Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Who Am I Discovery/Whitmore
More News about Whitmore/Cheryl Sudweeks
Anonymous:
Co-Owner of Private School Charged With Child Abuse
Jun. 13, 2005
A Utah private school for troubled teens is facing troubles of its own. After a 7 month investigation, its co-owner has been charged with child abuse.
Samantha Hayes reporting
A Utah private school for troubled teens is facing troubles of its own. After a 7 month investigation, its co-owner has been charged with child abuse. The school itself is at odds with the state over licensing as well.
The Whitmore Academy is a private boarding school run by Mark and Cheryl Sudweeks. Police began taking a closer look at their operation last year when one of the students claimed he was physically and verbally abused.
Nephi police had been investigating the Whitmore Academy for six months when we made an unannounced visit in April. Co-owner Cheryl Sudweeks invited Eyewitness News to choir practice.
Cheryl Sudweeks, Co-owner, Whitmore Academy: ?You'd think after six months we'd hear something. We've never heard anything valid, and we do have an attorney who works for us."
Sudweeks is now facing seven misdemeanor counts of chid abuse and hazing. She is accused of "causing physical injury...and permitting others to inflict physical injury on a child?. The alleged incidents happened between April 2003 and November 2004.
Leah Schacherer was enrolled at Whitmore Academy during that time.
Leah Schacherer, former Whitmore Student: ?Cheryl pulled my hair, pushed me over a chair, and spit in my face and called me a bunch of names and it happened to other kids."
At the same time, investigators say the Whitmore violates a new state licensing law, a requirement for schools providing therapy.
Ken Stettler, Director of Licensing: ?I don't know where its going to lead at this point..whether they are going to recognize the fact the new law does encompass what they are doing..or if they are going to claim they are a boarding school or change their practices or what.."
Cheryl Sudweeks, Co-owner, Whitmore Academy: ?We don't have therapy, we have counseling..just like a high school counselor would do."
Sudweeks says the Whitmore Academy is strictly a Boarding School , exempt from state regulators..
Cheryl Sudweeks, Co-owner, Whitmore Academy: ?We have students graduation in May, we're really proud of that."
But in the midst of abuse and licensing allegations, there are other questions from parents and their children, about the value of a 40-thousand dollar a year Whitmore education.
Leah Schacherer, former Whitmore Student: ?Now I'm trying to go to college and its hard because I didn't learn things I should have learned in high school."
We were unable to reach Cheryl or Mark Sudweeks on Monday for comment on the charges. They have told me before that many parents support what they do, and feel their program is successful for many teenagers.
http://tv.ksl.com/index.php?sid=211898&nid=5
Anonymous:
Deseret Morning News, Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Juab accuses school owner of child abuse
By Amy Joi Bryson
Deseret Morning News
Already expelled from Mexico and accused of animal cruelty in Canada, the operator of a private youth boarding school in Nephi now faces criminal charges related to alleged abuse and neglect of students in the program.
Child welfare investigators said they substantiated eight instances of physical abuse, educational neglect, medical neglect and environmental neglect last fall against the Whitmore Academy in Nephi, which typically has about 30 students.
Last week, Juab County Attorney Jared Eldridge has filed seven misdemeanor counts of child abuse and hazing against co-owner Cheryl Sudweeks, 50.
The alleged incidents happened from April 2003 through November 2004 and involve four victims.
Eldridge, while declining to go into much detail, said his evidence suggests Sudweeks either directly caused harm to the victims or allowed others to commit the abuse. His office is continuing to conduct additional investigations that may result in more charges against her.
At this time, Eldridge said, co-owner Mark Sudweeks has not been charged.
"Cheryl Sudweeks was the primary actor. Mr. Sudweeks has been in the background, coming in afterward, on the fringes and on the peripheral," Eldridge said. "We are still looking at some other things."
Parents critical of Whitmore say some of the charges stem from an incident in November when a male teenager ran away after an assault reportedly involving Cheryl Sudweeks. In an earlier incident, several other students allegedly assaulted the boy at her urging.
Sudweeks faces a June 23 arraignment in 4th District Court, where Eldridge says he plans to ask the judge to issue an order prohibiting her from having any contact with minor children.
Matt Hilton, the Sudweekses' attorney, has said he doesn't dispute that the state Division of Child and Family Services had enough information to conduct an investigation, but he added that the majority of the parents continue to support the program.
Hilton could not be reached Monday to comment specifically on the recent charges. Phone calls to the Whitmore Academy went unanswered.
Earlier this year, Whitmore was cited for several fire-code violations by the state Fire Marshal's Office, including lack of a second exit. The Sudweekses had until mid-May to come into compliance with the fire codes, and authorities said they have made those corrections.
