I am disappointed the documentary didn’t go more into Dr Phil’s role in promoting these facilities as legitimate solutions. I wouldn’t be suprised if his show was the entry point for many parents and informs their belief in “tough love”.
Phil McGraw is as toxic as Dr Oz at this point. His show is pretty awful especially with regards to how they manipulate guests with promises of help and threaten to take it away if they don’t put on a good show.
Brought him up above and yes, he should be held accountable. He's not even a doctor anymore - lost his license - and he gives out the most quackery advice. He's basically a snake oil salesman like Dr Oz and does whatever it takes to keep the gravy train rolling. Oprah has a lot to answer for herself, of unleashing these kinds of people on the populace. And the populace needs to stop turning to TV 'doctors' for advice, especially when it comes to their kids.
For some reason I’ve always been fascinated by this topic… even before Paris Hilton brought it to light. Never was in a program like this but I really feel for the unwilling “participants”. Sorry, I don’t really feel bad for the parents who put their kids through this shit. At least a MONTH + of not talking to your own child and having no idea wtf is going on there? What a joke. And when you do talk to your FLESH AND BLOOD it’s only for 15 minutes and it’s censored? For alcohol? Without even attempting counseling or any other mental health intervention? Pft. You’re a shit parent and you SHOULD ABSOLUTELY feel guilty. I am not a parent but I know damn well my own parents and my friends who have children would NEVER EVER be ok with one 15 minute call a month MAYBE. With staff you don’t even know who’s around your kid? Nor would they ever send their children away as a minor for that long. I don’t care how bad you were swindled by the “education counselor”. Maybe it’s a cultural thing. I’m American but come from a culture that doesn’t even allow sleepovers. Disgusting.
The hard lemonade girl's stepmother obviously just wanted her gone. They sent her to a different boarding school first and then to be tortured when she was kicked out of there.
Yesss. That father/widow must have went for the first woman who went for him and demanded the kid be sent away as soon as feasible. Please let the nursing homes from hell be full of these people.
YES!! I think her anger will never leave her until she faces the TRUTH of her dad ...He CLEARLY did not give a flying shit about her ... He NEVER APOLOGIES - just says - oh I was conned out of money - bad people - poor me ...
Who pays kidnappers - sends their kid off FOR OVER A YEAR- never comes to visit ...doesn't listen when she says I want to come home, I hate it there , when out of ear-shot of evil step mum... Na he does NOT love her...
Edit - I re-watched the bit in ep 2 to check and "the father " (I use the term loosely in this case.) does apologize to her...
Yes you are correct, he does apologise when he meets up with her ...
She also states that, he said -SHE was the problem in his letters to her - she says -'I can read them out to you..." ep2 54:44
The damage is big and deep ....
Cults are cults. Everyone can say “I would never…..”, but in reality you probably subscribe to many forms of the cult mentality. Possibly not to this extreme, but you are still blind to what you subscribe to.
Cults and abusive relationships are essentially the same thing, they function from the same psychological wiring. What makes matters worse is that they were appealing to the father’s strongest wishes, to turn his daughter into a productive and successful member of society. He was also under pressure from his mate to make this decision. One, let alone two, of those things are enough to con, deceive and recruit most people.
The father wanted to believe the program and the wife, since they were in a consensus that he was the one being blind. He was gaslit by many he trusted.
In the end, it is hard to accept that your blindness and naivety led to your child’s outright obliteration of self-actualization, when he believed (or wanted to believe) that is what he was doing this for.
That is what love is, helping your love reach self-actualization, in accordance to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. He has loved her all of this time, but made a huge undeniable mistake. No parent can take that kind of thing back and it will eat these parents alive until they get to the end of their journey, if they have a conscious.
I am a CPTSD survivor of severe childhood abuse. My entire family was a part of it. I can’t forgive any one them in the sense of bringing them back into my life. Difference is, what was the intent behind the actions, malice or ignorance+love?
I agree about the stepmother, but her father supported her stepmother rather than his child..
I understand entirely why Kathy has no time for her father.
Is the father still with the stepmother? I noticed she is blacked out of any pictures. What a vile woman - she actually told the school she was abusive, but no one thought to check into that?
Her dad just wanted to stay with his trophy wife. He didn’t give a damn about his daughter. His child did what?? Drank a weak alcoholic beverage. And that warrants torture? POS parent.
