The Washington Post - Riddile

[Anonymous]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... ml?sub=new  
 
By Jay Mathews

Thursday, November 17, 2005; Page VA10

After I wrote an article about J.E.B. Stuart High School principal Mel Riddile being named national high school principal of the year ["A Principal's Wide Reach; Head of Fairfax School Wins National Award," Metro, Oct. 23], I received many messages praising his success at raising achievement at a school full of low-income students.

I also received messages from people campaigning against the tough-love approach to adolescent drug abuse rehabilitation practiced by Straight Inc., a company that Riddile worked for in the 1980s. Straight Inc., founded in 1976 in Florida by Mel Sembler, a former U.S. ambassador to Italy, and his wife, Betty, went out of existence in 1993. The Semblers have since started the Drug Free America Foundation ( http://www.dfaf.org ), a drug prevention and policy group.

 
Here is an excerpt of one of the e-mails about Riddile and Straight:


Dear Extra Credit:

I would like to take this opportunity to advise you of the fact that Dr. Riddile was executive/regional director at Straight Inc. for several years back in the 1980s, an organization some parents have accused of systematically physically and psychologically abusing their children. Unfortunately, time does not heal all wounds.

In your article published about Dr. Riddile and his outstanding accomplishments in his role as principal of J.E.B. Stuart, his involvement with Straight is missing. Treatment similar to that used by Straight is still administered in programs called by different names. It is quite possibly the most dangerous drug treatment program ever to exist in this country. Dr. Riddile trained Straight directors in the same building in Ohio in which one of these programs currently operates.

I find it necessary to advise your paper of these facts as part of a movement to expose this ongoing tragedy. I made several requests this year to invite Dr. Riddile to speak out against this treatment program. He claimed that he knew nothing about the specific program in Ohio. But he trained people who engaged in similar treatment modalities. I advised him of this situation in 2003. The requests have been either ignored or denied.

I believe Dr. Riddile knows about the problems associated with the Straight treatment. Please urge him to speak out against this abuse now.

William Earnshaw Sr.

Midland, Va.

Page 2 of 2   < BackBack      


Readers Raise Concerns About Past Work of Top Principal


 
In my article, I did not mention Riddile's drug abuse work, both for Fairfax County and then for Straight, because I didn't think it was relevant to the topic -- how he turned Stuart High into a top educational institution. But I appreciate your concern about Straight, which you told me grew out of what you said you experienced as mistreatment under the program when you were a client.

The Post has published many stories about Straight. They make it clear that there has been much debate over the usefulness of drug treatment programs that place young clients under strict discipline, as Straight did. The articles note that one young client won an initial verdict of $220,000 in damages in 1983 after complaining of being detained for more than four months in a Straight facility in Springfield.

But according to the information I received from both you and Riddile, he was never sued or charged with any crime. Nor did you or any of the other sources you cited ever witness him do anything wrong. Riddle said he has many letters from Straight clients thanking him for what he did for them and said he is proud of his work there. I recommend that readers interested in this issue perform a Google search on Straight Inc. and do their own reading.

Having watched Riddile's work at Stuart for the last eight years, I am convinced that he deserved the award he received and does not deserve these criticisms for work he did in the 1980s that many of his young clients and their families have praised him for. Riddile is one of the 10 best high school principals I have ever seen, and I think Fairfax County is lucky to have him.

Please send your questions, along with your name, e-mail or postal address and telephone number to Extra Credit, The Washington Post, 526 King St., Suite 515, Alexandria, Va. 22314. Or e-mailextracredit@washpost.com.

[Anonymous]

Good effort William.  Fuckers suck!

[Carmel]

You know, Metalgod wasnt citing punishment for Riddle, he was merely asking for him to acknowledge the abuse, whether he was involved or not.

[Anonymous]

Jay Mathews just shows what an ass he is! Nice job, Jay! You are an embarassment to the Washington Post, ya dweeby little child abuse apologist. Or, I don't know, maybe the Washington Post embarasses itself. Too bad Mark Levine's radio show and John Gorenfeld's article - both of which pulled no punches and included many witnessed statements from grown-ups who were child abused in Straight - both came out this week. Oops!

Excuse me, honey, before you leave for work this morning, let me wipe that egg off your face.

Y.K.W.

[Anonymous]

...Beth, Straight Survivor from Springfield, VA, 1987. I will speak to any decent reporters who want to know about the child abuse that Mel Riddile oversaw. Underline decent. Jay, I have no respect for you. You wrote a piss poor article this morning, and I think you know it. By the way, excuse me, but you are a liar. When I called after you wrote the first article to let you know that Riddile worked for Straight, you left a message on my phone asking me if I was sure I had the right guy, and the spelling of Riddile was strange, and you were having the library look into it and so on. You big fat liar. Either you lied this morning in your new little half-assed child abuse apologist write-up on Mel Riddile, in which you state that you did not mention Riddile's Straight career on purpose - allow me to quote you: "In my article, I did not mention Riddile's drug abuse work, both for Fairfax County and then for Straight, because I didn't think it was relevant to the topic" - or you lied to me in your phone message. Sorry Jay, I took good notes. How is anyone going to ever trust what you say again?

[PerfectStraightling]

This makes me so angry. I just emailed him a very angry email telling him what a dipshit he is.

He totally rejects the personal accounts sent to him, while embracing letters of praise he's never even seen! And apparently he either knows nothing of the details of straight, or is completely malicious in his core. That's what I always say makes a good journalist!

