Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > The Ridge Creek School / Hidden Lake Academy
Current HLA Staff
Anonymous:
For the record...Marla was a Spec. Ed. Teacher.
Author Topic: Teacher Runs From HLA
marla posted 2/7/05 5:15 PM
I am a rare adult survivor of HLA - I got out IN FEBRUARY 2005,with a little sanity left. After teaching special education for nearly 20 years, I only survived 6 months at HLA. The kids don't feel they can talk to their counselors - maybe its manipulation - maybe not, so they told me things, but I was not in a position to do much except listen without criticizing them and then report safety concerns.ACTUALLY I REPORTED A SAFETY CONCERN TO A COUNSELOR (D.S.) THE DAY I LEFT. IT WAS ABOUT A GIRL WHO HAD JSUT RETURNED FROM A PSYCH HOSPITAL FOR TRYING TO COMMIT SUICIDE WHILE SHE WAS ON "clean air" _ where there is supposed to be extra supervision - THE GIRL HAD CUT SEVERAL MORE TIMES (mostly small stuff)DURING THE 24 - 36 HOURS SHE HAD BEEN BACK AT HLA AND TOLD ME SHE DIDN'T FEEL SAFE AND THOUGHT SHE NEEDED TO RETURN TO THE PSYCH HOSPITAL - I TOLD DOUG S. - ONE OF HER COUNSEWLORS ABOUT IT AND HE SAID "WELL, TELL HER TO CUT AGAIN AND THEN WE'LL SEND HER BACK TO THE PSYCH HOSPITAL." They certainly can't tell their parents their real feelings and experiences without being punished for being manipulative by those who are assigned to monitor their mail, email and phone calls. HLA is not the panacea for all teen problems - most of which kids grow out of or learn to use to their advantage in the business world. Some HLA kids need counseling, some need AA, some need psych hospitals; most need love and time to mature - most are there because their parents were MANIPULATED BY ED. CONSULTANTS AND HLA advertisements. Want a GREAT LAUGH? Go to "struggling teens.com/archives/2001/6/visit01.html" this is a site from "Woodbury Reports, Inc." some ed. consultant deal out of Idaho . This site, while only a few years old, certainly did not describe the HLA I just left. The article claimed the campus was attractive - that's about the only info. I can agree with in their entire review. All the "players" names have changed, except Len, who still owns it and seems like a decent guy, only he leaves the "Mice to play" while he does all his other business things and they do whatever they find most convenient (and maybe even sadistically fun). The article says all teachers are certified - try maybe 20%! The site claims all the kids have IEPs - not! Even if they come in with an IEP, HLA does not have to abide by it because they are a private institution. 100% do not attend college! The cafeteria does not over look the lake - maybe they visited on a rainy day! Restrictions kids get less food and water and are supervised by folks with questionable objectives. Most of the counselors are straight out of college with no experience, so they buy into what the administrators feed them about treating kids in a very punitive way and being constantly suspicious, not to mention telling them behavior modification works. It has been proven that behavior modification in humans is temporary at best.PARENTS - DO YOURSELF AND YOUR WALLET A FAVOR - BEFORE PICKING ANY BOARDING SCHOOL, VISIT UNANNOUNCED AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, AFTER PLACING YOUR KID IN ONE, VISIT UNANNOUNCED. Refuse to be treated like a mushroom- kept in the dark and fed crap! (Parents need to know when their son has been beaten up by a group of homophobic guys. (Some of the kids who came to tell me their problems were gay and felt they were being discriminated against because of this by their counselors and others.) Parents need to know when their daughter has stepped in big puddles of blood first thing in the morning that were left behind by her suicidal roomate. Parents need to know that group therapy has been shown to be more harmful than helpful for "cutters." THIS IS ALL SERIOUS AND FROM THE HEART BECAUSE I TRULY CARE ABOUT THESE KIDS.
RobertBruce:
Then stay on topic Johnny, no one is attacking you. Stop being so sensitive, and accusatory. I've been trying to discuss with you your thoughts on whistle blowers at HLA given Buchi's penchance for bullying would be talkers. Now if you can stop trying to derail the thread long enough we can continue this conversation. If not you'll need to move on.
So again, given Buchi's record when it comes to former (or even ones who were current; see Clarke Poole) employees raising concerns or showing any signs of "disloyalty", do you feel the environment is one conducive to where a person could feel safe calling the authorities, parents, or ed cons, without serious repercussions?
RobertBruce:
Thanks for the clarification Jill, it had been so long since she was here or emailed me I'd forgotten what it was she taught. I believe she was one of the last special ed teachers at HLA, after that they just pretended.
So how about it John. What are your thoughts on how she was treated?
TheWho:
Thanks Jill, I noticed many red flags in your posts about how HLA's infirmary was run. But they seemed to just skim by and stay within the law as far as dispensing the medications. I wouldnt want my kid under HLA's care, but they couldnt be charged with anything that I can see as far as the dispensing of the meds.
Now that we finished with that let me catch up with how they handled kids on IEP's/ spec. ED. I have experience in this area from a parents perspective.
Anonymous:
Buccellato used her certification as a Spec. Needs Teacher to get the IEP children, the problem is he never informed anyone HLA did not have a Spec. Ed. teacher for 7-8 months. Just as he never informed new families the week and weekend prior to filing bankruptcy. Just as he neglected to tell the truth about Mr. Erickson and everything else in his den of iniquity. I had parents in shock calling me . He could have very well cross utilized her in English as he did with all the other staff, to that end I have no idea.
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