Whitmore Academy in Utah?

[Anonymous]

When kids first arrive, we love them because we see how they really can be; we can see their potential to be awesome people. It is at first unconditional acceptance for their true self, and they begin to want to work with us because of this. In teamwork, we understand each other a lot better and from this understanding comes love. If you adopted a kid, would you love him or her right off from the start, even if they didn't want to go with you?

So you just "love" them. Gee, that explains EVERYTHING. How do you convince a child, who may not be all trusting of his/her parents and of adults/authority figures in general, that you "love" them? What do you do to get them to comply? You say that you just "love" them-- but that really doesn't mean much. What do you DO, exactly? You're avoiding the question.

By the way, less than half of the kids here were brought by escorts. Most came with their families, and some even by themselves.

It could be that some children were brought by their families, but I don't believe you that "less than half" of them have been kidnapped. It just doesn't sound believeable, especially coming from a program person.

First off, please understand that there aren't any bad kids. There are only good kids  who have made some bad choices.

 :roll: why is it that all program people use the same damn line?

When someone becomes more responsible, accountable, etc., through fulfilling normal responsibilities like book reports, daily journal, etc., this person can have an intern or prefect job to kind of test them and through tests like that, they learn more.

Could be. But do they learn enough to be able to handle the responsibility of supervising over other children? Another thing I find very hard to believe.

I don't expect you to understand fully. It isn't something one really can't understand from words; it is more something one must experience firsthand to really 'get.'

Oh, I get it all right. You offer some great spiritual change, taht only your Holy Program can provide, and no one can criticize the Holy Program, because we morons just can't "get it".

I've got news for you. We've all heard it before. We know who you are, we know what you're offering, and we know what you're doing to these children. And we will, eventually, shut you down. No matter how many excuses you make, no matter how much "love" babble you spew, no matter how many times you say that The Holy Program is a spiritual experience that we just "can't get".

I've heard enough of this shit to recognize it right away. You're not fooling anyone.

[Antigen]

News item on Whitmore:

Troubled Teen Home Investigated for Abuse
Nov. 30, 2004
Samantha Hayes Reporting

It's often a last resort for some parents. But a facility for
troubled teens is under investigation tonight after strong
allegations from one boy.

Carol Sisco, Child and Family Services: "Our licensing office
notified them that we intend to revoke their license."
The state's decision to pull the license follows a teenage boy's
claims he was verbally and physically abused. KSL talked with many
of the same children interviewed by child and family services in
their investigation, children who have come from all over the
country to get help.

Mark and Cheryl Sudweeks own and operate the boarding school for 27
teenagers and a separate residential treatment facility for 12 boys.
Mark Sudweeks, Owner Whitmore Academy: "It's not working at home and
we feel we have a solution that can help kids turn their lives
around."

A teenage boy who was in the therapy group accused Whitmore Academy
of abuse.

Carol Sisco: "Allegations are of verbal abuse, physical abuse, lack
of supervision, bad sanitation, sub-standard food."
Victoria Degarmo, Counselor: "There is no verbal abuse. What goes on
here is nothing that doesn't go on in a family home."

The state and local police interviewed the teenagers in both
programs to find out if the accusations were true.

Carol Sisco: "We are still looking at it and we have the health
department looking at it too."

But the treatment facility's license is already being revoked.
Chris Gentile, Enrolled at Whitmore Academy: "One of the things I
love about this place is that I used to have the worst relationship
with my parents and now I feel like I can tell them anything."
Hannah Ruisi, Enrolled at Whitmore Academy: "They helped me believe
in myself and discover who I was."

The boarding school is not regulated by the state, and children in
that program live in Whitmore Mansion. But Sudweeks says they
interact with those in the treatment facility; that is another
concern for state investigators. The teenage boy who made the
allegations was pulled our of Whitmore Academy.

During the investigation, three others were removed by their
parents.

I believe in God, only I spell it Nature.
--Frank Lloyd Wright, American architect

[Antigen]

Ok, so there are three kids who were pulled after this investigation? What's up w/ that?

We need cops.

We can't live without 'em.

But they need to start working for us....

That's no longer an option.

They've pushed it.

They've gone to far.

They've just gone to far.
http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/rb.htm' target='_new'>Tom Crosslin

[Anonymous]

Those were obviously either disgruntled druggies or they just aren't capable of "getting it".  Don't you understand that by now? :roll:

[Antigen]

What? But, I thought the love was unconditional???