The latest trouble stems from a months-long investigation by the Nephi Police Department and the Juab County Attorney's Office that was a fallout from the DCFS probe.
Because of licensing violations discovered around the same time, the state Office of Licensing sent a notice of revocation to the Sudweekses for the operation of their residential treatment center.
The revocation was the last in a flurry of licensing problems dating back to 2001, including state concerns that the Sudsweekses operated a youth center under the guise of a bed and breakfast.
So why, with that background, are they still running youth programs?
"It is a valid question," said Ken Stettler, the director of state licensing who came on in May 2002 and believes licenses granted earlier were inappropriate.
The Sudweekses, however, continue to operate what they say is a boarding school offering academics only ? an assertion licensing officials reject.
"We have reason to believe they are holding themselves out as a therapeutic boarding school," which would bring them under state purview, Stettler said.
The difference of opinion has resulted in a standoff between the operators and the state ? a standoff Stettler believes could result in a court injunction to prevent the continued operation of what's commonly called the Whitmore Mansion.
"We will have to see what they stipulate to and what they agree to. We may have to end up taking them to court," Stettler said. "Frankly, I think we have enough evidence already."
Last month, the Sudweekses applied for and received a conditional use permit to expand their operations to unincorporated Juab County. Plans for the property, about four miles south of Nephi, include a facility for equine therapy, said a county zoning administrator.
The Sudweekses landed in trouble in 2002 after Canadian authorities discovered a herd of starving horses on their property in British Columbia, where they had operated a youth program.
Although the Sudweekses asserted the animals' welfare was left to a caretaker, a judge eventually found Mark Sudweeks guilty of two charges under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, imposing a lifetime prohibition of owning or caring for animals. He was fined $4,000 and ordered to pay more than $100,000 in restitution to the animal cruelty organization tasked with caring for the horses.
In 2001, the pair was ordered to pack up their program in Mexico ? along with 14 teen clients ? because of what authorities said was the illegal operation of the business, a violation of their tourist visas.
The order came from the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana involving a program in Santa Rosalia on the Baja California Peninsula.
Eldridge said he is unaware of how the criminal charges and pending investigation will play out with the Sudweekses' plans for the property south of Nephi, but he does believe it would be good for the operation to come under some oversight.
"Of course it concerns me," he said. "I have concerns about their program and the way they operate their program. . . . They have a pattern of just disregarding procedures."
While the state is in the process of drafting rules governing oversight of therapeutic schools, the Sudweekses' contention their operation is merely a boarding school ? if correct ? would leave them outside regulatory control, despite any criminal charges against an operator.
"There ought to be some oversight on any type of boarding school, regardless of any type of kid in there," Stettler said, "but that is not how the law reads."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© 2005 Deseret News Publishing Company
Anonymous:
Parents frantic after three students go AWOL from boarding school
Whitmore Academy: One of the three, from North Carolina, is still missing
By Kirsten Stewart
The Salt Lake Tribune
Salt Lake Tribune
On May 31, when Peggy Rodebush last saw her 17-year-old son, he was safely enrolled at a Utah boarding school and, for the first time in years, enthusiastic about learning.
A week later, school officials informed Rodebush that Michael was missing.
"I thought, 'Oh my God, what happened to my son? Where is he?' You can't imagine the sheer panic," said Rodebush from her home in Tampa, Fla. After four sleepless nights and countless hours on the phone, Rodebush tracked down Michael and two other missing Whitmore students at an outdoor rock music concert in Manchester, Tenn.
Since then, the parents of the three runaways have worked feverishly to retrieve their children and piece together how and why they disappeared. One North Carolina boy remains missing.
Rodebush's husband will retrieve Michael today from a juvenile detention facility, where he is being held as a runaway. The third boy arrived home in Maryland over the weekend.
Mark and Cheryl Sudweeks, the owners of Whitmore, did not immediately respond Monday to attempts to reach them for comment, nor did Nephi police.
Whitmore is not currently licensed by state officials. Inspectors want to bring it under state regulations, arguing it qualifies as a therapeutic facility, but the school is fighting that designation.
Rodebush believes the boys were assisted by school critic Joyce Harris of San Antonio, whose daughter allegedly suffered abuse at Whitmore in 2004. Harris denies Rodebush's claim, and says a Whitmore employee facilitated their exodus. She declined further comment.
Rodebush bases her account on a brief phone call with her son and numerous discussions with Nephi police.
She says the three boys left Whitmore on June 6 and hid out in Nephi overnight, where Harris allegedly wired them money and provided for transportation to Salt Lake City International Airport. The following day, they boarded a flight to Chicago, again allegedly paid for by Harris, and spent the evening at an apartment in the city.
