Amberly acted thereafter in complete bad faith and a total lack of integrity and what has happened since is just more of the same and doesn?t surprise any of us that actually worked with her...everything bears its own fruit and all are eventually revealed in the light of day...by the way any and all restrictions on Mr. Lichfield in Costa Rica are off and the prosecutor has publicly stated that there is no evidence of Mr. Lichfield abusing any one...and the pani 15 points has been declared illegal and void by their own lawyer in fact... Pani is before the supreme court of Costa Rica being denounced for its handling of this whole affair?. wherein heresy and e-mail allegations made by a non-custodial parent like sue flowers whose own daughter in front of the judge who is now denouncing Mr. Vargas for his abuse of power, said that her mothers allegations where false.... was accepted and put an innocent man in jail overnight, slandered him world wide in the press over false allegations, destroyed a business that employed 90 people who truly cared for the kids in their care. But truth will soon find its way it always does and the players will be seen as they truly are I enclose the following article in the tico times hardly a Dundee sympathizer on what happened. Also a time line of events as documented by two parents not affiliated with wwasp who tell their own story but of course it wasn?t salasous enough for any in the press But will be good for the law suits that will soon follow?
Making ?Tough Love? Consistent with Costa Rica Tico times Tue, 27 May 2003
This week?s intervention by the Child Welfare Office (PANI) at Dundee Ranch Academy was an overdue yet poorly executed effort to bring Costa Rican law to bear on a facility that operates in this country.
Officials at PANI have long known about the complaints from students and a small minority of parents over conditions at the discipline-heavy school, a for-profit enterprise that describes itself as a "behavior modification program."
But not until this week, when some local Spanish-language media began reporting on the issue, did PANI show any resolve to action. And in mishandling the situation in an attempt to save face with the Costa Rican public, the conditions of these troubled teenagers may have only been worsened.
There is no doubt that these "tough-love" facilities, and Dundee is not alone among them here, must be monitored and held accountable to the standards of Costa Rican laws. This includes sanitary conditions, educational programs and physical treatment of the students.
Some parents and other observers see nothing wrong with Dundee operating here as it would were it in the United States. But enclaves ? areas exempt from the laws of the nation that hosts them ? no longer exist in Costa Rica.
Whatever violations of Costa Rican regulations Dundee may have committed, the gross negligence of the way local officials handled Tuesday?s "inspection" may be just as egregious.
By all accounts, adult supervisors were spirited away from the youths so that local officials could "inform" the students of their rights under Costa Rican law. What was apparently missing from this rupture of the stern discipline was an explanation that rights go hand-in-hand with responsibilities.
Naturally, the students, told the school rules did not apply to them, took it to mean that no rules apply to them. The resulting vandalism, violence and ugliness that ensued ? not to mention the risks to the lives of the kids who ran away ? may well have had their roots in the repression the students are subject to, but the chaos was set off by Costa Rican authorities who were acting only to allay domestic political pressure.
If Dundee is to operate in Costa Rica, its students must be allowed the same rights as all children in the country. Just because parents want them disciplined does not mean the laws of the country end at the school gates.
Had Dundee operated under that premise ? and had Costa Rican officials thought things out before acting ? the images of "Lord of the Flies"-style anarchy would not have reared their heads on the controversial campus this week.
June 24, 2003
To Whom it May Concern:
It is with pleasure that I am writing this letter to discuss my experience with The Academy Dundee Ranch and the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs. I am a parent who had the make the most difficult decision of my life to place my son in a program school. We ran out of options here and found that there was little, in fact no assistance from any local authority or hospital; in fact, there was no program like this available to assist my son and my family through this very difficult journey that would allow for us to stay together while we were going through this difficult time.
My son was unmanageable at home. We were in therapy on an on-going basis, psychiatric hospitals and special camps to assist defiant teens. We found that our whole family was affected and the behaviors that my son was exhibiting were carrying over to his little sister despite our steadfast efforts to maintain a home with a strong value
system. I am not a stay at home Mom, but I was able to work my schedule around the school and therefore was home by the time my son returned home from school. He did not go without constant supervision, but we still were not able to manage his behaviors. We could see that he was slipping away and were very concerned for his future. I looked at many different types of boarding schools and finally decided on a school that specialized in working heavily with the entire family and not just the teen who was in trouble. That school is the Academy Dundee Ranch in Costa Rica. I must say that I feel that not only my son's life was saved, but that all of our lives were saved and have became more meaningful than I could have ever imagined. I attribute all of this to my son?s work at The Academy Dundee Ranch and our work as a family through the programs and seminars provided by ADR and the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs.
