Coral Reef Academy

[concernedparent]

We were referred to Coral Reef in Western Samoa (owned by a Better Way Ltd and also known in the past as Robert Louis Stevensen Youth Academy and Mole Ole Ava) by an educational consultant.  My son attended for over a year; I could not get him out due to a contentious divorce situation and an X who refused to see the abusive reality of the program.  My son was beaten, witnessed other boys whipped with belts and hit.   I am investigating charges of abuse and medical negligence at Coral Reef Academy.  Please provide me with any information with regard to this program and the staff - Rodney Rice, David Smyth, Sterling Deveraux, Michael Geffeney, Julie Elliot.

[Troll Control]

THE CRISIS BEFORE US

What Happened In Samoa?

By: Thomas J. Croke,
Publisher

Because of the sensitivity of the information in front of us, we are not reporting everything we know or believe to be true regarding the account below. We are certainly not reporting everything we have been told. We will update on the web site as we can confirm or refute some of the issues that remain unresolved.

Several years ago, the owners and founders of Cross Creek Manor established a boys' version of their program in Samoa ? Paradise Cove. A few years later, another group, also from Utah, known as A Better Way, llc., started the program known variously as Robert Louis Stevenson Youth Academy, A Better Way Youth Academy, and Mole Ole Ava. One of the principals in this group was Sterling Deveraux, a man I had known, respected and trusted since his days as a therapist at Heritage Center when I marketed there, and again at the Western Youth Network (now part of YSI). Based upon that knowledge and trust, I was the referral person behind the enrollment of their very first student, a young lady who has done extraordinarily well, and swears by the program. Very recently, another program, New Hope, was organized, then disintegrated. According to published reports and multiple sources in communication with us, some of New Hope's students were literally abandoned in the village when that program closed.

The Samoa Story begins with the group of people who have banded together, mostly on the Internet, to attempt to shut down either the Teen Help affiliated programs or the entire industry. (See ?The Crisis Before Us?, page 3.) Perhaps it starts before that, but that is when, where and how Bridge to Understanding became aware of it. A semi-organized group of people was collaborating on the Internet, some to attempt to shut down the entire industry; some to shut down the Teen Help programs in particular.

Another group, which we believe was unconnected with those described in the above paragraph, made up primarily (probably exclusively) of the parents of the young people at New Hope in Samoa, kept in touch with each other via Internet. As a result, as soon as alleged abuses were known, the word spread quickly, to the other parents. Defections followed rapidly. We assume that the drop in enrollment this caused may have dissipated the assets of the New Hope organization, leading to its demise. Published reports and direct statements to us from multiple sources say that some students were simply abandoned. According to similar reports, at the request of U.S. Chargé d'affaires William Warren, both A Better Way and Paradise Cove absorbed some of these, and others were sent home with the assistance of Mr. Warren and Tom Mockett.

The impact of the new students at A Better Way either caused or contributed to a decline in morale at A Better Way. On that, everyone, including the management of A Better Way agrees. Several other events at A Better Way also led to problems. Seemingly with agreement all around, the classroom program carried out in cooperation with the correspondence curriculum from Brigham Young University was not working as efficiently as might have been hoped, and there were some protests from parent regarding that just at the time these events were developing. A fire damaged the building facilities on the older of the two campuses. A Better Way management acknowledges some communication problems. A very charismatic Samoan staff member who was greatly beloved by the students at A Better Way and seen as a father figure by many was let go. We are not at liberty to disclose as many details as we have in our possession, but we are satisfied that this action was not undertaken frivolously. We also believe that this staff member reacted in anger to undermine the program. We have been advised by A Better Way management that the dispute has now been resolved, and others tell us this man is now back on staff.

Another event at the same time was the loss of therapist Jeff Scott, and program director Adrian Faust, just about the time Sterling Deveraux relocated to live in Samoa and take over direction of the program. The issues with Jeff and Adrian seem to be primarily that both parents and students were on overload with change. Both Jeff and Adrian had their followings, but change itself seems more an issue than the particulars of their personalities.

Over this time, and beginning prior to the introduction of the students from New Hope, some of our own parent clients were beginning to complain loudly and energetically about the manner in which they and their offspring were being handled by the program. We could not conclusively establish what went on, but we were alarmed by two A Better Way parents, in very close sequence with each other, coming into sufficient conflict to pull their young people out of the program, following what was in each case their second visit to the island. Both reported deterioration in the functioning of the program between visits, and reported very angry confrontations with program owner / managers.