"If this woman was really worried about my son, why didn't she call me?" said Rodebush. "She has never even met Michael. Who is she to decide she has a better solution for my son?"
Juab County Attorney Jared Eldridge says there is some evidence that Harris was involved, but it appears the boys contacted her after running away.
"I don't know if Joyce [Harris] purchased the tickets, but doing so isn't a criminal offense," said Eldridge.
Later that week, Rodebush says, the boys took three separate buses to Bonaroo, a jam band concert on a 700-acre farm in Manchester that draws hundreds of thousands of fans.
"They couldn't get on the same bus, so they agreed to meet at the festival," said Rodebush.
Tired and running out of money, the 16-year-old Maryland boy on Saturday phoned his parents, who convinced him and Michael Rodebush to go to the police. They never met up with Kyle McEvoy, who is still missing.
Tom McEvoy, the North Carolina father of the 17-year-old, is "sick with worry," and working with Manchester police to find his son. He says he has had limited contact with the school.
"I just want my son back," said McEvoy, noting, "I was there for parents' weekend a week before all this went down and none of the boys indicated they were unhappy or planning on running away."
Rodebush also attended parents' weekend, and says her son Michael gave rave reviews of the school.
Unsatisfied with the county attorney's response to Harris' possible involvement, Rodebush has contacted the FBI and plans to file a complaint with the Utah Attorney General's office.
Meanwhile, Whitmore owner Cheryl Sudweeks is facing five misdemeanor counts of child abuse and two counts of hazing, filed last week for allegedly humiliating and harming four Whitmore students in 2003 and 2004.
kstewart@sltrib.com
Anonymous:
--- Quote ---On 2005-06-14 06:34:00, Anonymous wrote:
"Co-Owner of Private School Charged With Child Abuse
Jun. 13, 2005
A Utah private school for troubled teens is facing troubles of its own. After a 7 month investigation, its co-owner has been charged with child abuse.
Samantha Hayes reporting
A Utah private school for troubled teens is facing troubles of its own. After a 7 month investigation, its co-owner has been charged with child abuse. The school itself is at odds with the state over licensing as well.
The Whitmore Academy is a private boarding school run by Mark and Cheryl Sudweeks. Police began taking a closer look at their operation last year when one of the students claimed he was physically and verbally abused.
Nephi police had been investigating the Whitmore Academy for six months when we made an unannounced visit in April. Co-owner Cheryl Sudweeks invited Eyewitness News to choir practice.
Cheryl Sudweeks, Co-owner, Whitmore Academy: ?You'd think after six months we'd hear something. We've never heard anything valid, and we do have an attorney who works for us."
Sudweeks is now facing seven misdemeanor counts of chid abuse and hazing. She is accused of "causing physical injury...and permitting others to inflict physical injury on a child?. The alleged incidents happened between April 2003 and November 2004.
Leah Schacherer was enrolled at Whitmore Academy during that time.
Leah Schacherer, former Whitmore Student: ?Cheryl pulled my hair, pushed me over a chair, and spit in my face and called me a bunch of names and it happened to other kids."
At the same time, investigators say the Whitmore violates a new state licensing law, a requirement for schools providing therapy.
Ken Stettler, Director of Licensing: ?I don't know where its going to lead at this point..whether they are going to recognize the fact the new law does encompass what they are doing..or if they are going to claim they are a boarding school or change their practices or what.."
Cheryl Sudweeks, Co-owner, Whitmore Academy: ?We don't have therapy, we have counseling..just like a high school counselor would do."
Sudweeks says the Whitmore Academy is strictly a Boarding School , exempt from state regulators..
Cheryl Sudweeks, Co-owner, Whitmore Academy: ?We have students graduation in May, we're really proud of that."
But in the midst of abuse and licensing allegations, there are other questions from parents and their children, about the value of a 40-thousand dollar a year Whitmore education.
Leah Schacherer, former Whitmore Student: ?Now I'm trying to go to college and its hard because I didn't learn things I should have learned in high school."
We were unable to reach Cheryl or Mark Sudweeks on Monday for comment on the charges. They have told me before that many parents support what they do, and feel their program is successful for many teenagers.
http://tv.ksl.com/index.php?sid=211898&nid=5
"
--- End quote ---
Whitmore is JUST a boarding school????? Give me a break. A kid could get the same classes at a trade school or night school almost any place. Sure would save parents thousands of dollars. If anyone believes what the Sudweeks are really only running a boarding school, contact me, I have a bridge I'd be glad to sell you.
Anonymous:
--- Quote ---On 2005-06-14 06:58:00, Anonymous wrote:
"
Deseret Morning News, Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Juab accuses school owner of child abuse
By Amy Joi Bryson
Deseret Morning News
Already expelled from Mexico and accused of animal cruelty in Canada, the operator of a private youth boarding school in Nephi now faces criminal charges related to alleged abuse and neglect of students in the program.