Anyone who has not been through this experience or has a relationship with someone who has been through this experience may have a difficult time understanding how we could take such "extreme measures". It may seem that way to those who are not in a situation like ours, but let me assure you that my experience is that the best parents are those who will do absolutely anything and everything in their power to help their children. I speak with parents almost each day who have a troubled teen or teen in trouble, and they are afraid for their teen's life and future. In cases like this, how can we not make the choice to get our teen into this program or a program like this. On the
other side of the coin, one would certainly pass extreme judgment on us as parents if we DID NOT get our teen into a safe environment where they could not hurt themselves or someone else. I guess one would have to ask the question, "just how dead do you want your kid to be?" We must all wake up and see that there is a serious problem in this and other countries. I don't think I would be too extreme to classify the growing problem with troubled teens as an emergency that needs to be addressed by all- not just the families who are in crisis.
My son?s work at The Academy Dundee Ranch was comprised of many different facets all designed to create the motivation for change. Martin was given the opportunity to be involved in leadership roles at the school, participated in several plays in the Drama Department, acted as a hope buddy for newer kids, graduated the Discovery, Focus, PC1, Breakpoint and Accountability seminars and overall gained many tools designed to assist him is a successful and meaningful life style. As a result, Martin achieved a 3.71 GPA and was scheduled to take the SAT?s at the age of 16. He now has fewer than 3 ½ credits left to graduate high school and has decided to become an Aerospace Engineer. I can safely say that his level of self confidence is higher than ever and he was soaring as a result of the work he has done in this program.
For a long time Martin was one of the kids who was in heavy resistance to change and the caring staff at ADR worked tirelessly to get him to a place where he could discover
Letter ? Page 2
Anita Freedman
his unlimited potential and begin to tap into it in a working way. He was never mistreated and always given the opportunity to start over when it was necessary. I was able to see Martin at PC1 in January and then again in May of this year for 7 days. I received mail regularly both from regular mail deliveries and also from email at least once if not twice and sometimes three times a week. It was clear that Martin was free to write whatever he felt by virtue of his letters which were always open and expressed his feelings. My son reports that not only have NONE of the allegations about the facility ever happened to him, he wishes to return to ADR to continue his program. I know that there are many students who feel the same way. My son was thriving, his self esteem was back as well has his smile that I had not seen in years!
Mr. Vargus and the PANI staff who came into the Academy and stated that the kids were free to leave the school and did not have to follow the rules of the school or the instruction of the staff which I gave full authority to act on my behalf as a parent, caused a great deal of harm not just to my child who was progressing so nicely but also to so many other students and their families. Mr. Vargus, whose position it is to carry out the laws, actually knowingly endangered the life of my minor child. He did this without any warning and certainly usurped my authority as a parent. This willful act was in direct violation of Article 5 of the United Nations Convention on children. He went into my son?s school and stated that the minor students did not have to be there and did not have to follow any rules set forth by the school. Not only was my son put in direct danger by out of control students who were acting on the directives of Mr. Vargus, only time will tell of the emotional damage that has taken place as a result of Mr. Vargus?s actions. So far, there is substantial damage, both emotional and financial and it continues to unfold. Additionally, Mr. Vargus stood by and watched as laws were being broken by said children that he was charged to protect. Some of the children were not only endangering their own lives, but also the lives of others. The staff was remanded from doing anything to offer direction and protection and as a result, there was physical destruction to the school, students were injured and my son personally witnessed other students breaking the law, engaging in illicit acts among many other things. My son and the staff members were powerless to do anything to protect themselves based on Mr. Vargus?s clear directives and armed law enforcement to back him up.
To sum up, I can safely say that my son was progressing towards a future filled with love, happiness and success as a result of the work he has done at The Academy Dundee Ranch. His work was disrupted in such a negative way. He would be most willing to return to The Academy Dundee Ranch when it re-opens and would love to continue his program there.
Please do not hesitate to contact me for any additional information.
Sincerely,
Anita G. Freedman
770-263-7161 home
Academy at Dundee Ranch Timeline of Observations and Experiences
Jan Bezuidenhout
H: 303.773.0982
W: 303.860.9915
C: 720.436.2738
P: 303.380.7896
E-mail:
[email protected]I am the mother of Eva Bezuidenhout (age 14), who was a level 4 student in the Diamond family when the events that resulted in the temporary closure of the program occurred. I arrived in Costa Rica on May 8th. My purpose was to staff three seminars with my daughter, and enjoy three days off campus with her. Prior to the series of events that are described in the following pages, my experiences at Dundee were very positive. I was permitted to go wherever I wanted to go, without staff escort. I was allowed to talk with any student. I ate with the kids in the dining hall and even slept and showered at the facility one night. I did not observe anything that could be described as abusive or harmful to kids in any way. Certainly, there are lower level students who hate the tight structure and wish they were at home, engaged in the behaviors that got them to Dundee in the first place. My experience of all of the upper level students, and many of the lower level students is that they truly value the tools they have acquired during their stay in the program. They have gained knowledge and experience that will work for them throughout their lives. They know that they are facing a bright future when they go home.