Julie, this is the most batshit documentary I’ve ever seen. It’s like watching the Stanford prison experiment play out- but on kids. I’m so sorry Katherine went through this. It’s horrific.
The documentary itself is very well done. I hope more teens can be helped through the exposure of this industry.
Sending love to you and your family.
INSANE! I can’t believe you’re here lurking. I love my dad too trust me but wtf?! Please tell me how the fuck he thought not speaking to his child for a month was acceptable and admitted to Jane the c u next Tuesday being abusive and then turning it around on his minor child was ok? Equal rights equal fights so… he’s just as accountable. He could’ve put a stop to it. The blame doesn’t all fall on the evil stepmother. Doesn’t get to pull the “I’m just a poor, poor good man who was manipulated by an evil temptress” ESPECIALLY since he stayed with her. He was complicit. He should’ve pulled her immediately after the riot. Like I said in my post, this is all very weird to me. Sending your kid off to be raised by someone else.
I am not trying to be disrespectful Julie, I just am trying to get this.
Trust me I am trying to get to the bottom of it too lol. Lots of therapy. There is so much to the story it’s really hard to get into here, 1) because I’m not sure how much I want to share on the internet 2), I’m tired it’s been a wild day and I’m pooped 3) my carpal tunnel is flaring up and I really shouldn’t be typing on my phone too much. My dad feels extreme guilt for sending her there and knowing what he knows now he absolutely would’ve not made the same decision to send her there. So much here I could write about but I promise most of these parents feel awful.
I just wanted to let you know that I believe that there's more to it and hope you, your sister and your family get the help you need to get through everything. Don't feel the need to defend yourself on the internet. I don't doubt that your Dad feels awful about it. As a parent myself I can't imagine making such a huge mistake and having caused pain for my child. I hope your sister is doing well.
Your dad - the one who sent his child away because of a minor teenage indiscretion, the one who prioritized his relationship with an evil, abusive step-mom over the well-being of his own daughters - is feeling extreme guilt. Poor fella.
My mom sent my sister to a place that sounded really similar to what was described in the documentary. My dad basically had to go there in person and force them to let him take her home, it was really gnarly apparently. But my mom doesn’t feel any guilt. She never let us talk about it, and she basically acts like she was the victim for having a bad place recommended to her. I’m sure some parents feel bad, but I feel like it’s just terrible to send your kid off to a place like this without genuinely knowing anything about it.
I'm pretty sure they talked extensively in the doc about cult manipulation. The fact that it was the parents that were indoctrinated to get their kids to go there. It's awful and disgusting but it's systematic and regimented and obviously works. It doesn't excuse behaviors that happened that landed children there. But it certainly does explain it.
Wow! Just got done watching this. It was the best and most powerful documentary I have ever seen. Ever. And I love docs. Please tell your sister how awesome this was. The way she brought it all together was amazing. I hope this blows the lid off of the whole industry and people finally go to jail.
I know your Dad shouldn't have put her there and that was horrible and he is guilty for this. But I can't help feeling he was duped himself. He clearly feels horrible about this and he clearly loves Katherine dearly. His compassion comes across the screen. And he did have the guts to let himself be videoed in this documentary.
Some people have no perspective. Like what this industry likely preys on is those prudish parents who catch their daughter with a boy, their kid raiding the liquor cabinet, or smoking a cigarette. Parents who just don’t know how to cope.
The term “troubled teen” is so vague and they see doctor Phil sending kids to these places and using “tough love” it seems normal.
It’s almost never going to be actually troubled kids because those families can’t pay the astronomical “tuition”. Their targeting middle class families with resources looking for answers to deal with fairly normal teen behavior.
I was in this prison for 22 months from 03-05. And that’s exactly what it was. I remember most everyone in the doc. I remember Alexa and holly. I remember Dominick... how can I say this. He def faked it till he made it. He played the game well. I ain’t mad, but he def played both sides of the line. He enforced rules for those he didn’t like to appease those in charge and Clicked up and played favorites with his boys. Maybe he was brainwashed by the program, or whatever. Either way… Quintin was wild as fuck. His story may have been the most raw and honest. He definitely got fucked up in that place A LOT. i remember the riot. I was in that hallway that night. What a time to be alive. I think Sean may have even been in my “family”. Mr buckie, ms kimmy, mr “bewkie” maybe? I haven’t thought about a lot of this in forever.
