Author Topic: Many Many Programs Abuse Kids  (Read 12265 times)

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Offline RobertBruce

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Re: Many Many Programs Abuse Kids
« Reply #45 on: October 03, 2010, 04:56:00 PM »
Quote from: "Whooter"
Quote from: "Shadyacres"
Whooter, we're not talking about making beds.  These kids are SENT AWAY for years.  All they know is that their parents have rejected them.  And if they want their parents to accept them again they have to make themselves perfect in their parents eyes.  How can you call this ethical?

Thats an entirely different question, Shadyacres.  But I was responding to this:

The only way to change someones behavior without their consent is by force or by completely controlling their information, both of which are inhumane and unethical.

I felt I should address the inaccuracies as I saw them and post examples to support my thoughts.



...


Yet that in essence is the program model you readily support from these programs.
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Offline DannyB II

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Re: Many Many Programs Abuse Kids
« Reply #46 on: October 03, 2010, 06:07:19 PM »
Quote from: "RobertBruce"
Embellishing what Danny? Youv'e got to be specific son. Post up a specific comment that I've made that you believe is an embellishment. Otherwise there isn't much to talk about and you're just bloviating.

Really, I'm sorry, I was under the impression this was your mastery, bloviating. Robert, I am very good at this game you like to play. Keep spinning.
I will be on your ass if you decide to blow wind. Till then, see ya.
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Offline Hedge

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Re: Many Many Programs Abuse Kids
« Reply #47 on: October 03, 2010, 07:05:31 PM »
To get back on topic here...

I've gone into detail about my experiences in another thread. I attended Three Springs in 1997 and 1998.
But here is a quick list of the abuses that were most obviously against the law:

* Sexual abuse. My roommate was sexually abused by a staff member. I would pretend to be asleep when he would come in at night. Another girl was sexually abused by another staff member.
* Physical abuse. Kids were beaten, usually during the "restraint" process, since the physicality of the restraint worked well for covering it up as accidental. I was beaten as a direct consequence for reporting abuse, in an incident involving two staff members and one peer.
* Deprivation of food. Food at the group home was severely rationed, and we ran out on many occasions, with no possibility of getting other food until the next week. (Not even stale peanut butter sandwiches.)

