A ruling at Lee County establish that the former so-called students where mistreated.
It is hardly a news for any former student subjected to stays at boarding schools using the WWASP-concept where students had to subject to six levels of punishment and a number of seminars because being granted their freedom.
For those who did not manage to complete this before they turned 18, their destiny in life became homeless shelters shunned by their family. Some managed to move on still with little or no contact to their family just because the parents were told that it was the best option.
Also a history of massive amounts of suicides are seen among former students.
For more than a decade the owners of the former boarding school chain has avoided responsability. A lawsuit started in 2005 came to nothing held up due to appeal after appeal.
So this is a milestone.
There are still schools out there where the owners in the past officially used the same concept. While many of them claim that they use another system, they still use the concept of a level system and arrange a number of seminars. Calling the levels something other and renaming the seminars does not result in any improved treatment of the students.
As of 2017 these schools are still running where they in the past used the WWASP concept.
- Sunset Bay Academy (Oceanside teen center) in Mexico
- US Youth Services (Red River Academy) in Lecompte, Louisiana
- Teen Revitalization (Academy at Dundee Ranch) in Costa Rica
- Palmetto Therapeutic Boarding School (Carolina Springs Academy) in South Carolina
More can be using the concept without us knowning. Facts remain that is a damaging concept.
We hope that former students from more schools can use this ruling taking their school to court.
Source:
Midwest Academy Students Win Lawsuit Over Mistreatment (KBUR News)