On a slightly humorous note, I had been thinking that the ?story? I would have to tell about my trip to Costa Rica was about being attacked by monkeys while Eva and I were hiking in Manual Antonio Park. In retrospect, that seems very tame!
Sunday May 18th
Narvin and Flory approached me at the end of PC 1 and asked me to extend my stay in Costa Rica so I could go with Eva and some other parents and children to talk with people at the American Embassy about our view of the program. I agreed and made arrangements to stay on. Narvin and Flory said that a local newspaper called Al Dia had been writing inflammatory articles about ADR, so concerns were high. They said that Al Dia is the Costa Rican equivalent of National Enquirer They said that the articles had to do with a woman named Su Flowers, non-custodial parent of Nicole, who wanted her daughter out of the program and told various sources that Nicole said that she was being abused by staff.
Nicole had been a participant in a Focus seminar that I staffed. My experience of her is that she is really ?working? and wants to be in the program.
Monday May 19th
A group of parents, students and staff from Dundee met with Steven Hunsucker of the American Embassy. Present were co-directors Fran and Harold, Anita and her son Martin, Terry and her son Matt, Rod and Kate and the son Phil, me and my daughter Eva. We all described our experiences of the program as very positive. The kids testified that they had been on a really dangerous track at home and felt the program had saved their lives. We addressed issues of alleged abuse, quality of food, overcrowding, restricted communications and ?brainwashing?. The US representative listened politely and attentively. He did comment that the Embassy may be limited in the role they can play since the laws of Costa Rica apply and local regulatory agencies have a right / obligation to enforce them.
I brought Eva back to school about 8:30 p.m. My plan was to go back to San Jose and get on a plane back to Denver at 7:15 the next morning. Narvin and Flory approached me and shared that a letter from PANI had been delivered to a person at the front gate of the school at about 6:30. Apparently PANI has been investigating the program for several months. The letter outlined 15 specific concerns. Dundee was given 24 hours to respond and declare their intentions in writing, and 30 days to fix the problems described. Narvin and Flory requested that I extend my stay to assist in formulating the response to PANI. I agreed to do so.
I stayed up until about 3:00 a.m. formulating a strategy with the ownership and management group. In essence, we decided that we should work closely with PANI to find a win/win solution to the issues at hand. I helped draft a letter from Narvin to PANI describing our intent and providing our perspective on the issues outlined. There was some disagreement on media strategy. I thought our interests would be best served if we tried to build a coalition based on caring about kids. Another individual felt strongly that Al Dia would not be open to this approach. We also talked about a media strategy, coalition building with other American companies operating in Costa Rica, and we discussed communications with parents. Consensus was not reached.
Tuesday, May 20th
We were back at work at about 5:00 the next morning. We were working on ?the letter?, thinking that we would create some breathing room so the identified problems could be solved creatively and appropriately. We completed the document just before noon. The text follows:
To Whom It May Concern:
We are in receipt of your letter detailing worries about conditions at Academy at Dundee Ranch. We wish to thank your for your concern about the well being of our children, and assure you that we intend to partner with you to guarantee service of the highest possible quality to the troubled teens entrusted to our care, and the parents who love them dearly. We believe that abundant opportunity exists for collaboration and ultimate resolution of the factors currently identified as problems, as well as others that may arise in the future. Our goal is to develop and maintain a mutually trusting and respectful relationship between ADR, PANI, other appropriate regulatory bodies, the media and, most importantly, the students and families we serve. We f eel certain that every identified individual and entity is at the proverbial table because of what unites us, not what may appear to divide us. We all care deeply about our kids.
You requested immediate response to concerns described in your letter. While we believe the issues to be complex, and deserving of extensive and ongoing conversation, we are absolutely willing to cooperate with you, in the spirit of partnership. Here are our thoughts about some of the key issues:
1. Limitations of our physical plant: It is certainly true that sleeping conditions at ADR are crowded. To a large extent, the decision to limit privacy is based upon years of accumulated data indicating that people, especially people whose historical behaviors indicate that they are entrenched in non-working patterns, do not learn and do not change when they are completely comfortable. As students move through are program they are afforded many additional privileges, including increased privacy.
