The Coastal Post - December,
1998
Child Abuse In Foreign
Schools For Wayward Americans
by Net
Got a Bad little kid?
Recalcitrant Teen? Child a chronic runaway? Psychologists and
Psychiatrists have failed? Son or daughter underachieving?
A growing Phenomenon in the
United States has been to send such children to private "behavior
modification schools." And the explosive growth in these programs
has included programs in Western Samoa, Jamaica, Mexico and the
Czech Republic.
Parent contact with their
children is closely regulated and parents and children are required
to attend a series of "encounter group" type seminars and follow
rules established by the programs. In addition, they utilize a
"level" system where teens on higher levels act as enforcers with
the younger or lower level teens.
Morava Academy in the Czech
Republic opened under the Aegis of what is known as the "WorldWide
Association of Specialty Programs" in March of 1998. Czech
authorities have arrested for staff members including Americans
Glenn and Stephen Roach. Mrs. Roach (Glenn) is the director and her
husband, Stephen, is the Director of Security.
The charges are for
violating Czech child protective laws and include having the
children lie on the floor with their hands and sometimes feet tied,
for extended periods of times. Access to toilet facilities is
closely controlled as a means of enforcing discipline and the
students may be subject to physical restraint including Handcuffs,
pepper spray, mace and cattle prods at the sole discretion of the
staff.
Several children were
removed by American diplomats making a surprise visit to the school
and others are being moved by their families to other Teen Help and
WWASP programs.
For further information,
207-761-7068, 617-247-3753
|