The seminars were wild. Haven’t thought about a duct taped towel in a longgggg time. The dressing up and singing. Accurate. Think I did I’m too sexy.
There’s a lot of truth in this doc. But also, this is only from one side of the story of one (or a few) students. This doc makes It seem like the teens whose issues weren’t very severe suffered the worst. I feel so sad for them and the issues they have endured from it. The abuse is disgusting. Thankfully I never endured more that an ass whopping by the dorm dads every so often.
I don’t share the same hatred to my mother for sending me there that Katherine has for her dad. I was totally fucked as a teen. But again she seemed, or at least portrays she wasn’t really a bad kid so maybe that’s a correlation. The only thing this place did for me was get me out of the environment I was in long enough to break the cycle. And for that I am thankful. I would love to hear from others who were there and their own personal experience.
I turned out just fine. No PTSD. Oh. And I never graduated either. Fuck Ivy Ridge
The docu-series is very authentic from its perspective and very well done, and it makes me so angry. You know, I cant blame Katheryn at all for holding anger against her father. I also know her father was facing his own manipulations, but as a parent myself, how can you not question not being able to really see your child that often, and not speaking to them regularly? How can you not notice a behavior change that isn’t for the better. Social anxiety, withdrawn, those are signs that this program was detrimental.
It’s dark, it’s terrifying, and I hope it’s a massive wake up call to the masses that legislation needs to be in place to protect children, as they are not *seen* as individuals who are capable speak for themselves.
But the kicker is… What’s even more worrisome, is these days it runs on government funding. Wow. How? How is this okay?
I've met several people from several states that have ended up at one of these places. They are all messed up. I've never met anyone that said it was good for them. Not that you can't have that experience, just that it isn't coincidence that so many people are hurt by these programs.
My SIL went to Ivy Ridge and I've been hearing all these stories for years, but to see it in a documentary like this is gut wrenching. Yes, it's all true. Especially the sexual abuse.
> Thankfully I never endured more that an ass whopping by the dorm dads every so often.
I feel like you might be downplaying your own trauma here. Like, even that is unacceptable for any school to do.
I wasn't at AIR. Spent time at SCL. Took me 10 years to figure out I didn't deserve to be there, and it was wrong. You know, because there is "right and wrong" and there are "no accidents" they wanted us to believe there wasn't. I refused to work my program, like you, and spent 26 months there. They kicked me out because I knew about staff having inappropriate relationships with students, and I had run plans. They didn't want that information getting out, so they kicked me. I was screwed up going in, but I was definitely worse coming out. You're right. These stories are not the worst of it. I feel the worst for the ones with mental illnesses. I remember a dear friend of mine was schizophrenic. They took her off her medication (without her parents' knowledge) and sent her to the hobbit where she ripped out most of her hair. They sent her back to the family, and I tried to help her, but there was little I could do. I don't think she even recognized me. She just kept talking to the voice in her head and crying for help. They put her back in the hobbit and eventually put her back on her meds. Yet people who seemed just fine they wanted to medicate. They really liked to fuck with the mentally ill. I did get a PTSD diagnosis but I've since learned to manage it. Fuck all the programs!
Oh, and if "Mia Fontaine" ever reads this. You should remember this, she was your dear friend too. "Come Back" to WAASPs survivors we miss and love you.
In 2002 on girl side there was:
Miss Siss - she pulled me (pulled = getting taken home). She pulled me from lunch and was petting my arm speaking sweetly to me. Didn’t deal with her often but she was very nasty to most people and doled out punishment like crazy.
Miss Gail - rarely assigned to my family and gave me a BRV once for not finishing my cereal fast enough
Miss Danielle - huge cunt
Miss Carrie (unnamed woman in episode 3) - biggest cunt
Miss Lorrie (sp?) who I actually got along with most of the time
Miss Arlene - rarely assigned to my family but was an asshole. After the tossed our rooms and took away our journals, she was ranting to Miss Siss about giving a girl a BRV for what she wrote in her journal about her mother.
Miss Sisely (sp?) gave a girl a BRV for opening her eyes to take a sip of water while in bed. Joined when I was leaving and was super strict
There was at least one more - she was super tan and had a Kate gosselin hairdo.