For a more thorough list, here are a list of violations against the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child committed by Three Springs. (The full document can be found at http://http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/crc.htm.)
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Article 9, Statement 3: States Parties shall respect the right of the child who is separated from one or both parents to maintain personal relations and direct contact with both parents on a regular basis, except if it is contrary to the child's best interests.
I was not permitted to speak to either of my parents upon admission to Three Springs. It was not in my best interests to have contact with my father other than by letter, but contact with my mother remained restricted.
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Article 13, Statement 1: The child shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of the child's choice.
Noncom/bans is an infringement on this right. Freedom of expression is a right, freedom of choosing one’s own library books is a right, access to writing materials is a right: all of which were broken.
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Article 14, Statement 1: States Parties shall respect the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
The only religion we had access to was monthly visits by a local church, who would lead worship songs. Our lack of freedom of thought has been discussed elsewhere on Fornits with more eloquence than I have on the subject.
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Article 15, Statement 1: States Parties recognize the rights of the child to freedom of association and to freedom of peaceful assembly.
Noncom, again, violates this right.
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Article 16, Statement 1 and 2:  No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honour and reputation. The child has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Censorship of letters, hanging up the phone when “inappropriate/manipulative” things were said on the telephone, and being watched in the shower are all violations of this right.
Quote
Article 19, Statement 1: States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child.
No matter how many times the staff supervisor was reported as physically abusing children, he was never suspended or fired. The lack of food in the group home was ongoing.
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Article 20, Statement 1: A child temporarily or permanently deprived of his or her family environment, or in whose own best interests cannot be allowed to remain in that environment, shall be entitled to special protection and assistance provided by the State.
Because children who are no longer with their parents are considered a specially protected group, there should be more, not less, regulation of the institutions that house them. The lack of ability to report abuse without consequence violated this right.
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Article 24, Statement 1: States Parties recognize the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health. States Parties shall strive to ensure that no child is deprived of his or her right of access to such health care services.
We did not have regular health care. Another girl who attended Three Springs with me needed an operation but did not receive it. She continues to suffer consequences of that medical neglect.
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Article 25: States Parties recognize the right of a child who has been placed by the competent authorities for the purposes of care, protection or treatment of his or her physical or mental health, to a periodic review of the treatment provided to the child and all other circumstances relevant to his or her placement.
Some of the kids placed at Three Springs had been there for years without treatment review by an outside authority. I did not have contact with my social worker or lawyer even once during my time at Three Springs.
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Article 27, Statement 1: States Parties recognize the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for the child's physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development.
Lack of nutrition, physical and sexual abuse, little to no education, all violate this right.
Quote
Article 31, Statement 1: States Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.
This one made me almost laugh. We had no television. We had no crafts. We had a small amount of “outside time.” We had no access to music. Cultural life and the arts? Are you kidding me?
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Article 32, Statement 1: States Parties recognize the right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child's education, or to be harmful to the child's health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.
Cleaning up another person’s shit smeared all over the walls and floors of an isolation room with inadequate cleaning materials was certainly hazardous to our health.
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Article 37b: (b) No child shall be deprived of his or her liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily. The arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child shall be in conformity with the law and shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time;
For many children, our imprisonment in Three Springs was not a measure of last resort, and no one was there for the shortest appropriate period of time. Years in a locked treatment facility is not the shortest appropriate period of time for any adolescent who has not committed a crime.
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Article 37c: (c) Every child deprived of liberty shall be treated with humanity and respect for the inherent dignity of the human person, and in a manner which takes into account the needs of persons of his or her age. In particular, every child deprived of liberty shall be separated from adults unless it is considered in the child's best interest not to do so and shall have the right to maintain contact with his or her family through correspondence and visits, save in exceptional circumstances;
Visits and correspondence were “privileges” that could be taken away, rather than rights that were upheld.
Quote
Article 37d: (d) Every child deprived of his or her liberty shall have the right to prompt access to legal and other appropriate assistance, as well as the right to challenge the legality of the deprivation of his or her liberty before a court or other competent, independent and impartial authority, and to a prompt decision on any such action.
I did not have the ability to contact my lawyer, as the communication restrictions were in place. Theoretically, if she had contacted me, I could have had uncensored communication with her, but that never happened. My inability to contact her violated this right.
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Article 39: States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to promote physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of a child victim of: any form of neglect, exploitation, or abuse; torture or any other form of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; or armed conflicts. Such recovery and reintegration shall take place in an environment which fosters the health, self-respect and dignity of the child.
Most of the children placed at Three Springs had already been victims of sexual violence, or physical violence or neglect in the home. For us to receive more abuse from the people that were supposed to be protecting us damaged so many of us. When children are abused by people who claim to be acting in the interests of psychology, they impede the future ability of those children to seek and receive appropriate psychological help. This is, to me, the saddest way our rights were violated.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline RobertBruce

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Re: Many Many Programs Abuse Kids
« Reply #48 on: October 03, 2010, 07:15:36 PM »
Apparently Danny is still impotent on being able to substaniate any of his claims. We should wish him luck and get back on topic till he sobers up.

Hedge's post is an accurate description of what programs are like today.

Do any of you pro child abuse posters feel that any of things Hedge mentioned aren't abusive?

Restricing food, censoring communication, "take downs" confrontational therapy. Is any of theraputic?
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline thomasC

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« Reply #49 on: October 04, 2010, 08:18:19 AM »
Good news everyone! I found my program journal.

Let's dig in!

Quote
It hurts to see or hear other kids being physically and verbally abused for little or no reason by staff and junior staff alike.  Today an apple was thrown so hard at a boy it exploded on contact.  I laughed then, I feel terrible now.  Abuse is extremely often.  I have not experienced this personally, only observed.

I have not said anything about it to anyone and I am not sure what the policy is.  I need someone to talk to about this who is not desensitized to it.

-

Quote
Today is my fourth day.  I am not used to this place and I hope I never am.

Thing that happened to other people today:  A boy was wrestled to the ground by "fathers."  A mattress was thrown on top of him.  They took turns jumping up and down on him as hard as they could.

