WWASPS News: A Personal Story and A New Law Suit

The Personal Story: Xandir, Queer Teen, Sent to Cross Creek Manor in 2007, Tells Her Story

On behalf of Xandir, Pixie8 posts her story at Reddit.  The short version: Xandir's mother hired a for-profit teen transport company to take her to Cross Creek Manor, where she was held for two and a half-years:

Cross Creek’s methods of “therapy” and recovery were also extremely invasive, humiliating, and in my opinion did much more harm than good.... I can not speak for every one, but for me, being forced to disclose information that was not ready to come out was extremely painful and humiliating. The seminars based your success on how “emotional” you were, meaning that if you did not share some horrible part of your life or simply did not have one, or if you were not crying and sniveling while you did it, you were booted out of the seminar and forced to stay in the program another two months.

Reddit Post Part 1

Reddit Post Part 2

Reddit Post Part 3

Caution: Ads in sidebar not safe for work, Interview with Xandir at Tiny Nibbles

New Lawsuit

Utah-based program for troubled youths tortured teen boy, lawsuit alleges | Deseret News.

SALT LAKE CITY — A former student in a much-maligned Utah-based organization for troubled children filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday, contending it left him traumatized for life.

Carl Brown Austin, 24, alleges World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools subjected him to constant physical and emotional abuse for two years. The Washington state man was enrolled in programs called Casa by the Sea and High Impact, both based in Mexico, from age 13 to 15.

 Since his mother, Glenna Pierson, pulled him from the school in September 2002, he has "lived a life of indolence, drugs and misery to drown out the torture" he experienced, according to the 36-page suit filed in U.S. District Court. Pierson and her husband also are plaintiffs in the case.

"Casa and High Impact have literally wrecked the life of a very young adolescent that needed nurturing, patience and love, not the foolish 'behavior modification' at which the defendants excel."

Previous Posts on WWASPS and WWASPS-related issues:

• Challenge Day & WWASPS --March 30 2005
• Thinking of Sending Your Troubled Teen to a Boot Camp? -- March 31, 2005
• Boonville Says No to WWASPS--April 10 2005
• The Enduring Lure of "Gunny Therapy" -- April 15, 2005
• Riot at Ivy Ridge--June 8 2005
• The Road to Whatever -- July 2005
• Academy at Ivy Ridge--August 23, 2005
• Why "Therapeutic Schools" are Booming January 2 2006
• Advice for Parents Looking for A Therapeutic School -- January 21, 2005
• Maia Szalavitz On Debunking "Tough Love" Schools -- April 11 2006
• WWASPS Suit--September 6 2006
• Exploitation of Youth and Families December 6 2006
• Ivy Ridge "Not A School" -- December 7 2006
• On Accreditation -- December 11 2006
• Northwest Association of Accredited Schools -- December 11 2006
• Randall Hinton, WWASPS Heavy, Arrested for Abuse -- January 12, 2007
• What Alternatives Are There for Parents of Troubled Teens?-- January 13, 2007
• Randall Hinton's Qualifications and Biography--January 13, 2007
• Patty Pacheco, Whistle-blower at Royal Gorge Academy -- January 29, 2007
• Royal Gorge Academy in the News--March 20, 2007
• Four Students Flee Ivy Ridge--March 20, 2007
• Robert Lichfield, One of Mitt Romney's Money Men, Has Legal Troubles -- June 22, 2007

Series on Questions Parents Should Ask Before Enrolling A Child in a NonPublic School:

• NonPublic Schools: Part I--Overview
• NonPublic Schools--Part II Evaluating Mission, Values, & Goodness of Fit for Your Child
• NonPublic Schools--Part III Faculty and Staff Qualifications
• NonPublic Schools--Part IV: Evaluating Academic Program
• NonPublic Schools:Part V--On Accreditation
• NonPublic Schools:Part VI--More Detail on Financial Issues: IRS Status

Other Sources of Information:

• Coalition Against Institutionalized Child Abuse (CAICA)--Royal Gorge Index
• International Survivors Action Committee ISAC --WWASPS Index
• WaspsInfo.net ("home of all the information WWASPS wants you to ignore.") --includes Randall Hinton's bio
• NoSpank on residential treatment
• Community Alliance on Ethical Treatment of Youth (CAFETY)
• John Gorenfeld on Tranquility Bay
• John Gorenfield's writings on boot camp abuse
• List of Organizations Opposing "Therapeutic Schools" and "Specialty Schools"

Comments

[stephanie lustick]

i went to cross creek and high impact and this is absurd! Best thing that ever happened to me and feel free to email me..stephlustick@yahoo.com

[nacho]

i used to work there as a case manager and i actually knew this kid. i saw one of our staff throw him to the ground and slam hit head on the pavement. i wish i never worked there and i really hope this boy wins because he went threw hell. i dont see how a person could say that such a place where you sleep in cages and are hit could be benificial. i left casa after i seen carl thrown to the ground.

[Stephanie Lustick]

Again i am not speaking for all the other schools but i will speak on behalf of Cross creek/ron garrett and high impact..High impact was not comfortable and not fun, definitly not a walk in the park, but i was never abused there.I want these parents to go back to what there children were doing on a daily basis, shooting up heroin running away prostituting and your concious some how wont let u forgive yourself for "not being able to control your teen"dont turn arounnd and blame it ont he facilities u payed to handle it!And i will be the first to testify that cross creek was the best thing that ever happened to me! I DIDNT WANT TO GO HOME! thats how awful my life was and the therapist and staff worked with me and made it possible for me to stay aslong as i could.so that i had all the tools when i got home to survive! Ron Garrett and Karr have done nothing but love us like there own, inviting the upper levels to there homes..etc..and to all of u still lying and manipulating u should be ashamed of yourselves, this school could be helping more kids instead its dealing with your pety non existant drama, hows that a reflection of your life!