Author Topic: How Free is Free Speech?  (Read 7613 times)

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Offline Anonymous

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« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Anonymous

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How Free is Free Speech?
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2007, 11:39:05 AM »
How Free is Free Speech?
 
careybock.com
(WebWire) 4/21/2007 9:55:27 AM
 
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How free is free speech? It is only as free as your ability to defend it.


5 years ago events were set in motion that have caused me ask these questions:


Do we live in a country where free speech is really a constitutional right?

Do we have a right to express our opinions and tell about our experiences as we know them?


Well, yes we do. I truly believe that. However, although we have that right, it is important that we have the resources - the money - it takes to be able to defend that right. I have come to learn this first hand.


• Roughly 5 years ago my twin boys were placed in a “behavior modification” program without my knowledge or my consent. At the time they were sent to this program they were living abroad with their father in Brazil. Their father decided they needed some type of “boot camp” experience. He did some research on the internet and found the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs (WWASP).


• This whole industry was new to me. I did not have a clue as to what a “specialty program” was. I had never before heard of these types of programs and therefore I needed to know more. I needed to learn all about the “teen help” industry and the program to which my boys had been sent. I starting searching the internet.


• The information I found on the internet was overwhelming. Through this search I found an individual who seemed to know a lot about the “teen help” industry. Her name is Sue Scheff and her company is known as Parents Universal Resource Experts (P.U.R.E.). Scheff’s website displayed a statement claiming PURE’s mission was to “help bring families back together.” I began to believe Sue Scheff could help me. I believed Sue Scheff cared about kids and their families.


• Over the course of time, I discovered Scheff referred families to the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs (WWASP) before becoming their competitor. I learned Sue Scheff was also responsible for placing kids into unregulated and risky programs. I discovered Sue Scheff does not have the education or professional credentials that qualify her to determine if a program is safe and meets the necessary requirements to treat at-risk teens.


• When I learned of Sue Scheff’s prior affiliation with WWASP and realized Scheff was doing the same things she accused WWASP of doing, I shared that publicly on internet bulletin boards, specifically www.fornits.com.


• Sue Scheff sued me for defamation of character. She claims that the words I used to describe her business and business associates caused her harm. What she shares with the public is the names and terms I used when describing her and the industry as a whole. I used terms such as “ed con”, “fraud” etc. What she doesn’t share with the public is why I used these terms. And the why is what this case is all about.


• I think Scheff believed that she could bully me into silence. She hoped that I would not be able to defend myself from the very beginning. She had two depositions taken from me during the course of this case. Both depositions centered on my defense and how it was being paid. Then when I lost the financial support she seized the opportunity to strip me of my rights to a fair trial.


• During the course of this law suit I have had many obstacles to overcome. In June of 2004 my twin sons joined the army. In August, between their graduations from basic training, Hurricane Katrina hit our area. My family was forced to stay away from our home for weeks. When we were finally allowed to return to the area we found that we had 3 feet of water and wind damage with fallen trees and debris. We were without utilities for months. We would get in bed at 6:00 in the evening because we had no electricity and it was dark. We would lay and listen to a transistor radio. There were only two radio stations that would come in because most communication towers were down and we would listen to the news which all centered on the terrible things that were going on in our area. You couldn’t use your cell phones so communication outside of this area was very limited. I couldn’t stay here it was depressing and it was wearing on me mentally. The damage to the area was immense.


• Over the last two years my father has been in and out of the hospital. He has had several surgeries because of congestive heart failure. He is very ill and is now on dialysis. In January one of my twins was sent to Iraq. He spent 10 months with a combat unit in Kirkuk. I spent those months praying for his safe return. The other twin was sent to Germany. My oldest son is also in the military he is stationed in Washington.


My right to free speech is being silenced because I do not have the funds necessary to defend the truth. This law suit is an attempt to silence me. Sue Scheff does not want the public to know the “whole” truth.



 
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« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Anonymous

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How Free is Free Speech?
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2007, 01:00:51 PM »
When Sue formed PURE, she continued to refer to WWASPS.  In fact, if you read what's posted on the Fornits documents thread, it looks like she didn't stop referring to WWASPS for about 7 months after she formed PURE.