A boy was told by a "family" "father" that he could either be "crucified" or have his "ass kicked."  Everybody went to watch as he was lifted into the air by his underpants.  His face turned red and his eyes watered.  He screamed.  The higher ranking boys helped both fathers lift the back of his underwear over the post on the top bunk.  When he failed to break through them the boys and the "fathers" pulled on his legs until he did.  Thinking it was over, he began to walk away.  The "family father" knocked him on the floor and grabbed his ankles.  He was dragged back and forth across the length of the cabin (carpeted) several times.  Everybody laughed.

A boy was punched in the stomach and kneed hard in the balls by a "family father".  

A "family father" spent the day tripping and shoving our lines while we stood on solid ice.

I did not see this next event because I turned my head, I heard it, though...

A "Family father" picked up a block of ice and threatened the group with it - I don't remember why.  A boy was singled out.  He tried to cover himself I think.  I saw the "father" throw the block and heard it make impact.  Many laugh.  I heard "I felt that one" and "I hope you weren't planning on having kids."

-----

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The first time any of the fathers touched me was today.  I think he was mostly just testing the waters.  I'm different from most kids here.  He asked if there were snow or ice where I came from and whether or not people there "knew how to balance".  After watching him kick people over all day I knew what was coming.  I balanced my weight onto both feet and braced myself.  He put his hand on my shoulder and kicked my left leg into my right.  I slid a few feet but did not trip or fall.  I didn't move or say anything.  The "father" backed off and said nothing.  The other present "father" said "You know he's got a gun in his basket, right?"  The one who shoved me has said little to me since then.

--Something that happened as I was writing:

A "family father" grabbed onto the top bunk, jumped and swung into the bottom bunk with his foot.  The boy in the bunk yelped.  The boy on the top bunk said "I think you should use two." The "father" took his advice and did the same move but with more force and both feet.

I really need someone to talk to.  I have pleaded for a therapist, physician, or non-"father" staff member.  Three separate people have promised to put me in contact with one of these but nothing has come of it.

Quote
People here quickly run out of things to do and so they start drama just to pass the time.  Our family rep helps out with this by holding "group".  I haven't figured out how often he does this but he always puts people on the spot about private issues that don't even matter.  He gives the person he's put on the spot a very short amount of time to say something, then allows absolutely anybody to attack him.  Five or six people may stand up to criticize the person and the family rep reminds him not to be offended because this is "feedback" and not insults.

Yesterday he forced a boy to stand up and talk about whether he liked his Christmas and then whether or not he loved the father he'd never met and barely knew.  Of course he didn't enjoy his Christmas (he was here).  He couldn't answer about his father, because he simply didn't know him well enough.

Several people then stood up to challenge his statements.  Not only was I shocked that they stood up but frightened that some day soon I would be treated in the same manner.  Was it too hard for them to understand why he wouldn't enjoy Christmas if he had to spend it in the program?  Could a cabin full of boys with varying family situations not put themselves in his place when it came to uncertainty about love or closeness?  Most of all, why the hell were they even there?  That kind of question is for a private conversation with a therapist who understands people a little bit better.  Whether he loves his father is nobody's business but his own, and nobody should be allowed to criticize him for not liking to be forced to share with immature boys who would tear him to shreds over anything he said.

The objections were that he didn't seem like he "really wants to share", personal offense was taken to his less than fantastic Christmas, his fondness for books, and his seeming inability to decide whether or not he "hated" his father for not being a part of his life.  No rebuttal is allowed because this is "feedback" and not "unnecessary and ridiculous insults" - time.  Last I checked he wasn't asking for feedback of any kind.

This happens every day to at least one person.  Not enough happens in a day for anybody to have any real concerns.

Quote
Boy who is fingering and pulling his nipples and "mantits": "Hahaha yeah.. one time [a "family father] picked me up by them."

I have pages and pages of this stuff but I think this will be enough fun for now.  Obviously I know a lot more about the program now.  It's cute to see it through my innocent little eyes at the time.  Can't go back to there again, can I?  At one point all of this was actually shocking to me.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Che Gookin

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Re: Many Many Programs Abuse Kids
« Reply #50 on: October 04, 2010, 09:02:16 AM »
Where were you detained? This place sounds horrible.
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Offline thomasC

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Re: Many Many Programs Abuse Kids
« Reply #51 on: October 04, 2010, 09:44:40 AM »
Quote from: "Che Gookin"
Where were you detained? This place sounds horrible.