2. Availability and adequacy of adult supervision and guidance: Approximately two hundred students are enrolled at ADR. Eighty-five adults are employed by the facility, in varying capacities. Most people would agree that this ratio of 1:2.35 is healthy indeed. Depending on position and responsibility, staff members have differing amounts of formal education and life experience working with troubled teens. Our employment philosophy is simple. We "hire the heart, train the skill and trust the person". Additionally, the Academy at Dundee Ranch invites students who have achieved "upper-level" status to serve as junior staff members. This practice enhances safety and consistency for young people who are further from program completion, while providing young leaders with an unparalleled opportunity to influence others in a positive and life affirming way. Additionally, licensed professionals trained to address the physiological and psychological health concerns of students are absolutely available. A nurse is on duty 24 hours per day to provide triage services. A physician, a psychologist, and dentist are available as needed, and students can access other specialists too.
3. Restricted communication between students and parents: At no point in the program are students prohibited from communicating with their parents in written form. Letters are never censored. We strongly recommend restriction of verbal communication until children reach level three and have earned the privilege of telephone communication with their parents. In person visits are strongly discouraged until a seminar called PC 1. However, parents are always encouraged to visit the campus and when they do so they are given free reign. They are permitted to talk with any student and visit any part of the facility. Please see item number one for philosophical framework.
4. Inadequacy of food provided: Students are served three nutritious, robust meals per day. The menu is somewhat repetitive, and bland in comparison to the fast food frenzy many students experienced prior to their arrival at ADR. Food is never withheld as a consequence for non-working behavior, although variety is occasionally restricted to encourage students entrenched in self-destructive behavior patterns to reconsider the choices they are making. Most parents remark that their children seem very healthy in comparison to the way they looked when they were at home.
5. Inadequate Educational Standards: The United States based Northwest Association of Colleges as Schools attests to the educational standards at the Academy at Dundee Ranch by providing full accreditation. Our program is "self paced". Students are guided and encouraged to progress at a rate that best suits their individual academic needs. Please note that the' International Convention on the Rights of the Child' fully affirms the right of each family to select a nontraditional educational approach that suits the individual needs of the child. Many ADR and WWASP students who failed in traditional learning environments have thrived within the educational framework we provide, and have gone on to pursue additional studies and successful careers.
6. Physical Abuse of Students: The Academy at Dundee Ranch policy about physical abuse and restraint is very clear. Under no circumstance is a student to be hurt in any way. We do have something called "Observation Placement" and "Work Sheets", described and highlighted in the attached staff manual. In the event that harm is alleged, an incident report is generated and reviewed by the senior management group. These reports are absolutely available for your review. In fact, we respectfully request that your office consider receiving such reports at the time they are generated, and conducting an independent investigation if you deem that meritorious. This is an area of particular concern for us at ADR, given the historical patterns of dishonesty, abuse and violence at home that many students experience prior to enrolling at ADR.
7. Questions Regarding ADR's Compliance with Costa Rican Laws and Regulations: The Academy at Dundee Ranch is dedicated to providing care of the highest possible quality to students and families. We embrace regulatory guidance as an opportunity to enhance the quality of our service to others. Clearly, there has been confusion around expectations held by PANI, MEP and MS. You may recall that authorities at ADR came to see you prior to opening ADR. We were told in no uncertain terms that as an American corporation, serving American students, there were no Costa Rican laws that would apply to our operations. We have no objections whatsoever to working within the framework of Costa Rican laws and regulations. We respectfully request that you guide us to appropriate codes and rules.
The Academy at Dundee Ranch ownership group, staff and an informal advisory board (comprised of parents and community members) clearly understands that conditions at the school appear harsh at first glance. This program, based on a model operating successfully in multiple locations, is rigorous by design. We invite you to consider the very special needs of the population we serve. Students at ADR come from a variety of backgrounds and present with a diversity of problems. One constant is clear. These children were in very deep trouble before they arrived at Dundee. They failed to respond in any kind of normal or typical way to interventions provided by caring and well-intentioned individuals within a multitude of systems and institutions. In spite of near heroic efforts, they refused to accept help offered by families, schools, churches and other religious organizations, the criminal justice system, mental health service providers and more. Children are typically are depressed and self-loathing when they arrive at ADR, as evidenced by a history of dangerous and self-denigrating behaviors that clearly indicate very poor self-esteem and myriad other problems. It is common for parents of boys and girls at Academy at Dundee Ranch and sister WWASP programs around the globe to claim, "This program saved my child's life!" Many parents have told me that they thought the above-mentioned claim was a wild exaggeration when they first heard it, and now concur without hesitation.