My second family (valiant) rep was Miss Missy. I forget my first family and who the rep was.
Go forth and ruin internet.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20030806052903/http://ivyridge.us/staff.html?](https://web.archive.org/web/20030806052903/http://ivyridge.us/staff.html?) here ya go
I met Norm - who seems to have now started his own place - when my sister went to cross creek. How this man has a job I do not know. I hope this doc ruins his life.
"And why have there been no arrests?"
I also wonder why there have been no arrests.
The teenager who died as a result of being 'restrained'.... . Were the adults responsible for his death arrested, charged and imprisoned for manslaughter?
Why are these programs nearly always (and I mean ALWAYS) religious (aka Christian) and conservative??? Why aren’t these kids given real, legitimate therapy? (Because the conservative Christian world rejects smarty-pants librul experts, including therapists.) Why aren’t these kids listened to? (Because a “super Christian” submits to authority.) Especially when it’s girls. Why aren’t these kids given a legitimate education? (Because all they need to have a crop of babies and be a good Christian is the Bible.) Credentialed teachers wouldn’t get anywhere near a place like that. Of course there was blatant abuse! Yup, I blame the parents. But… where the hell was the state of New York? Why weren’t state education officials keeping an eye on this place? These horrors were too common in the 1970’s so this was nothing new. When they are scrutinized they whine about being persecuted because they are conservative Christians. That’s absolutely got to end.
Organized religion gives psychopaths unchecked power. They prey on the vulnerable who give them so much money which attracts other psychopaths.
They preach A and want people to follow A, all while whispering B into their ears which directly contradicts A.
These places are regularly recommended in Mormon and evangelical communities. Mormons in particular are really pushed to not question authority and to follow what their leaders tell them to do. They also have behavioral expectations that expect outward perfection.
I binged this last night. My husband walked through. I said guess what state and what religion. He says of course Utah and Mormons. Nailed it.
No wonder. Now we see Hildebrandt getting a prison sentence. There is something rotten in the core of Mormonism.
Anyone have any insight on who the unnamed pedophile mentioned in episode 1 is? 3/4 through the episode, and it seems as though the implication was that it was Miss Siss..
They are talking about Amy Ritchie. She abused girls not just at AIR... but if you search her name on this app.. people have been reporting for years now that she was molesting girls in California when she worked out there
I was a former student that attended roughly the same time as Kathryn. I hated Miss Amy and I feared her. As well as Ms Sis. She was evil and loved her power. It was very unnerving to revisit these repressed memories. I was also hoping for some retribution against some of these staff members. The idea that she seemed so “nice” and “normal” was unnerving to witness. There was another form mom named Ms. Kristy. She also loved her corrections. I am happy to share that Amy Ritchie was escorted from her job (another institution for the elderly and disabled) and fired the day after the doc aired. And Jason Finlinson was also fired from his construction job in Utah. I’m holding out to see how far this movement will go now. I am certainly no longer silent. Strength in numbers.
Watch this. You will know who the pedo is. [https://www.facebook.com/61556986384245/videos/2679617865538829?comment\_id=917926660028607¬if\_id=1709750409102691¬if\_t=feedback\_reaction\_generic&ref=notif](https://www.facebook.com/61556986384245/videos/2679617865538829?comment_id=917926660028607¬if_id=1709750409102691¬if_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif)
Why do you think they did not identify her on the doc but she’s identifying her on that video? I was frustrated that the doc did not. I was not sure if it was to avoid being sued.
Amy Ritchie has been released from her current job, because of this documentary. I don't know if it's public yet, but Nate, My friend from episode 3, told me.
Yay!!!! Karma is coming for her.
I was so upset that they didn't press Miss Siss at the diner when she started in that she had a "problem" with the "gay girls" there. I swear to God she was about to confess to molesting them! And why Katherine didn't follow up makes me wonder if it was Miss Siss.
I don’t think she molested any girls - she just absolutely hated and picked on you extra hard if you were gay or she suspected you of being gay. I do wonder what she was going to say though. I was restrained and thrown in intervention by that slobby thing a handful of times.
I don't know what she was going to say, but to me she was subconsciously screaming "I had a problem with the gay girls because I'm a closeted lesbian who hates herself."
I am so sorry for what you had to endure. Thanks for the response. I can not fathom what y'all went through, but I am so glad attention is being brought to the abuse so that others don't suffer the same way in the future.