Child welfare investigators said they substantiated eight instances of physical abuse, educational neglect, medical neglect and environmental neglect last fall against the Whitmore Academy in Nephi, which typically has about 30 students.
Last week, Juab County Attorney Jared Eldridge has filed seven misdemeanor counts of child abuse and hazing against co-owner Cheryl Sudweeks, 50.
The alleged incidents happened from April 2003 through November 2004 and involve four victims.
Eldridge, while declining to go into much detail, said his evidence suggests Sudweeks either directly caused harm to the victims or allowed others to commit the abuse. His office is continuing to conduct additional investigations that may result in more charges against her.
At this time, Eldridge said, co-owner Mark Sudweeks has not been charged.
"Cheryl Sudweeks was the primary actor. Mr. Sudweeks has been in the background, coming in afterward, on the fringes and on the peripheral," Eldridge said. "We are still looking at some other things."
Parents critical of Whitmore say some of the charges stem from an incident in November when a male teenager ran away after an assault reportedly involving Cheryl Sudweeks. In an earlier incident, several other students allegedly assaulted the boy at her urging.
Sudweeks faces a June 23 arraignment in 4th District Court, where Eldridge says he plans to ask the judge to issue an order prohibiting her from having any contact with minor children.
Matt Hilton, the Sudweekses' attorney, has said he doesn't dispute that the state Division of Child and Family Services had enough information to conduct an investigation, but he added that the majority of the parents continue to support the program.
Hilton could not be reached Monday to comment specifically on the recent charges. Phone calls to the Whitmore Academy went unanswered.
Earlier this year, Whitmore was cited for several fire-code violations by the state Fire Marshal's Office, including lack of a second exit. The Sudweekses had until mid-May to come into compliance with the fire codes, and authorities said they have made those corrections.
The latest trouble stems from a months-long investigation by the Nephi Police Department and the Juab County Attorney's Office that was a fallout from the DCFS probe.
Because of licensing violations discovered around the same time, the state Office of Licensing sent a notice of revocation to the Sudweekses for the operation of their residential treatment center.
The revocation was the last in a flurry of licensing problems dating back to 2001, including state concerns that the Sudsweekses operated a youth center under the guise of a bed and breakfast.
So why, with that background, are they still running youth programs?
"It is a valid question," said Ken Stettler, the director of state licensing who came on in May 2002 and believes licenses granted earlier were inappropriate.
The Sudweekses, however, continue to operate what they say is a boarding school offering academics only ? an assertion licensing officials reject.
"We have reason to believe they are holding themselves out as a therapeutic boarding school," which would bring them under state purview, Stettler said.
The difference of opinion has resulted in a standoff between the operators and the state ? a standoff Stettler believes could result in a court injunction to prevent the continued operation of what's commonly called the Whitmore Mansion.
"We will have to see what they stipulate to and what they agree to. We may have to end up taking them to court," Stettler said. "Frankly, I think we have enough evidence already."
Last month, the Sudweekses applied for and received a conditional use permit to expand their operations to unincorporated Juab County. Plans for the property, about four miles south of Nephi, include a facility for equine therapy, said a county zoning administrator.
The Sudweekses landed in trouble in 2002 after Canadian authorities discovered a herd of starving horses on their property in British Columbia, where they had operated a youth program.
Although the Sudweekses asserted the animals' welfare was left to a caretaker, a judge eventually found Mark Sudweeks guilty of two charges under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, imposing a lifetime prohibition of owning or caring for animals. He was fined $4,000 and ordered to pay more than $100,000 in restitution to the animal cruelty organization tasked with caring for the horses.
In 2001, the pair was ordered to pack up their program in Mexico ? along with 14 teen clients ? because of what authorities said was the illegal operation of the business, a violation of their tourist visas.
The order came from the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana involving a program in Santa Rosalia on the Baja California Peninsula.
Eldridge said he is unaware of how the criminal charges and pending investigation will play out with the Sudweekses' plans for the property south of Nephi, but he does believe it would be good for the operation to come under some oversight.
"Of course it concerns me," he said. "I have concerns about their program and the way they operate their program. . . . They have a pattern of just disregarding procedures."
While the state is in the process of drafting rules governing oversight of therapeutic schools, the Sudweekses' contention their operation is merely a boarding school ? if correct ? would leave them outside regulatory control, despite any criminal charges against an operator.
"There ought to be some oversight on any type of boarding school, regardless of any type of kid in there," Stettler said, "but that is not how the law reads."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© 2005 Deseret News Publishing Company
"
--- End quote ---
Just curious ... were parents aware of the Sudweeks "history" before they placed their kids in their care?
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