime a dozen for the "program" if you think differently you are only kidding yourself.  Fact is wwaspers do not want to read anything that isn't praise for the programs even when it is ones experience, which is why you should keep your crap at the BBS where they allow only the untruths be told.

WWASPers are just like puppetssssss period!

[Anonymous]

Ha ha ha ha 4 months give me a break.....you are still fresh into the beliefs....You do not have the first clue.  Continue to justify the program and see where you end up.  How comical you are trying to tell every one off that has a different belief than yours.

You are a woman that needs to believe in this at this time as you feel you have no other hope.  You have bought into all they have told you and are replacing you anger towards your daughters behavior with trying to breathe new light into everyone else that doesn't believe.  You spend hours a day looking and giving feedback to others on the bbs because you feel the need to give back what you received.  The absence of your daughter has turned into the need of the BBS for other parents to reach out to that will support you in your crap because they are all breathing in the same fumes.  The BBS will give you all the support you need in believing you did the right thing.  ha ha ha it is a joke!

[Anonymous]

At this stage of your program....if your daughter told you she was being abused you would tell yourself it is her manipulation to exit the program.....you wouldn't go get her.....your not fooling anyone with that crap.

[Carey]

I can list 10 so called "facts" that I have read on this board that are short parts of the truth taken and twisted around to make it HORRIBLE!
Number one: This is the biggest bullshit on the board. "kids are told thier parents hate them"

To the anon that posted this message, please contact me.  I would like to talk to you and possibly your ex husband.

Careycbock@aol.com

[Anonymous]

Thank you for telling me what i WOULD do..

[Anonymous]

Okay- so all the graduates I talk to must be wrong.. Hmmmm.

[Anonymous]

So, anonymous that had a child in the program. Your complaint about the program is what? They couldn't watch TV?
Let me guess- your child didn't graduate the program, right??

[Anonymous]

On 2004-01-17 11:16:00, Anonymous wrote:

"So, anonymous that had a child in the program. Your complaint about the program is what? They couldn't watch TV?

Let me guess- your child didn't graduate the program, right??

"

No I have no complaint about the not watching TV.  My complaints with the program is much deeper than that and I have stated that in other posts within this thread.  My dealings with WWASP was over a 3 year period not 4 quickie months to judge others or try to change their experience.  I can see that there is both good things and bad things within the program.  There are things within the program that require change in order to stop all the things that have gone wrong.  

Did my daughter graduate....ha ha ha....that seems to be the first place you all jump at.  Okay the answer to your question is......according to the Director at CCM....she had completed their teachings after 20 months in their program.

I am not disgruntled towards the program however I am disgruntled of the activists it creates.  Number one lesson from the seminars is not to judge however that is what I experienced within over and over.  I also understand that the experience a child has at CCM is much different than one at CASA, Dundee, or TB.