Unusual conditions require unusual responses. One thing is clear, and reflected hundreds of times over in student and parent testimonials. This program, as difficult as it initially appears, works wonders once participants make the choice to engage and embrace new opportunities. Graduates of ADR and other WAASP programs - people who were once considered "hopeless" by mainstream society - now look forward to bright futures as they bring the tools they have learned to their own lives, families and communities.
I have taken the liberty of enclosing a copy of the handbook we provide to all families prior to the enrollment of their son or daughter at ADR. I'm sure that it will be evident to you that we communicate clearly and unambiguously with our families about what they can and should expect from our program. They know that conditions will be challenging (although never abusive) for the kids until the kids decide that it is time to regain control of their lives and create the positive results they know they deserve. Without exception, parents make an informed choice to place their children in our environment. Additionally, parents have a right to remove their children from the program at any time if they feel that the environment is not well suited to the needs of the child.
In closing, I urge you to consider the following as you determine the next steps in this investigation. Sometimes the patterns of avoidance, manipulation and blame are deeply ingrained in families, and could be factors that contributed to the need to place the child in a n unfamiliar environment to begin with. I f eel strongly t hat all voices need to be heard, and all factors need to be considered. I also encourage you, in your capacity of guardian of the rights and well being of children, to consider the possibility that complaints your office may receive are a reflection of the underlying problems that created the situation in which parents sought program placement for their children.
Thank you again for your concern about our children. We truly look forward to a collaborative relationship that will better conditions and outcomes for all.
With Deep Respect and Gratitude,
Narvin Litchfield,
President / CEO
Academy at Dundee Ranch
I was having lunch out in the driveway with Eva at about 12:45 when several vehicles pulled up. About 20 people came on to campus. One truck blocked the driveway so people could not enter or exit by car. An armed, non-uniformed officer stayed with that car. I eventually learned that the people present represented the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, PANI and the District Attorney?s office. (Note ? I personally asked many of these people who they were and most, including Fernando Vargas, Fiscal de Atenas refused to provide that information) A small group of people went to talk with staff about the Nicole Deniken case. Another group of two uniformed officers and a videographer wandered around campus shooting lots of footage.
At about 3:15, Nicole was called into the office. A judge was present. I did not experience what was going on first hand. I was told (by Nicole later that afternoon, in addition to staff members) that Nicole stated that she had not been abused, felt that she had benefited from the program and wished to stay. Nicole was allowed to stay on campus.
Shortly before 4:00, staff members were told to bring all the kids to the dining hall. They (staff) were instructed to stand 50 meters away during the discussion. A group of armed police officers assured that staff kept their distance. I approached a woman from PANI. I do not know her name. I explained that I am the mother of a child in the program and that I do not work for the program. I asked her for permission to stay with the kids and she consented. Mr. Fernando Vargas approached me and told me to leave. I refused, explaining my role and reason for being present. He shook his finger in my face and yelled ?Mommy, you get the hell out of here!? I left and went to the office of the female family reps, where I called the emergency line at the American Embassy and began reporting what I was seeing. Less than ten minutes after Mr. Vargas began to speak to the kids, the upper level students emerged from the room. The lower level students were given paper to write down all of their complaints. According to some upper levels, Mr. Vargas informed all the kids that the school was operating in violation of Costa Rican laws. He allegedly told the students that they were free to leave whenever they wanted to, that they did not have to maintain separation of boys and girls, that they could not be forced to maintain silence, that their right to communicate with parents could not be restricted in any way, that they could not be physically restrained by staff and that upper level students could not have authority to direct or discipline them. I have heard conflicting reports about exactly what students were told about leaving the campus. Some students said that they believed PANI would take them out if they wanted to go home. Others thought they heard that they could just go off on their own.
This meeting ended at about 4:15. I saw kids pour out of the dining hall onto the front driveway area. I heard kids yelling and crying. I saw kids pick up large sticks and broom handles. I observed upper level students attempting to calm lower level students. Shortly after the kids were released from the dining hall, an armed officer, motioned (and yelled in Spanish) for me to get off the phone. I hung up.