[Anonymous]

May not be a good idea to attack the journalist.  He's doing his job.  Ya catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.  Explain to him your story and those of others.  Dont' be condescending to him, it'll just turn him off and write you off as one of those "crazy druggies that couldn't cut the program".

Just food for thought.

[Anonymous]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=JA ... gle+Search

[PerfectStraightling]

Yes that did occur to me. But this guy is anything but professional in his writing, he appears completely biased, uninformed, overly emotional, and, yes, defensive. I think he is a lost cause and personally I don't think he seems within reach of either logic or empathy.

Screw him.

[001010]

On 2005-11-17 11:47:00, Anonymous wrote:

"May not be a good idea to attack the journalist.  He's doing his job.  Ya catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.  Explain to him your story and those of others.  Dont' be condescending to him, it'll just turn him off and write you off as one of those "crazy druggies that couldn't cut the program".



Just food for thought."

I'm gonna have to agree with this. This is the Washington Post, peeps. We want them on our side, ya know what I'm sayin?

If we had been born in Constantinople, then most of us would have said: "There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet." If our parents had lived on the banks of the Ganges, we would have been worshipers of Siva, longing for the heaven of Nirvana.
--

_________________
EST (Lifespring) '83
Salesmanship Club '84-'86
Straight, Inc. '86-'88

[PerfectStraightling]

I totally get what you're saying. I just think putting that much effort into a reporter should be done with at least a semi-rational and non-psychotic reporter. There are some out there and I'd rather focus on them than beat my head against any more walls.

Besides, I didn't really call him a dipshit, I just very clearly explained why I thought he was severely mistaken and explained why. And then I asked him to explain himself.

[001010]

On 2005-11-17 12:50:00, JMA wrote:

"I totally get what you're saying. I just think putting that much effort into a reporter should be done with at least a semi-rational and non-psychotic reporter. There are some out there and I'd rather focus on them than beat my head against any more walls.



Besides, I didn't really call him a dipshit, I just very clearly explained why I thought he was severely mistaken and explained why. And then I asked him to explain himself. "

I totally agree with that. When we see an error that a reporter makes, I think it's good to point it out, but just not necessary to flame the shit out of them. Not to mention that that can also  be counterproductive for us as Straight, Inc. Vets.
_________________
EST (Lifespring) '83
Salesmanship Club '84-'86
Straight, Inc. '86-'88

[Anonymous]

Yes we all want to be heard!  :smile:

[PerfectStraightling]

that was me

[Anonymous]

I agree with Jane, Jay is a child abuse apologist. I wrote him this email below, he has no excuse for not looking further into what I told him about. None. He did a piss poor job. He never wrote me back, as I requested in a subsequent email, and told me which contact info to send on to any survivors who could state what they witnessed.

Anyways, I am glad he didn't. I do not trust him one bit. I am glad that I did not suggest to another survivor that they could talk to this so-called journalist.

The last reporter I talked to, I already knew from another survivor that he was a good egg and he was on our side. He really wanted to understand from a survivor's perspective what brainwashing was like. That is the invisible crime, and it takes an intelligent and talented reporter to care to talk about it and care to do a good job covering this aspect of the child abuse that happens in the institutions and boot camps. This is the key part of the story that Mathews missed. Straight, Inc. used thought reform/coercive persuasion techniques on children. Coercive persuasion is known to have a certain percentage of psychological casualties. I think I am quoting that 1982 California Supreme Court case again. That is what the court said. That is what Straight was doing to us, and this was a known fact. Mel Riddile was the Executive Director. Excuse me, pay attention please. He was the Executive Director. Do I have to scream and shout? Mel Riddile was IN CHARGE OF CHILD ABUSE.

Anyways, sorry, but the last thing any survivor needs is to tell someone about child abuse and have them ignore it. Then to add insult, he praises Mel Riddile, that charming and smug Nazi child abuser.

[email follows:]
Dear Mr. Mathews,

I hear you might be putting together an article on Mel Riddile's involvement with Straight, Inc. Is this so? I would like to help. I know of several heinous instances of child abuse. I know people who, when they were children in  Straight, Inc. in Springfield, VA, were deprived of sleep and fed a limited diet in order to punish them or break their will to make them compliant. I am offering to get in touch with these people so they can talk to you. Children were also medically neglected. Children were physically tortured, and yes, I know of witnesses to such things. Straight, Inc. used psychological techniques of thought reform, also called "coercive persuasion". Again, to understand thought reform/coercive persuasion/brainwashing, please consult the works of Margaret Singer, PhD.

I have attached a copy of Fred Collins v. Straight, Inc. for you. Keep in mind that Fred was of the age of majority and a college student with a 3.2 GPA when he was held in Straight against his will. Here is an excerpt from Arnold Trebach's book, The Great Drug War, which includes an entire chapter on Straight, Inc. (If the library cannot find a copy of this book for you, please let me know as I would be happy to photocopy and scan or fax all pages related to Straight, Inc. to you.) "...Fred had caused some damage in the home when he made his escape and, on the advice of Virginia Straight program director Melvin Riddile, Mr. Collins brought criminal charges and thus gave Fred the only criminal record he ever had."

That is an example of Mel Riddile knowing about a serious crime (holding an adult against their will) and doing nothing about it other than advising a father to betray his son.

Please let me know how I can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,
Beth -----