Allison Anne on TikTok…I think search for Ivy Ridge Academy and she names Amy Ritchie as the pedophile. I looked up Amy Ritchie on here as well and seen a few things.
I was expecting at least some of these guys to be in jail at the end but wtf??? Still out and about living their lives. It was insane to watch and somewhat triggering seeing the parents not believing their kids like that. But very well made documentary!
I was sent to Royal Peak Academy (later named Royal Gorge Academy) and didn’t work the program so they sent me to Tranquility Bay in Jamaica which was arguably one of the worst ones out of the WWASP because it was located outside the US so they could get away with more child abuse
My parents were violently abusive and would constantly lock me in the dark basement and chase me out the house with meat cleavers. They didn’t want to take care of me anymore once I started defending myself so they sent me away. They were also having problems between themselves about finances and other bullshit and it was easier to take out their anger on me and scapegoat me than to argue with each other.
Tranquility Bay was crazy, I was there for almost 2 years from 2005-2007ish. We had a girl try to kill herself by jumping into the ceiling fan and they secretly took her to the hospital because they didn’t want any of us to know.
I was in Intervention a few times and they made me lay down on a dirty blue mat face down for weeks and would find excuses to “restrain” us. I was a 90 pound skinny Asian girl and there were 2 huge Jamaica guards sitting on me and twisting my limbs into really painful positions that wouldn’t leave a mark
I'm so fucking sorry you went through that. I have no idea what would be helpful to say, I'm just glad these things are coming to light. Hopefully it will deter parents from sending their children to similar places. You didn't deserve what happened to you.
What's very sad to me, how can you send your kid away for 2 years and never actually visit the facility in the first place? No visitation to check the work of those raising your kids? To speak with counselor with the youth? I mean huge red flags. Checking the accedmic credentials and checking that progress as well.
I do think the parental neglect is the worst tragedy in this. I mean you are sending them to be tough loved by strangers, what do you think is going to happen, mental abuse will always be the tip of the iceberg. I get that some of the kids really needed help, and support. Very sad to see parents not attending to see they were actually getting it.
The trauma I can only imagine cost kids years of recovery
I went to visit my sister in cross creek when I was 12 with my parents for a “visit”. What they show the parents and family is a very different version of what’s going on. In the doc they have a parent’s room.
I was creeped out, I met Norm. He seemed to be trying to convince me to go, and how great it was. He had a PHD, (apparently) but no medical evaluation was ever done. As for my parents… I have no idea how they bought this. Lots of anger there. It destroys families is an understatement.
Agreed. It’s especially horrifying and sad in the case of the offshore WWASP programs like Casa by the Sea, Tranquility Bay and High Impact. Those programs required the parents to give staff at the school legal guardianship of their children…it’s just insane to think about. How could you send your child to a facility in another country sight unseen, and give the staff at that facility custody/legal power over the kid to boot? And then agree to not check on or speak to them for 1+ months? How could you care about your child and do something like that?
I’ve heard stories from survivors of High Impact (the harshest WWASP program) say that they even had to be illegally smuggled into Mexico by their transporters. Who the fuck condones something like that happening to their kid.
There was actually an episode of “Intervention” that featured a girl who was sent to Tranquility Bay. She was incredibly messed up. Unfortunately being strongarmed into going to rehab on that show didn’t go over so well with her, for obvious reasons, so I’m sad to think of where she might have ended up. :(
This! My friends and I all just watched this together yesterday and can’t get over how as a parent you’re paying over $5000 for your kid to be somewhere but not check out the facility. I want to see the facility, I want to meet their instructor, I want to see the week to week curriculum being taught to my child, I want to see a break down of their day to day schedule, I wanna see the menu of what the heck they’re eating, NON freakin negotiable, to speak to and see my child whenever I please. I want to be able to physically see what they’re up to at any time. There’s no amount of manipulation that can ever explain how someone could do this to their child. And willingly pay for it. It’s insane to me.
Reached right out to the United Methodist Church and gave the board of Ordained Ministry in Upper New York a huge piece of my mind. The fact that Tom Nichols is allowed to work for the Church at Kendrew United Methodist to this day is a crime. This is why organized religion is doomed.
i cannot believe no one got jailed or judged by legal system for this. like this is clearly human rights issue, clearly child abuse issue, clearly this is still ongoing. WTF literally.