Spring Creek Lodge Academy

I don't think you can stuff a cabin full with 25 boys with emotional problems and 2 big ex-drug addict man children and be surprised when any of this happens.  Of course, the contract my parents signed states the school is NOT responsible for staff behavior when the staff act outside of the stated rules.  Beating up kids was basically just how they passed the time.  They weren't trying to really hurt anyone - they just thought it was funny to run into a cabin with a meter stick, order everyone onto their bunks, and dole out the punishment.  Same thing with the apples.  A snack each night was part of the program.  So they gave us the apples, but why just hand them out when you could throw them as hard as you are capable of at their heads?  See if they can catch 'em!  If not, well, better luck tomorrow.  Dodged apples all over the walls?  No problem, just make the kids clean it up.
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Offline Shadyacres

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Re: Many Many Programs Abuse Kids
« Reply #52 on: October 04, 2010, 11:29:00 AM »
Spring Creek, wasn't that one of Whooters "safe and helpful" programs?
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Offline Shadyacres

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Re: Many Many Programs Abuse Kids
« Reply #53 on: October 04, 2010, 12:08:46 PM »
Oops, sorry all.  The three schools Whooter recommended as "safe and helpful" were;
Swift River Academy; http://cafety.org/index2.php?option=com ... f=1&id=279
Aspen Ranch; http://www.heal-online.org/aspenranch.htm
School of Urban Wilderness Survival; http://www.secretprisonsforteens.dk/US/Suws.htm
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Offline Dysfunction Junction

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Re: Many Many Programs Abuse Kids
« Reply #54 on: October 04, 2010, 12:12:50 PM »
Quote from: "Shadyacres"
Oops, sorry all.  The three schools Whooter recommended as "safe and helpful" were;
Swift River Academy; http://cafety.org/index2.php?option=com ... f=1&id=279
Aspen Ranch; http://www.heal-online.org/aspenranch.htm
School of Urban Wilderness Survival; http://www.secretprisonsforteens.dk/US/Suws.htm

Thank you for posting this disturbing factual information about the so-called "safe" programs, Shadyacres.

It is well known that the Aspen Education Group programs are some of the worst in operation.  Their facility Mount Bachelor Academy was shut down for systemic child abuse last year by Oregon DHS authorities.  Aspen has had many abuse problems and several negligent deaths at their facilities (e.g. Sagewalk - shut down after killing a child last year).  Parents would do well to avoid AEG programs which are proven to be abusive and deadly.

Not sure why anyone would call those programs "safe."  Maybe the recommender has a financial interest in those dangerous programs?  Anybody know?
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Offline Whooter

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Re: Many Many Programs Abuse Kids
« Reply #55 on: October 04, 2010, 12:47:16 PM »
Quote from: "Shadyacres"
Oops, sorry all.  The three schools Whooter recommended as "safe and helpful" were;
Swift River Academy; http://cafety.org/index2.php?option=com ... f=1&id=279
Aspen Ranch; http://www.heal-online.org/aspenranch.htm
School of Urban Wilderness Survival; http://www.secretprisonsforteens.dk/US/Suws.htm


Thanks ShadyAcres, I didnt think I had mentioned Spring Creek.  but I could find where I had posted the original list.  Swift River I have personal knowledge of.  The others I posted from info I have received elsewhere.



...
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Offline Dysfunction Junction

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Re: Many Many Programs Abuse Kids
« Reply #56 on: October 04, 2010, 12:57:06 PM »
Some facts about ASR (Swift River):

Quote
It (OCCS) cited the school for "using behavior management techniques which subject students to verbal abuse, ridicule and humiliation, denial of sufficient sleep, and repetitive exercise as a response to an infraction of a rule."

OCCS also cited the school for monitoring students' telephone calls and mail.
The agency said that the right to privacy in communications, even for juveniles, can be restricted only by court order -- for example, if a therapist believes that the teen's communication should be monitored, perhaps to support a young person through a crisis in relations with his or her family -- and then only temporarily.

