Archive | September 2013
30/09/2013  

158. Swaylands School

The now cosed boarding school which opened in the 1940s became the center of an investigation. It resulted in a number of arrests of former employees.

The full extent of the abuse case which took place for many years between 1967 and 1993 is yet to known.

But already it is safe to state that it could not have been fun to live at this boarding school as a teenager.

Sources:

29/09/2013  

157. Boundary Oak Boarding School

This boarding school founded in 1918 was the center of an investigation into abuse committed by a former teacher during the years 1975 to 1989. When the claims of abuse reached the management he was fired.

But only many years later his victims could reach a closure then he was sentenced to 3 years in prison. Was the authorities notified back in 1989 or did the management just let him go quietly so they would face reduced enrollment?

It could not have been fun attending this school as a teenager and certainly not trying to cope with the memories for the rest of their lives.

Sources:

27/09/2013  

156. Fort Augustus Abbey School

Fort Augustus Abbey School was a boarding school located at Fort Augustus, Inverness-shire in Scotland.

In 2013 it was revealed that the school was used by the church as dumping ground for clergy previously accused of abuse elsewhere, so they could have some fun with the boys who were so unlucky to attend the school.

I have nothing against same gender relationships but these monks were using their authority as teachers who could give the students lower grades if they didn’t give in so it was unfair for the students.

It cannot have been a fun place to be as a teenager.

Sources:

26/09/2013  

155. Bindernaes Efterskole

Bindernæs Efterskole is a boarding school located in the southern part of Denmark. The student attend the school for a school year and have to remain on the campus for 10 weekends at least during the schoolyear. The school is run in connection with a Trade Union and have a very socialist view on the world. The students are forced to attend the May 1 celebrating of the working class in Denmark regardless of their political stand. It is unfair not to recognize the background of the students. They should have the choice of doing ordinary schoolwork instead.

Having researched the school a little I also found disgrunted former employees and the fact that the school – being owned by a trade union – choose to use un-organized labor work among their contractors.

I was rather shocked that the school demands that the students are non-smokers. Not only on Campus or during school-trips, which I can understand – but all the time – even when they are home visiting their family. Where are the private lives of the students?

It cannot be fun attending this school as a teenager

Sources:

25/09/2013  

154. White Rock Academy

White Rock Academy in Esbon existed for a short period until the state of Kansas shut them down. They tried to lock the children up creating the risk of a fire hazard and the state had no choice but to intervene in order to prevent a tragedy.

The facility started out marketing children who just was in need of a little warehousing. When the market dried out they turned to more severe cases they hadn’t the employees to handle. Therapy was promised but never given.

It doesn’t sound like a fun place to be as a teenager.

Sources:

24/09/2013  

153. Sprogoe

Sprogø as the Island is called in Danish is today connected to the world by a the bridge over the Great Belt but between 1923 and 1961 (Wikipedia has an error) it was used for teenage girls who either had a mental challenge or just begone dating before the parents would allow it.

There were two ways to get off the island.

  1. Being operated so a more calm and less challenging way of life would be the result. Back then Lobotomy was accepted but today we know that the cost of such an operation most likely would be a life ruined. Some they could be allowed to return ashore if they got serialized.
  2. Escape with one of the local fishermen and become the wife of the rescuer because a married woman could not be returned by force to this island unless the husband agreed

Being cut off and labeled by the society does not sound like a very fun situation to be in if you are a teenager.

Sources:

22/09/2013  

152. Vaerebro boys home

Actual vault from the boys home. The markers were made by the police showing where traces of blood was found

“Værebro’s drengehjem” as it was called in Danish existed until 1984. Ironically the boys home was founded by a so-called humanitarian organization named “Foreningen af 1838 til Forsømte Børns Frelse” (The organization of 1838 for the salvation of neglected children).

The boys were disciplined by being tied to the vault in the Gym. Then the employees would use a tawse or often af piece of rope on their bare backs until blood was drawn. It is difficult to understand the level of torment and abuse these boys were put through.

Under no circumstances could it have been fun to live there as a teenager.

Sources:

20/09/2013  

151. Citrus Center for Adolescent Treatment Services

The police was called to an understaffed facility in Florida due to claims of a riot in need of suppressing. When an officer grabbed the arm of a girl she turned away and the police hit her to the ground. Having been travelling around the world I can say that it is not the best idea having police at an asylum where patients are in need of treatment and therapy. I remember having visited the American continent and there the police was uniformed bullies you had to pay so they could protect and serve you. Her luck is that she didn’t get a shotgun blast in her face.

Having said that maybe Florida is a little better than Venezuela when it comes to the standard of the police but still police are not trained to provide therapy and treatment. They are trained to arrest people and if necessary to put them to death. Even here in Copenhagen a mentally disabled man was shot to pieces in a 7-11 store while he was on the ground.

So the real question is: Why was the facility understaffed? Where is the oversight which should secure that at least some of the money should go to treatment and not down in the pocket of the owners?

Citrus Center for Adolescent Treatment Services is not a fun place for a teenager to live for sure.

Sources:

18/09/2013  

150. Impact Ranch

A 14 year old boy was on a hike arranged by this program. Somehow he got lost and in the press it was seens as a runaway attempt due to the work done by employees from the ranch.

The family has since given up on the ranch and want the boy to return home. However when you reach out attempting to get residential treatment there is a catch. You can become stuck in the system as a family and lose your child. Unlike others who lost their lives in the wilderness he made it out alive and it is now up to the court to decide whether his chance of continued survival should be improved by returning him home.

It doesn’t like a fun place to be even if it was a real runaway attempt.

Sources:

16/09/2013  

149. WittenMyer Youth Center

If not only one of the other residents but also an employee wants to play with your private parts, you are toast if you are confined to a highly structured “boot camp” because who should help you?

It was what happened at WittenMyer Youth Center.

It does not sound like a very fun place to be as a teenager.

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