The officials who had come onto campus at 12:45 left at about 4:30. My interpretation of what happened is that they saw the chaos they had created and didn?t want to face it. At that point kids were pretty hysterical. Many had run away, others had broken into storage and taken things. I saw a boy and a girl out in a field together behind the girls dorms. It looked to me like they were having sex. I saw a girl punch a hole through the shower in the girl?s dormitory and cut her arm. There was a total lack of order. Boys and girls were together. Staff and upper levels were trying hard to calm kids down and regain some semblance of order, but were not successful at that time. At some point, they began to tell kids who wanted to run that they were free to leave.
My experience of what happened over the next few hours is that the situation calmed, but everyone was still really confused about what had happened and what was going to happen. Some kids who had run away came back. I have heard that the kids were locked in their dorms. I can not confirm that.
Between 4:30 and 9:30 I had conversations with dozens of kids. At one point I followed a girl down the road, asking her what she was doing ? where she thought she was going with no passport, no money, no food. She didn?t even have shoes on! She told me that she was going to get paid for ?giving head?, just like at home and that is how she intended to survive. Other kids who were running told me that they didn?t have a clue about where they were going ? they just were getting out now that a person in an official capacity had given permission. Some kids who ran and came back told me that they had done some pretty horrendous things while they were gone including stealing and hurting other people. I saw some kids smoking cigarettes. One boy told me that the police had given him cigarettes.
Parents of kids who had been out on day passes began to return to the facility at about 8:30. I think most of them took their kids back out for the night because they were concerned about their safety.
I spoke with Ken and Glenda from WWASP in the early evening and explained what I had witnessed. I was finally able to post on the BBS about 9:00.
The strategy about responding to these events was not clear. I experienced a lack of unity amongst the staff and owners (actually, Narvin was out of town but Flory was present). There was no clear alignment about how or what to communicate with parents, for example. I spoke to several senior team members who indicated their belief that this would blow over and that they should not alarm parents unnecessarily.
I left the school for San Jose at about 9:30 or 10:00 that night, once I felt that the kids remaining had settled down and would be safe during the night. Prior to leaving, I made arrangements to have six kids, representing the various levels, join me in San Jose the next morning to visit with media and various government officials to share a different perspective of the story. I believe staff contacted the parents to obtain their permission for the kids to go with me.
Wednesday May 21, 2003
I was shocked and upset to see the feature story in the newspaper ?Al Dia?. The front cover said ESCAPE in huge letters, and there was a photo of kids taking off down the road. The headline on page three said ?Maltreatment of Youth Has Been Confirmed?. There were more pictures too. I asked the clerk at the front desk of the hotel to translate for me. It seems like the story is biased and highly inaccurate.
I spoke with Flory at about 9:00. She was still on campus. She reported that the situation was much calmer than it had been the night before. She said that all of the kids were being asked to sign an agreement indicating their willingness to stay at Dundee voluntarily and abide by program rules. I believe she said that the kids who would not sign the agreement would be separated from the rest of the group while the school made arrangements for their transfer to another WWASP program, or trip home.
The six kids (Eva, Blake, Leticia, John, Joel and Steven) arrived in San Jose at about 10:30. We set out to tell our perspective on events.
The American Embassy was very open to what we have to say. We met with a woman named Leyla Ones. She reported that many US Embassy personnel are on the ADR campus today trying to sort out the situation. My experience is that they are investing a great deal of time and energy in their effort to protect the interests of kids and parents. Unfortunately, their hands are tied because they are here at the invitation of the Costa Rican government and must support Costa Rican Laws.
Channel 7 (Teletica) featured a story about our situation on the 6:00 pm news. The kids did a great job, especially Johel who was the spokesperson. The story was in Spanish so I didn't understand it all, but it seemed fair and neutral.
We spent quite a bit of time with Tim Rogers and a guy named Brian from the Tico Times. They seemed extremely interested in hearing our perspective in the story. Again, the kids were in full support of the program and testified that their lives have been saved by what they experienced there.
Our most troubling visit was with Ana Leon at PANI. PANI is like child protective services. She described herself as the "Technical Director" of PANI. She affirmed that PANI had been investigating the case of the young woman whose non-custodial parent wants her out of the program. She also affirmed that PANI had written a letter to Dundee outlining 15 points of concern, and giving the school 30 days to fix the problems. That is the letter I described earlier. Ms. Leon also said that what happened yesterday was not the intention of PANI. She stated that the responsibility for the way it was handled could be placed on the shoulders of Fernando Vargas. I'm not sure who he is. I have heard him described as a district attorney, federal prosecutor and judge. He was the person who refused to allow me to stay in the room when he spoke to the kids yesterday.