By February we had our fourth report, confirmed by A Better Way management of possible inappropriate sexual contact between staff and students we had referred (when I use ?confirmed? and ?possible? in the same sentence, I mean that the management was taking the reports seriously, but in at least one case and perhaps three of the four, had some doubt about the allegation).

The first two reports had involved the night staff and we believed had been addressed properly, with respect to the victims, their parents, us as referral source and the alleged perpetrator. Of particular significance, I understood that a procedural change had been put into place to prevent similar incidents. I came back from my April, 1997 visit to Samoa understanding that female students would always sleep behind locked doors when only the all male security staff was on duty. Samoan custom does not permit Samoan women to work overnight without taking on a moral stigma, and A Better Way was limited in the number of Americans they could bring in on work visas. This made it difficult to put female staff on duty overnight. I was uncomfortable with the young women being exposed to a minimally trained all male staff in this manner, but believed the problem to be solved. I later learned (see below) that ?policy? was not maintained.

The third report of staff crossing sexual boundaries was strongly substantiated, and fit no recognizable pattern, as it involved a female staff member. The fourth was recent, and again involved the Samoan security staff. All of these involved students I had referred.

Beginning about February, we began to pick up completely unattributed and unsubstantiated allegations of sexual impropriety at A Better Way on the Internet. Our contacts in the ?opposition? group were quick to let us know they were not responsible and to attribute the source to their opposition in the pro-Teen Help group. They also made a point of not confirming the accuracy of the story, although they repeated their opposition to all offshore programs. The storm really broke for us when we began to receive phone calls and email messages from one educational consultant and several parents who were NOT our clients expressing concern about what was happening at A Better Way in Samoa. We initially doubted these stories because the two parents who had pulled their kids under very angry conditions did not support the particular issues raised. I had several conversations with owner Rodney Rice who vehemently denied most of what was being added by the latest group of protestors. He also denied the reports of the two angry parents who were our clients, although he acknowledged the four sexual incidents referred to above as being at least worthy of serious attention even if not conclusively proven. For purposes of determining procedure, they were assuming them to be true. Nevertheless, in the course of these conversations, I learned that A Better Way had not maintained what I had understood to be its policy of allowing females to sleep behind locked doors and its management denied ever having told me that. They confirmed that students at the ?basement? level had been required to sleep in an open fale (Samoan word for house or hut, pronounced ?FAH lee?), and strongly defended the propriety of that, implying that the policy would continue. I do not suggest that the managers are lying. The assurances I was given on this occurred during my visit in April, 1997, after which there has been almost 100% turnover in staff. David Smyth, one of the owner managers was present for part of this discussion, but I do not know the degree to which he was paying attention. The therapist, at the time, clearly participated in the discussion, and it was primarily he who provided the assurances, but he left the program only a few months later.

As the intensity of the matter escalated, I began to contact other IECA member consultants to gain other perspectives. Except for the one who had initiated a call to me, all reported very positive impressions, including one of great excellence with therapeutic programs, who had just visited in December. However, there was at least one additional story of crossing sexual boundaries from a consultant who believed that was the only case that had ever occurred. If that consultant, who had strongly positive regard for the program, was talking about an actual confirmed case, the total was now five.

Since the downsizing, there has been a rash of allegations of sexual abuse beyond the ones noted above, but referring to a time period before the downsizing. The common element in those complaints is the Samoan night security staff. We can neither substantiate nor refute those allegations.

There have been reports of drugs on campus. Management acknowledges that has occurred. With respect to both drug use and inappropriate sex, management gives a very different description from what some former students are saying. We all know students in behavioral change programs frequently accuse the programs of all kinds of things in order to get out, and that allegations from those sources need to be examined closely. But allegations specifically of sexual abuse can never be ignored. Programs that expect the kids to allege untrue things are in a difficult spot when that happens unless there are witnesses. That is why all staff-student behaviors under these conditions should be witnessed. That is for the protection of both staff and students.

As of this point, A Better Way has downsized, removing many of its negative students. A Better Way has issued two strongly worded letters reassuring parents and referral sources that all is now under control. We have offered to put them up on the Internet, and would like to publish excerpts here, but they will not give us permission to do that at this time. They suggest they might do so later. We will definitely give them space on the Internet for that purpose. They are accepting no female intakes and will transition remaining females out. They have pledged to keep awake female night staff on duty while females remain.

Many parents and other educational consultants, with whom we speak, give rave reviews on this program. Even our parents, who pulled their offspring in anger, confirm that their son/daughter made gains they would not have made any other way. ?Parents Corner - LifeSaver? is another sample tribute by a mother of how a program helped bring her son back to her and their family.