The citation struck at another bone of contention between the state and ASR. A few months ago OCCS found itself at odds with ASR over whether the school needs to be licensed in Massachusetts as a treatment center, something College Health Enterprises had not done. ASR officials seemed to be having it both ways by enforcing rules usually associated withtreatment programs for people with emotional or behavioral disorders, but refusing to have the school licensed as a treatment center

Wow.  Unlicensed, abusive, neglectful, illegal curtailing of communication and censorship of US mail, etc ...Sounds exactly like Straight and all the other old school abuse factories.  Nothing ever changes in this industry.

Swift River looks like the typical Aspen "teen abuse center" according to the documentation.
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Offline Whooter

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Re: Many Many Programs Abuse Kids
« Reply #57 on: October 04, 2010, 01:22:58 PM »
Quote from: "Dysfunction Junction"
Some facts about ASR (Swift River):

Quote
It (OCCS) cited the school for "using behavior management techniques which subject students to verbal abuse, ridicule and humiliation, denial of sufficient sleep, and repetitive exercise as a response to an infraction of a rule."

OCCS also cited the school for monitoring students' telephone calls and mail.
The agency said that the right to privacy in communications, even for juveniles, can be restricted only by court order -- for example, if a therapist believes that the teen's communication should be monitored, perhaps to support a young person through a crisis in relations with his or her family -- and then only temporarily.

The citation struck at another bone of contention between the state and ASR. A few months ago OCCS found itself at odds with ASR over whether the school needs to be licensed in Massachusetts as a treatment center, something College Health Enterprises had not done. ASR officials seemed to be having it both ways by enforcing rules usually associated withtreatment programs for people with emotional or behavioral disorders, but refusing to have the school licensed as a treatment center

Wow.  Unlicensed, abusive, neglectful, illegal curtailing of communication and censorship of US mail, etc ...Sounds exactly like Straight and all the other old school abuse factories.  Nothing ever changes in this industry.

Swift River looks like the typical Aspen "teen abuse center" according to the documentation.

It makes it easier for us readers if you provide links.  Not sure where this comes from or what period of time you are speaking from.



...
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Offline Dysfunction Junction

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Re: Many Many Programs Abuse Kids
« Reply #58 on: October 04, 2010, 01:47:03 PM »
It's an article about ASR.  I'm sure any reader would have no trouble finding it.  It has been posted here and elsewhere dozens of times.

ASR is just like the old school, abusive, unlicensed facilities upon which it was based, according to the article.  It says ASR was cited by state authorities for depriving kids of food and sleep and for using abusive behavior modification techniques as well as denying them communication with family and illegally withholding their US mail, which is a crime.  It also says ASR is an unlicesned treatment center.  

Pretty ugly depiction, huh?  I was shocked, too.  That poster who said this was a "good, safe" program must not have read the reports or maybe doesn't understand that what ASR does is illegal.
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Offline DannyB II

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Re: Many Many Programs Abuse Kids
« Reply #59 on: October 04, 2010, 01:54:54 PM »
Quote from: "Dysfunction Junction"
Quote from: "Shadyacres"
Oops, sorry all.  The three schools Whooter recommended as "safe and helpful" were;
Swift River Academy; http://cafety.org/index2.php?option=com ... f=1&id=279
Aspen Ranch; http://www.heal-online.org/aspenranch.htm
School of Urban Wilderness Survival; http://www.secretprisonsforteens.dk/US/Suws.htm

Thank you for posting this disturbing factual information about the so-called "safe" programs, Shadyacres.

It is well known that the Aspen Education Group programs are some of the worst in operation.  Their facility Mount Bachelor Academy was shut down for systemic child abuse last year by Oregon DHS authorities.  Aspen has had many abuse problems and several negligent deaths at their facilities (e.g. Sagewalk - shut down after killing a child last year).  Parents would do well to avoid AEG programs which are proven to be abusive and deadly.

Not sure why anyone would call those programs "safe."  Maybe the recommender has a financial interest in those dangerous programs?  Anybody know?


Who and what are we basing this factual information on, one poster.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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