So how many kids did Sue Scheff refer to WWASPS from the time she enrolled her own daughter in a WWASPS program to the time she removed her kid, formed PURE and continued to refer to WWASPS?

Anyone know?
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Offline Anonymous

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« Reply #3 on: April 23, 2007, 02:08:25 PM »
Would also like to know:
Did Sue Scheff refer any of the children/parents who are currently plaintiffs in the lawsuit against WWASP to the WWASP programs where they were allegedly abused?---this is the current lawsuit which is being handled by the Dallas law firm TURLEY.

IF Sue Scheff did refer any of these parents and their children to the WWASP programs where they were abused, why isn't Scheff named as a defendant in this case?
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Offline Rude Intrusion

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How Free is Free Speech?
« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2007, 02:30:18 PM »
Carey needs to change the back ground color of her web site. It makes the type unreadable.

Guest: That is a very big IF.  My guess would be that the law firm has made it a policy not to file against referring parents. It would be a huge and muddled a mess where they to try and go there. Think about it, and I believe you'll agree.
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Offline hanzomon4

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How Free is Free Speech?
« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2007, 03:04:39 PM »
I agree but PURE is a business not just an over the top parent, but your point still stands. A judge might look at parents suing PURE but not other referring parents as hypocritical.
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i]Do something real, however, small. And don\'t-- don\'t diss the political things, but understand their limitations - Grace Lee Boggs[/i]
I do see the present and the future of our children as very dark. But I trust the people\'s capacity for reflection, rage, and rebellion - Oscar Olivera

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Offline Anonymous

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How Free is Free Speech?
« Reply #6 on: April 23, 2007, 03:53:24 PM »
But PURE is a referral business just like the referral businesses named in the Turley lawsuit, is it not?

She is not a parent referrer but a for-profit business who referred to WWASPS after starting PURE.  

That is considerably different than referring to WWASPS for one month's free tuition which is what many WWASPS parents did.

Sue Scheff was referring children to WWASPS programs in exchange for referral fees.

She did this for about 7 months AFTER she removed her own child from a WWASPS program, correct?

So why isn't she a plaintiff is what anon is asking.  

To protect other parents who referred?

That doesn't make a lot of sense.

Maybe the parents should bow out of the lawsuit and let the kids sue?
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Offline Anonymous

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How Free is Free Speech?
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2007, 03:56:37 PM »
The WWASP vs PURE transcripts discloses that Sue Scheff continued to refer parents and their children to WWASP programs AFTER she opened PURE.

IF SUE SCHEFF referred any of these Turely plaintiffs to their WWASP programs after Scheff started PURE---how could this law firm, in all good faith, refuse to name Sue Scheff /PURE as a defendant in this lawsuit?
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Offline Anonymous

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How Free is Free Speech?
« Reply #8 on: April 23, 2007, 04:05:28 PM »
Quote from: ""Guest""
The WWASP vs PURE transcripts discloses that Sue Scheff continued to refer parents and their children to WWASP programs AFTER she opened PURE.

IF SUE SCHEFF referred any of these Turely plaintiffs to their WWASP programs after Scheff started PURE---how could this law firm, in all good faith, refuse to name Sue Scheff /PURE as a defendant in this lawsuit?


Darn good question, anon.

Maybe it will come out at trial?
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Offline Anonymous

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How Free is Free Speech?
« Reply #9 on: April 23, 2007, 04:06:07 PM »
This sounds a whole lot like many many postings that have been written about Sue Scheff in the past:

Postings to the effect, "We know Sue Scheff lied in the WWASP vs PURE trial, but we didn't say anything about these lies; or the fact that Sue Scheff withheld evidence during that trial....because we were trying to BRING DOWN WWASP."

Something seems a bit "off" here.
If Sue Scheff ?Pure referred any of these Turley plaintiffs to WWASP programs, then she should be named as a defendant in this Turley lawsuit.

