To Anon: This earlier post from Deborah might help answer your questions.
Yes, I am an Authority.
Posted: 2003-01-18 07:12:00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leah, I have disclosed who I am and my connection to Ian. As you "judge" that Skyline did nothing wrong, I "judge" that they did and that Ian's death could have been prevented with Common Sense. My judgment is based on the numerous articles published, admissions from the "counselors" and the statement that was ultimately issued by the Licensing authority, AFTER charges were filed by the DA.
My "judgement of the licensing authority comes from the extensive research I have compiled on the history of deaths in Utah and the licensing director who has a long history of "overlooking" violations. I am absolutely positive I could do a better job than Stettler. Not a single doubt in my mind. He had already let Skyline off the hook for violations of regs that day, and I do not think he would've revoked their license if charges hadn't been filed by the DA. That action was to save face. How could he overlook blatant violations that were obvious to the DA? Wouldn't have looked good for him. Do you homework.
My "axe to grind with wilderness programs" is that too many teens have died unnecessarily, under the guise of therapy. I'm not opposed to wilderness excursions, there is much to be learned from nature. The slave driver mentality of these programs is what I oppose and think makes no sense whatsoever. They are so intent on "enforcing the march" they miss important and vital clues from the teens. And the ones "enforing the march" are often young adults who are inexperienced in working with teens. Again, do your homework. Read up on the unnecessary deaths of teens, particularly in Utah. Read the Utah regulations for wilderness programs. They are very lenient, and should be enforced to ensure safety. It says something about the Industry there, that the regs are so lenient, and still they can't/don't comply. I have an extensive file and would be happy to forward it to you.
I do not believe Ian was in possession or control of his water supply. The counselor stated that he refused to walk, complained of thirst, and requested water. One doesn't usually have to "request" something they are in possession of. And note this: because Skyline violated regulations and allowed the other teens to continue the march, there is no objective party to report what "really" happened, only the counselor's word. Everything I have read indicates that when one is hiking under those conditions it is imperative to drink frequently, it is too late if you wait until you're thirsty. Given that he might have been in possession of his water supply, a 14 year old doesn't know these things and is dependent on an adult to advise him/her under such austere conditions. You can bet that if I took my teens to Utah to hike in 100* weather at 8000 ft, I'd be reminding them every half-hour to drink water. That's MY responsiblity as the older, wiser, experienced adult. There is no way you will ever convince me that Ian was responsible for his own death. It's a waste of your time. I'm offended that you would imply that he might be.
Do a Google search for Aaron Bacon, another teen who died unnecessary in Utah because "they thought he was faking". Pay particularly close attention to the statements made by staff and the licensing director, Ken Stettler, in the court document that is returned in that search. Another case of "overlooked" violations. The simple truth is that kids are not safe at wilderness programs the way they are currently run and monitored.
My ability to perceive and discern right from wrong gives me the credential to pass judgment.
Yes, I have experience with Programs. My oldest spent 6 months in a Marine Military Academy. He was hazed by older cadets and abused by his drill officer daily. Came home with PTSD which I have dealt with for 5 years. He's finally recovering and he's 21. He lost five years of his life due to their ignorance and lack of care. Our lawsuit will settle this year. This program, like others told parents to ignore their child's complaints of the facility. Most did, until a young man had his throat slit in the middle of the night. I do not understand how a parent can be so blatantly ignorant when it comes to their offspring's well-being.
My youngest son attended a wilderness program as part of a 20 month Therapeutic Boarding School. His father thought he was making a better choice than he'd made with our older son because the word "Therapeutic" was stuck in there, and he paid a lot of money for the referal. BTW, the Ed Con never even saw my son, pretty easy and profitable business!! Further, she was unaware that she referred to an unlicensed program!!!
There wasn't a moment that passed that I didn't fear for his safety. Fortunately the worst thing that he experienced (that I'm aware of) was being left in the woods over night with no water, no flashlight, a black trash bag to lay on and his pancho to cover with. He apparently had a virus and was vomitting every 20 minutes or so and screaming for help. The leaders (ex-military) were all back at the base. But, what IF it had been appendicitis or worse? He wouldn't be here to tell this story, and the program would most likely be off the hook because noone was there to monitor, to be responsible or accountable. It would have been catagorized as an unfortunate "accident" and I would've received one of those pathetic letters telling me how bad they feel about my loss and my son's misfortune. And what they would be sad about in reality is that this month's check won't be arriving.