Ms. Leon told us that PANI would be back at school at about 9:00 tomorrow morning. She said that there is a court order (written by Mr. Vargas I believe) stating that Dundee must fully comply with all Costa Rica laws immediately. As I understand it, that means that the program as it exists now will cease to function. Boys and girls will intermingle, communication can not be restricted in any way, at any time, school can not be self paced, no OP and worksheets, etc... Ms. Leon initially told us that the purpose of tomorrow's visit (all media I talked to will be there by the way) is for PANI to take custody of all the kids. Later in the conversation she got intentionally vague about that. I don't know what will happen.
I spoke with Flory at Dundee at about 4:00. She sounded frightened. I was left with the impression that things are not yet under control. I informed her about our conversation with Ana Leon at PANI.
It was about 6:30 when we got back to our hotel. A family who had been enjoying a level 4 visit with their son was there. Their son was with them too. They had decided to pull him from Dundee. I honestly don?t remember if they were planning to transfer him to another program or not. The parents and child described a disturbing situation on campus. I'm not going to repeat exactly what they said since I did not witness it first hand. I will say that their information, coupled with my own observations and experiences, caused me to decide not to return the kids to the school that night.
Thursday, May 22, 2002
The kids and I were disappointed but not surprised to see more unfavorable press coverage this morning.
A van picked the kids up at about 8:00. I left the hotel about a half hour later. We met up at the Dundee gate at about 10:30. PANI was not there yet.
Most of the kids who were with me yesterday had not gone on to the campus because they were afraid. Some said that they thought ?non-working? kids still present on campus might retaliate against them because they had defended the program. Staff who were present assured them that they would be safe on campus, and they returned.
Narvin and Flory were also at the gate when I arrived. They were talking to Tim Rogers of the Tico Times. They were on their way to the court in Atenas, where Mr. Vargas is the D.A. (or something like that). I invited myself to tag along with them. I think the purpose of the visit was to meet up with the attorneys for the school, and register the relationship with the court.
As a side note, I never went onto the campus before going to Atenas. I gave a member of the staff the key to my rental car just to move the car inside. I mention this only because the car was gone when I got back, my suitcase had been left in front of the office and no one seemed to know what happened, at least at first. I think that is indicative of the level of general pandemonium on campus. The care was eventually returned around 8:00 that evening.
Before the legal proceedings began, I spoke privately with Mr. Fernando Vargas. He told me that the responsibility for what happened on Tuesday belonged to PANI. He denied that he ordered PANI to take custody of the kids, but said that they might take custody of the program. He said he had no idea when that might happen. He restated that there was an open investigation and that the school had 30 days to comply with Costa Rican law as described in the letter that had been delivered to ADR on Monday. He advised me to take my daughter out of the school right away. I asked him what I should tell other parents. He suggested the same message. He denied that he said ?Mommy, get the hell out of here? to me on Tuesday. I told him that while I appreciated a series of checks and balances to assure the safety of our children, I had not witnessed anything remotely resembling abuse on campus. I said that I thought the action taken by government officials ? convening 200 troubled kids, before the conclusion of a formal investigation, telling them that they could leave at any time and that they did not have to follow most of the rules if they stayed ? was bordering on abusive. I also said that I thought it was very irresponsible for officials to leave as soon as the kids began to riot. In a mocking tone, with a laugh, he told me that I could try to sue him.
Narvin and Flory and their attorneys met in the court with Mr. Vargas at about 11:45. Narvin invited me in and Mr. Vargas said I could not come in. There was a screen and not a wall dividing the two spaces, so I listened to the conversation. Narvin was being asked for identifying information. It sounded very formal. Someone was transcribing. I heard Mr. Vargas listing off charges or accusations that might be brought against Narvin, pending the outcome of the investigation. Again, it sounded very formal. They were instructed by Mr. Vargas to be back at a certain time (I think they said 4:00) that afternoon. I?m not clear what the purpose of a return visit was supposed to be.
On the way back to ADR I asked Raphael Garcia, one of Narvin?s attorneys, about the legality of the document the kids were asked to sign, indicating their willingness to stay in the program and abide by the structure. He said that if the structure was not in compliance with Costa Rican law, ADR couldn?t implement the structure even if it is what the kids want.
Also on the way back to campus, we saw a van full of Dundee kids heading in the direction of San Jose. Multiple people told me that those were kids who refused to sign the consent document and had been temporarily housed in the area that was to become the high impact part of the facility. I mention this only because that van was apparently turned around by officials and ordered back to Dundee. I observed about a dozen boys in the van from about 2:30 until officials left at least six or seven hours later. I was not allowed to go and talk with them. I don?t know if their basic needs were being met.
