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Experience at Carolina
Springs
Testimony of Sherri Weems
June 19, 2006
I put my daughter in Carolina
Springs after weeks of research on speacilty boarding schools. I
began speaking with Nancy Thompson (Admissions Coordinator) about
Carolina Springs. She assured me they were a top notch school and
even claimed to have students accepted to Ivy League colleges among
completion of the program. She made it sound like exactly where
Tristen needed to be. We made arrangements for me and my husband,
Randy to take Tristen on a friday night.
We flew into Atlanta and then drove
to Carolina Springs arriving around 11:30PM. Upon our arrival, we
were greeted by two women and taken into the building where the
girls slept. It was very dark so I didn't see much. I didn't want to
disturb the girls at such a late hour. After speaking with the women
for about 30-45 minutes, my husband and I left.
I did take notice that the school
didn't look the same as the website portrayed it. I had an uneasy
feeling about leaving Tristen, but dismissed it as anxiety about
leaving her in someone elses hands after raising her 16 years. I
prayed that evening that God let me know if I made the right
decision. After arriving back home, I went online again that Sunday
morning. That's when I found the "other website" about Carolina
Springs. I began to read the horror stories about things that had
happened to other famililes. I then called the school and wasn't
able to reach anyone. I called Nancy Thompon and told her about what
I had found and she dismissed it as fabricated stories by one
unhappy parent. I then told her I wanted to speak with Tristen and
make sure she was okay. That's when I was told that I probably
wouldn't speak with her for a few months. Upon our initial
conversations, I was under the impression I would be speaking to her
and writing to her in the beginning. Then I was to complete a
seminar and see her in a few months. She said that I must have
misunderstood. At that point I called the number on PURE website.
They gave me more unsettling info about the program and also gave me
names and numbers to other schools that had nothing to do with WWASP.
I then called Pat Jones at Harbor
Oaks. She suggested I get Tristen out of there ASAP. I booked a
flight and left that afternoon. I let Nancy know that I would be
picking up Tristen and she said that we should really wait until
Monday during business hours. I let her know that I wasn't waiting.
They didn't have a problem taking her in outside of business hours,
so they shouldn't have a problem giving her back under the same
circumstances.
When I got to the school, I wasn't
greeted quite a nicely as the first time. I asked that they be sure
and return everything that I brought with her. I took an envelope
that had the contract, her SSN card and an insurance card. The
contract was only signed by me at that time. They said they didn't
have access to the office or a copy machine and assured me they
would mail the SSN card and insurance card back to me on Monday.
They conveniently kept the contract, which I'm sure was signed by
someone on Monday, after Tristen was gone. Before I closed my car
door I was asked why I wasn't leaving Tristen. I politely told them
I was misinformed about the conditions and I didn't feel like this
was the right place for my daughter or anyone else's child. At this
point my car door was slammed in my face.
Carolina Springs kept my $5500,
eventhough Tristen was never enrolled in the school. They processed
her paperwork after I picked her up. They even kept monies for
uniforms that she never recevied. A separate check was written for
the uniforms. I want to make it very clear, that I would have never
agreed to leave my daughter ANYWHERE that would not allow me access
to her upon my request. It was pointed out to me later, that their
contracts actually sign over guardianship and they could have sent
my daughter out of the country without my permission.
Tristen has since been at Harbor
Oaks and has received the help she needed. I can't even explain the
look of relief on her face when she realized I was at Carolina
Springs to get her. I thank God that I was able to get my daughter
and that He showed me the things that He did so that I would know
she was in danger. I pray for all the children that are there and
all the parents who don't know or don't care about what is happening
to their children.
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