On 2005-01-12 08:27:00, chi3 wrote:
"I'm back to my same original reasons for signing onto this board. What abuse? What kind? When? Where? I believe it has happened. I just would like to hear some concrete details. I want to know if it was reported to authorites. Were people punished? I sincerely want to know. This affects me deeply. I have a child at a wwasp school. I have read and heard so many conflicting stories. I want the truth. Please."
Most of the various kinds of abuse or neglect I've seen alleged at WWASPS schools falls into the following categories:
Depriving children of toiletries necessary for good hygiene.
Depriving children of access to bathroom facilities until they have to foul themselves.
Keeping children out in the sun long enough to deliberately cause severe sunburn.
Sleep deprivation.
Excessive isolation in forced stress positions in small, bare rooms that were deliberately too cold or too hot, under constant observation.
Abuse of physical or chemical restraints as a punishment instead of just when the child was behaving dangerously to self or others.
Neglecting to get the child needed medical or dental care.
Providing unclean water so that children became sick with E. coli bugs.
Spoiled food with inadequate nutrition or calories so that kids who couldn't afford to lose the weight lost lots of weight and muscle. Food with excess *empty* calories and inadequate nutrition so the kids had to eat too much just to get the nutrients and got fat--then emotional abuse about being fat.
Therapy sessions that consisted of people yelling and screaming at the kid.
Punishment for failure to confess deep dark secrets.
Arbitrary punishments for things the kids either didn't do or that weren't against the rules. Arbitrary and trivial rules---like not being able to talk to other children at all--even outside of class, at meals, etc.
Abuse of patient confidentiality--confessions of flaws used to break down and demean the child.
Depriving the child of clean clothes appropriate to the weather conditions. (In some cases, parents are charged for a clothing allowance and the kid is given only dirty secondhand sweats to wear.)
Telling the child her parents don't love her and don't want her anymore and that that's why she's there.
Depriving the child of schooling whenever the child is arbitrarily dropped down levels or placed on other restrictions.
Parents are told that all complaints of the child are "manipulation" and that all the children lie, and the child is punished for any criticism of the facility during monitored communication (all communication is monitored) for "manipulation."
It's harder in your case since your kid actually does lie a lot---you can't know what to believe and what not to.
I *think* Carolina Springs in particular has had negative dealings with the local Child Protective Services. If it were *me* and *my kid*, I would call the local child protective services and *ask* them what their history with Carolina Springs was. I would *also* call the Better Business Bureau and ask *them* about any complaints against Carolina Springs.
I'd visit periodically, *insist* on seeing my kid, and take particular note of any bruises or any sudden weight loss or weight gain. Yeah, it's *really* going to compromise your child's therapy to get a hug, get stepped on a scale in front of you, and show up in shorts and a T-shirt so you can look for bruises or restraint marks. NOT.
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Just as an aside, I had a *terrific* 8th grade English teacher. She was a very smart, wise, dedicated lady. One of the very wise things she had posted on her wall was, "If someone demands blind obedience, you'd be a fool not to peek."
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I would *at least* show up randomly, *insist* on seeing your daughter and physical copies of her school work in her own handwriting, hug her, look her over for bruises, stick her on the scale, and insist on walking through the back of the cafeteria and seeing what food is being prepared for the children.
I would also insist that they let you take her for a scheduled dental checkup with a local dentist every six months, regardless of what "level" or restriction she may be on. With the possible/probable deprivation of proper nutrition, toiletries, time and privacy for hygiene, and the *definite* stress of being away from home, your daughter really *needs* those regularly scheduled dental visits.
They may tell you the dental visit has to be scheduled during the home visits, and if you can, okay. But if they try to tell you she can't go for the home visit because she's on restriction, or if the only time you can get a dental appointment is some other time, just like I wouldn't take no for an answer about a second opinion, I wouldn't take no for an answer about a trip to the dentist for the six-monthly checkup, or for any follow-up visits for fillings, etc.
Timoclea
All religion is dumb. It's one big story they're feeding you so you'll behave on Earth. If there is a god, then he's a prick.
--Howard Stern, American radio personality
[ This Message was edited by: Timoclea on 2005-01-12 09:20 ]