Multiple media representatives including Letta Tayler from Newsday, the folks from Teletica, Tico Times, Al Dia and others were on or immediately outside of campus when we got back around 2:00. After briefly checking conditions on campus (strangely silent and calm), I stayed at the road talking to reporters about my experiences. My daughter was with me, sharing her perspective too. PANI arrived a short time later. Fernando Vargas and crew arrived shortly after that. The police used crime scene tape to block the road in front of the facility. No one could go in or out.
I?m not totally clear about what happened during the next several hours. Most Dundee people seemed concerned and confused. Officials were in the school offices. They ultimately loaded file cabinets full of kids records and facility computers onto a truck. Shortly after the group of officials arrived, a mom who had just flown in from Houston arrived on campus. I know that she and her daughter spoke to the media too.
That mom (Karyn) and I both exchanged strong words with Mr. Vargas, particularly around the passport issue. It seems that he had intended to take the kid?s passports too. We were able to get passports belonging to our kids. Several people, including staff members, were able to prevail and assure that no passports were removed from campus with the other documents.
As much as I wished for the chaos to subside and everything to return to ?normal?, I experienced the situation as out of control and irreparable. I concluded for myself that the program could not function effectively under this much distress.
At about 3:30 or 4:00 I told Narvin that I had decided to pull Eva out of Dundee. I told him that I absolutely trust the program and the staff. My daughter has thrived in this environment. She thinks she would be pregnant and homeless if not dead had she not come to Dundee. I also told Narvin that based on the events of the past few days; I could not trust the Costa Rican government with my daughter?s safety.
I was able to contact my husband by phone at around the same time. I asked him to please get on the BBS and tell parents that things were not OK. I told him that I believed the place was under siege.
Throughout the afternoon and into the evening the staff was trying to maintain calm. For the most part, kids were kept away from the office area. My experience as I walked around campus is that kids were feeling very unsafe and concerned. Kids reported all kinds of damage, mostly to property, and threats to person. Many were asking what would happen next.
At about 8:00 Ana Leon from PANI, Narvin and Narvin?s attorney Raphael Garcia spoke to the kids. I thought that the information they provided was incomplete because the situation was chaotic and no one really knew what was going to happen. They told the kids that they (kids) were allowed to leave Dundee by coordinating with parents and family representatives. Ana Leon from PANI said that she would not be removing kids from the facility tonight. Narvin and Mr. Garcia said that the investigation would probably yield nothing and ultimately operations would return to normal. I thought the words of Mr. Garcia were especially moving. He talked about feeling ashamed about the way officials of his country had acted in this situation.
The plan was to have a movie night and settle the kids down.
Then Narvin got arrested (I have heard that part of the issue is that he was not back in Atenas at 4:00, as agreed, even though Mr. Vargas was on campus and not available to meet him). That happened at about 8:15. The kids went wild all over again. At that point, Flory declared that the school could not stay open now and the Family Reps should start making arrangements to get kids out. I?m not totally sure what happened over the next few hours. It was really crazy. More parents were on campus, kids were desperate to get to the phone (there are only two international lines on campus and those were not working all the time)
Please note that the telephone company in Costa Rica was on strike when all this was going on.
It was close to 10:00 when I left with Eva and three other kids. Things were sort of beginning to calm down.
Friday, May 23, 2003
I was up most of the night talking with parents who are terribly worried about their kids. Information about where all the kids are and what will happen next is, in my opinion, still unclear. I don?t think it could be anything but unclear at this point.
At about 10:30 I dropped one boy at the airport for a flight to Miami. I then went to return the rental car. I was chased by a police officer on a motorcycle. I couldn?t understand what he said. I am not aware that I was breaking a law.
Our plane took off just after 1:00. There were 40 ? 50 Dundee kids in the airport at that time, headed to a variety of destinations.
There are zillions of other details I could share about what transpired. Most of them don?t matter very much. I?m available to answer questions about my experience. I don?t know all the answers. I especially can?t answer questions that begin with the word ?Why?. This whole situation has been traumatic for just about everyone who experienced it, whether they were physically present or not. I?ve just finished transcribing the last of my notes on Wednesday May 28th. I?m still feeling pretty shocked and dazed.
I know that a lot of parents were frustrated by spotty and rapidly changing messages about the situation. Please don't go to blame. Those of us who were present could not figure out what was going on much of the time, let alone convey it immediately to others.
I wish to acknowledge that Narvin, Flory and the entire staff have worked tirelessly throughout this fiasco to protect our kids and their program. The family representatives were amazing! In my book, these people are heroes. My weeks on campus assured me that Dundee personnel love our kids and stand very powerfully them.