Truth in matters of religion is simply the opinion that has survived.
--Oscar Wilde

[chrisgentile]

Hi,
first of all... in regards to anonymous not believing that over half of the kids here werent transported..
I myself came alone straight from a WWASP program. I was dropped off at the airport with a trash bag and a ticket to Utah. My mom had them give me a note telling me what was going on, and I trusted her. I flew from Syrracuse to Chicago, and to be honest I almost didn't get on the plane. After speaking to my mom from the airport in Chicago I decided that I needed to get on the plane and give it a chance. Sometimes kids can realize how important their decisions are. Lots are here to recieve the help they want. Thats why things are different around here.
In fact, the kid who started this whole thing came with his Grand Ma and his parents if I remember correctly. All of our most recent kids came with their parents.
In regards to the 3 kids who left. They did not leave by their own will. They wanted to stay, one girl in particular ran from her mother (whom has been subject to child abuse claims 3 times) Her mother drug her out by her hair and told her: "they dont care about you!"

Talk about free will.

Chris

[chrisgentile]

To be more specific... the last 4 kids to enter all came with their parents.

I'm sorry, but this is not WWASP. Thre is no OP or isolation rooms or intervention/worksheets.

[chrisgentile]

my friend carl, whom i was at ivy ridge with, asked me to post this message for those who are interested.
-----
My name is Carl Milliken and I am writing this to let you know what the Whitmore Academy is really like. In these past few weeks many people have been making many false accusations about us. I have been here in Utah with Mark and Cheryl for these past six months. In these six months I have not seen any cases of child abuse. Nobody here has been treated in anyway that would harmed the students in anyway. Not physically or emotionally. As a student here we have nothing but love for each other. For all of the parents that are posting or feeling anything negative about the Whitmore Academy I really wish that you guys would get your facts strait. You guys are only hearing what you want. Why don?t you listen to the 40 kids here that have nothing but the truth to say about this place? The accusations here about the child abuse are completely untrue. This all started because of a kid who acted like a complete idiot had the cops called on him. When the cops came he swung at them. Did you know that? And then the next night he runs to the cops claiming child abuse. Did you know that this kid?s father as well as mother is supporting us because he knows how his son is. Since then yes a few of the kids have been taken home by their parents. One of those kids parents want her back because they know what this place is about. Mark and Cheryl would also want her back. The state won?t allow it. The other two kids fought to stay here. One particular girl who was only 12 ran back into the house before getting drug out by her mother. The girl let us know in a group that we had to try to guide her and help her through her problems that her mother did abuse her. I really believe that her mother was so scared that she was letting the truth out, that she had to get her daughter out to make us look like the ?bad guys?. Her mother really does not know what she is talking about. I was a former student at a WWASP program, and I seen what abuse is. I did not talk to my parents for the 6 months that I was there. I did not get medical treatment that I needed. I still have a rash on my arm because they ignored my need there. I watched the kids there get restrained. I have seen the scars on the boys there. I watched several kids there abused physically as well as emotionally. I have been verbally abused as well as physically abused at Ivy Ridge myself. Though I was never restrained, I was not taken to the bathroom for long periods of time, when I was in intervention. As a result I had to grab 2 water bottles and pee in them in front of whoever cared to look in. I know what abuse is. I watched personally another student here at the Whitmore named Chris get abused physically while he was at Ivy Ridge with me. When I wrote letters to my parents about what happened they never got them. If you guys are so worried about kids at programs who are getting abused in any way why don?t you check out WWASP? Is this world so focused on people not succeeding that when they do, they want to bring them down? Is it hard for people to realize that there is actually a place that works? Does it bother you guys to know that these people who have given there lives to help children for the last 30 years are actually helping us. That there own personal kids have given up there childhood so that there parents could help other kids who need it. Why is the state involved here, when there is a WWASP program in the same state where I know kids are really being abused. I know they are, and I am saying it now. I am saying the same stuff that the kid who ran to the cops said about us about another place. Why are they not doing anything about my claims.  Is it because the State building is located within walking distance to us, or because there is no magnetic doors to walk through. I really think that you guys should be in support of a place that is actually helping kids. If you are really that worried about kids you will do something about the WWASP programs. I know this place has changed my life for the positive. Why are you not listening to us who know what is going on. I am not assuming anything. These are the facts. I encourage you guys to get the facts before posting lies. This is all I have to say for now. I will continue to  post more as the lies happen. Thank you for all of you guys who know the truth and are continuing to support us here at the Whitmore. We are thankful for you and hope that you will continue to stick with us as we go through this trial.
         