Although we have been less positive in the past about Paradise Cove in particular and the Teen Help programs in general than we have been with respect to A Better Way, we can absolutely confirm that those programs, too, have been lifesavers for many parents.

As I get the opportunity really to understand the volumes of material before me on this topic which I have not yet fully absorbed, I will probably say more on the Internet, and later maybe in print. Maybe by that time concern will have died down. I understand a person of great credibility will be going to Samoa soon to review the program. I hope he is in a position to publish a strong affirmation. This program is too valuable to lose. But we can't afford a repeat of some of the recent past history.

Sounds fishy.  The Ed Con admits sexual abuse and kids forced to sleep outside, but then calls the program "a life saver."  Fishy.

Also it seems to be the typical "level" sysytem and behavior modification used by most abusive facilities.  They didn't name a single teacher or therapist on their website.  The above article describes a "100% turnover" of staff.

Lots of red flags here.  I'm going to keep looking.

[Troll Control]

http://www.fornits.baremetal.com/wwf/vi ... &forum=9&3


More on sex abuse.

[Anonymous]

When was that first article written? 1997? When was your son there? I don't know anything about this program. It is not on a "hot" list or any of the "watch" lists that I have seen. Will keep looking.

[concernedparent]

My son returned 12/6/05.  He returned with parasites and anemia.  He received "consequences" for manipulative behavior when he complained repeatedly of diarrhea, throwing up blood.  The boys were plagued with rashes and were unattended to medically - the rashes were caused by scabies.  Staff used force, ie. hit the boys with bare hands, whipped them with belts.  The boys were using inhalants on a regular basis.  My son has just started to reveal the experience, and I know there will be more.  I am  trying to get as much information as I can.

[Anonymous]

Concerned Parent: Does he live with you now? I am sorry that he went through that hell. WOW. How is he dealing with all that shit now? Would he testify in court? What are you going to do? You have to do something...

[Anonymous]

Concernedparent-- I'm really glad your son is home now. Coral Reef sounds absolutely horrendous. I hope you're considering notifying the authorities, or at least writing a statement about your experience to ISAC (www.isaccorp.org), so other parents could have this info available, which would (hopefully) stop them from making such a terrible choice for their kids. And I hope your son will quickly recover from all that he's been through. Good luck to you both.

[Anonymous]

Concerned Parent -- what's your email address?

[Troll Control]

On 2006-02-17 17:42:00, concernedparent wrote:

"My son returned 12/6/05.  He returned with parasites and anemia.  He received "consequences" for manipulative behavior when he complained repeatedly of diarrhea, throwing up blood.  The boys were plagued with rashes and were unattended to medically - the rashes were caused by scabies.  Staff used force, ie. hit the boys with bare hands, whipped them with belts.  The boys were using inhalants on a regular basis.  My son has just started to reveal the experience, and I know there will be more.  I am  trying to get as much information as I can."

Oh, God.  I'm sorry to hear this.  I hope your son is at least physically recovered.

PLEASE do contact ISAC and report your experience to them.  I know it is easier to just say "This is the past and I'm moving on," but we REALLY NEED folks like yourself to come forward with your story so we can shut these places down or at least give others fair warning of wht is going to happen to their children.

Have you contacted an attorney?  This surely represents a breach of cintract.  You will be entitled to a refund at least, and I suspect you could sue for damages and win that one as well.

This is absolutely sickening.

[concernedparent]

Thanks for your post - and yes, I am pursuing this to the bitter end.  I'd like to close this place down - it was so completely misrepresented  -  I will contact isac - just learned of this organization this morning from this website.  I am contacting the Ambassador to Western Samoa on Monday.  In the meantime I am trying to collect as much info as I can to support my case.

[Anonymous]

On 2006-02-17 10:57:00, concernedparent wrote:

"We were referred to Coral Reef in Western Samoa (owned by a Better Way Ltd and also known in the past as Robert Louis Stevensen Youth Academy and Mole Ole Ava) by an educational consultant.  My son attended for over a year; I could not get him out due to a contentious divorce situation and an X who refused to see the abusive reality of the program.  My son was beaten, witnessed other boys whipped with belts and hit.   I am investigating charges of abuse and medical negligence at Coral Reef Academy.  Please provide me with any information with regard to this program and the staff - Rodney Rice, David Smyth, Sterling Deveraux, Michael Geffeney, Julie Elliot."

I'm so sorry for your experience.  It's all to typical of these places.

Who was the Ed Con who referred you?

[concernedparent]

[email protected]

[concernedparent]

Douglas Bodin Los Altos, CA

[Troll Control]

bump...

[hanzomon4]

Good Lord, this is some bad shit...