"Not telling the entire truth" is what might be mudding up this lawsuit, IMO.
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Offline Anonymous

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How Free is Free Speech?
« Reply #10 on: April 23, 2007, 05:06:30 PM »
Rude Intrustion, there seems to be a big difference between Sue Scheff, who was collecting monetary referral fees, and parents who were simply getting money (some say $1000 per kid referred) knocked off their tuition costs for each child/parent they referred to a WWASP program.

Just because Isabelle Zehnder writes her blogs, bragging that she and Sue Scheff helped put together this Turley lawsuit, should not give Scheff any "special treatment."  If Sue Scheff referred any of these Turley plaintiffs to WWASP programs, then she should be named a defendant, right along with the other referring companies.
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Offline Anonymous

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Sue Scheff and her lawyers
« Reply #11 on: April 23, 2007, 06:25:02 PM »
Turley was considering Scheff as a possible defendant because of the number of referrals she did.  They are onto Scheff and Zehnder and they are trying to distance themselves from these 2 blowhards and they know all about Richard Hendricksen and his covering for his rich Mz. Scheff.

Right Cruella Scheff?  The real Cruella BITCH.   ::whip::

Keep it up Sue-Sue cause there's more to come and special made for idiots like you.
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Offline Rude Intrusion

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« Reply #12 on: April 23, 2007, 06:35:56 PM »
Well sure, Scheff's PURE is something above and beyond the average program parents referring. Even so, I'm thinking that the basic argument is, during those months when PURE was referring to WWASPS, she was a referring parent; a very driven and successful referring parent. The referral queen, of referring parents. So successful, she made a business out of it. But still, a referring parent. I can see how the argument could be made that if you go after her for those referrals, then you'd have to look at every parent who ever referred. That is where I'm guessing no one wants to go. Besides, the question remains: IF she referred any of the families. That is a big IF. I wonder why you are so concerned with the question? Your not one such plaintiff are you? If so, then shouldn't you be discussing this with the law firm, instead of posting on fornits? And if not, its really none of your concern, is it?  If your in that group angry with her about some other program she referred you to, maybe you should sue her?
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Offline Anonymous

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« Reply #13 on: April 23, 2007, 07:01:18 PM »
IF Sue Scheff referred any of these Turley plaintiffs to WWASP programs AFTER SCHEFF started PURE.....she most definitely could not be considered a "WWWASP referring parent."
At that point, Sue Scheff was the OWNER OF A REFERRAL COMPANY, PURE....not the parent of a child attending a WWASP program.

Important question.  Why would anyone be defending, or covering up such activity by Sue Scheff; if Sue Scheff was referring these Turley plaintiff parents and their children to WWASP programs, after she started her referral company, PURE?

This question has nothing to do with any other abusive programs Sue Scheff may or may not have referred parents to.
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Offline Anonymous

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« Reply #14 on: April 23, 2007, 07:54:17 PM »
Quote from: ""Rude Intrusion""
Well sure, Scheff's PURE is something above and beyond the average program parents referring. Even so, I'm thinking that the basic argument is, during those months when PURE was referring to WWASPS, she was a referring parent; a very driven and successful referring parent. The referral queen, of referring parents. So successful, she made a business out of it. But still, a referring parent. I can see how the argument could be made that if you go after her for those referrals, then you'd have to look at every parent who ever referred. That is where I'm guessing no one wants to go. Besides, the question remains: IF she referred any of the families. That is a big IF. I wonder why you are so concerned with the question? Your not one such plaintiff are you? If so, then shouldn't you be discussing this with the law firm, instead of posting on fornits? And if not, its really none of your concern, is it?  If your in that group angry with her about some other program she referred you to, maybe you should sue her?


Your argument makes no sense, Rude.  Scheff referred families to WWASPS first as a parent, then as a commercial for-profit business.

It stands to reason if a parent/child was a member of the Turley lawsuit and referred by PURE, they may very well feel the same way toward PURE as the other plaintiffs may feel toward Lifelines or any of the WWASPS referral agencies that are named as plaintiffs.

Is there a difference?  Perhaps in your mind there is.  Are you a member of the Turley lawsuit?  A former WWASPS parent or student?
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