         Carl Milliken

[Antigen]

I don't think anyone's said that Whitmore is worse than, or even as bad as, WWASP. In fact, it sounds to me a whole lot like The Seed. Many former Seed group members have come away w/ little or no damage from all that, though some have been harmed profoundly.

I have to wonder about the other side of the story about the girl who refused to leave w/ her mother. I know a few people who The Seed (Art, Shelly and Libby) turned against their own families temporarily or permanently.

They didn't do it by way of violent physical punishment, but by emotional and psychological manipulation.

As for the kid who slugged the cop, I almost did that once too. Turned out I didn't have to. But I had left Straight and hitchhiked to my brother's house in Georgia. A few nights later, my mother showed up, uninvited, in the middle of the night at my bedside w/ a couple of other program parents. Essentially, they tried to kidnap me. So my brother called the cops. Turned out that, in Georgia, 17 is the default age of emancipation so he wasn't going to make me go w/ my mother and her 'friends'. But I was fully prepared to slug the nice officer w/ all my might in order to draw assault charges and force him to arrest me had he called it the other way.

I wasn't routinely physically abused at Straight, either. In fact, I had a very hard time for a number of years even articulating just what was so bad about the whole thing. It was all psyche/emotional stuff that any kid would have a hard time understanding or describing.

When he [Califano] claims that the voters of Arizona and California did not know what they were voting for when they supported the two initiatives, he reminds me of the way Serbia's President Slobodan Milosevic reacted to recent election results in that country.
-- George Soros -- Sunday, February 2 1997; Page C01 The Washington Post

[Anonymous]

As for the story regarding the 12 year old girl who was drug out by her mother, there is another side to that story as well.  She has diagnosed RAD and has been prone to lying especially regarding abuse charges(the reason she went to the Whitmore in the first place!) and each of the charges mentioned have been cleared as FALSE CLAIMS.  I'm afriad that these kids are getting as much misinformation as they think we are.

[chrisgentile]

Thanks Mrs. Harris for your input. I'm glad to see that you are learning self control.
Is this a bipolar moment?
thanks!
Chris

[Anonymous]

wow.  I hope you kids get the truth someday and find peace.  I really do.

[HannahRuisi]

In regards to your last statement about finding peace, I don't think any of you understand what you are saying.  Everyone who has something bad to say does not know what they are talking about, I have lived here for over a year and I CHOSE to stay here longer because I love these people.  Look inside yourself for the answers rather than listening to come rampaging woman from Texas who doesn't know a thing about what she is saying.  Why don't you realize that people out there in the WWASP programs are being killed and beaten and they can't say anything and people still send their children there.  To know about the Whitmore and what we are about you have to experience for yourself, and I am sorry Mrs. Harris the only part that you experienced was coming here and taking your daughter away against her will and the only reason why she went with you was because she was scared, I hope that your daughter get's justice for what she has had to go through while living with you.  Why don't you believe it when it is coming from the horse's mouth but you have to believe the police and the state who have no idea what they are talking about.  You are ruining people's lives, we all love it here and if we didn't then we wouldn't be here.  Think about what you are doing while writting these harmful things on the internet.
 :silly: [ This Message was edited by: HannahRuisi on 2004-12-02 14:33 ]

[chrisgentile]

This message is for Antigen. I have spoken to Cheryl in regards to your concerns. She asked me to personally invite you to come out to Utah. She is willing to give you complete access for as long as you'd like. Give me a call if you're interested.  1(435)623-2047 ask for chris!

Personally, I'd like to ask you if WWASP, or any other program for that matter, would even let you inside...She'll let you come in and check things out on your own and talk to anyone here one on one. I guess in a way, I am personally challenging you to do so. Shelby at ISAC is also invited. We're hoping for her support in this matter. I have corresponded with her in the past in regards to my ivy ridge experiences. Please don't just blow this off. I think this is a great opportunity  for the doubtful to see what WA is really about. Can you imagine, for just a second, that what we're saying is true? There are people that DO need this type of help, and I can honestly say that most programs (almost all) are uneffective. Imagine if this is the one that can help those in a respectful and caring matter. Please be open to this and let me know.
- chris

[Anonymous]

I remain anymous for my own personal reasons and its not Ms. Harris.  Sorry to disappoint.  An ISP search will prove.