And I will add that all my son "learned" at the TBS was how to manipulate ignorant people like yourself. Ironically, they profess to "treat" manipulation. He often tries that crap with me to which I reply, "hey this is your mother your talking to, no pretense" and we both laugh. He learned their "therapeutic" game very well, enough to survive the ordeal, but also lost two valuable years of his life because his step mother convinced his dad that we were both bad parents. Insanity at it's best. Justice for me would look like her spending 2 years of her life in a similar environment, unable to have contact with the outside world, all phone calls and letter monitored, limited calories for punishment, mind-f***** on a daily basis.
He came home from this $5000K/ month College Prep TBS, 5 credits behind his peers, his social skills were stunted, and he will forever resent his father. He is less confident which manifests as being less happy with life in general. It breaks my heart. I can only hope that eventually he will get back to being his old self, confident, athletic, outgoing. They did a number on his self-esteem and confidence.
If I owned or operated a program, it would be run very differently than anything I have seen to date. Anytime a minor is subjected to neglect and abuse in the name of therapy, something is very wrong. People who realize this take action to protect other kids whose parents are too desperate and/or ignorant to notice or care. It astounds me that you, and others like you can not discern the difference between abuse and therapy. Children have been removed from their parents for lessor offenses. I'll ask you, What gives, that these programs have carte blanc to abuse, because they present themselves to the world at-large as therapeutic?
? That is the question we need to be focusing on, and it all leads to money and political power, licensing directors who don't do their jobs, and a society that generally fears and dislikes teens.
To put it in perspective...Pay me $5000. I'll take your 200+ pound, couch potato son from 500 ft to 8000 ft and march him until he drops. When he can no longer march and is complaining of thirst, I will leave him sitting in the direct sun. I won't err on the side of caution and take measures to treat him for heat exhaustion, even though he is sweating profusely and exhibiting over OBVIOUS signs of distress. I will chalk it up to "faking" a collapse. After an hour or so, I'll move him into the shade and prop him up against a tree and "sit with him" until he becomes unconscious. Hey, atleast he won't die alone. Oh, and I won't call for help until he's in cardiac arrest.
Think you might have an axe to grind with me? Think you might perceive it as wrongful death? I'm betting you would. Would you blow off holding me accountable if I had a piece of paper called "credentials"? You shouldn't. If anything they should act more responsibly because they have the "credentials" and so-called wilderness training. That to me is not grinding an axe, but stating the pure and simple, sad truth.
WAKE UP LADY. HAVE YOU READ ANYTHING ABOUT HIS CASE? I WAS SO OFFENDED BY YOUR COMMENTS I ALMOST DIDN'T BOTHER TO RESPOND. YOUR BLATANT IGNORANCE INFURIATES ME. WHAT GIVES? ARE YOU A FAMILY FRIEND OF THE WARDLE'S? ARE YOU MARK WARDLE, PRETENDING TO BE LEAH? ARE YOU INCAPABLE OF DISCERNING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ABUSE AND THERAPY? IT SADDENS ME THAT THE WORLD IS FULL OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU. I FEEL A GREAT DEAL OF EMPATHY FOR YOUR SON, IF YOU'RE WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE. GIVEN YOUR DEPTH OF YOUR IGNORANCE, HE MAY HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF AT A WILDERNESS PROGRAM, SOMETHING I WOULDN'T WISH ON THE WORST OF SO-CALLED "BAD" TEENS. I WISH IAN WAS HERE SO YOU COULD TELL HIM YOUR OPINION AND HEAR HIS RESPONSE. YOU FEEL SORRY FOR SKYLINE...WHAT YOU NEED IS SOME "GOOD" THERAPY OR A BASIC EDUCATION.
[ This Message was edited by: Deborah on 2003-01-18 11:23 ]