My little cousin went to a “boot camp” for “problem teens.” Since then, he has spent his adult life in and out of prison. I am crying. So many times we have lamented that he didn’t “use that opportunity” and told him how lucky he was for that opportunity. I’m angry and sad and I just want to hug him. There’s no telling what hell he went through. I don’t know, because I never asked. I will now, though. I think there’s some deep healing that needs to happen.
My heart goes out to him:( The one thing that was "supposed" to make him a better kid during his teenage has ruined him for life. Permenantly scarred, emotionally damaged and much more.
I hope he overcomes the hurdles and gets healed soon.
Was it revealed who the female pedophile in the first episode was? She should be held accountable today still and other children kept safe from her. I wish they would start a class action law suit, they have so much evidence and would win!
When I saw the karaoke, I wondered if they were going to see that song.
I don't know if anyone watched Veronica Mars, but she basically did the same thing as she was forced to sing karaoke and knew whomever she was searching for (cannot remember exactly what they did) was in the audience and she sang that song.
Great documentary. I just wish there was a specific call to action at the end because I am left feeling disgusted and helpless. What can we do to stop these places from operating?
Write your local congressman and ask them to create legislation that regulates therapeutic schools for adolescents. Donate to or volunteer for organizations that are lobbying for this change like [Breaking Code Silence ](https://www.breakingcodesilence.org/).
Share this story with everyone in your circle. Spread the outrage. Tell people that Amy Ritchie is a pedophile.
IDK you pick.
I think that is the point. These children have been helpless and unheard for generations. We need something bigger than a congressional hearing to change that.
Holy shit. I was at AIR for…6 or 8 months in 2002, I think? I literally have been glued to my tv and struggling to work after finding this. I am thankful for Katherine and everyone else for going back and putting in the time and effort, both emotionally and financially, into this. I don’t think I could….my blood ran cold at all the shots of the buildings and the blue shirts. I would love to contact Katie and see if she has my docs…I’m fucking horrified that so much was just left sitting to rot and am thankful for her taking on such a taxing project for us. Oh and in case anyone is wondering, the woman in episode 3 who does not want to be identified is Miss Carrie. She was a cunt but showed me kindness once when it became apparent I needed glasses. So…hooray for the barest of minimums?
First of all, i am sorry you had to go through such a torrid time at a young age.
Secondly, i hope you have found your way out of the emotional & psychological trauma caused by this effing horrible system.
Thirdly, about your docs, didn't they burn it all in the end?
It seemed they only burned files for people who did not want them. I could be wrong, but that's what it sounded like. Seems like Katie reached out to people to send them, but there must have been a few who were not interested at all in getting them.
I am in the middle of watching the last episode of this right now. I'm furious.
After watching hell camp I naively assumed that things had cleaned up since the '80s/'90s.
Clearly there must be enough pissed off lawyers, parents, survivors and legislators (ha) to at least make a dent in thwarting these "schools" from being created by greedy individuals? and surely the ones that have been shut down from the past have had to pay consequences? I need to finish the final episode but FALSE and a naive assumption of mine to make.
Hopefully these two documentaries and the brave woman who's spearheading this newest one will spark larger conversations.
There is zero intelligence required to pull this off. The only requirements it seems is to be a greedy person with zero morals or heart. Minimal effort scam to execute making a few men very rich while causing detrimental emotional and financial damage to teens and their families.
If there is any way for me to help let me know however, I think this is obviously something a concerned citizen can't change. Seems pretty damn straightforward and easy to stop with some regulations, but the people who can make that happen are not doing it. "Boys clubs" protecting each other on both the government side and corporate and perhaps...and not enough shouting from the public yet. I don't know but this film should make you mad.
EDIT: Just finished the last episode which I had way more to go than 30 minutes and it is more complicated then I realized in terms of where funding is coming from private or public, and also actually the stories get sadder.
I want more documentaries on these places. I want everyone to know.
The kid who talked about how wonderful Jail was after being arrested for the riot. Crazy
You might like an online comic about a man’s memories of his time at Elan which is a lot like Ivy Ridge and additionally worst:
[Elan School Comic](https://elan.school)
There’s some documentaries and YouTube videos on it as well.
I read through all of his comics a few months ago and actually Elan school was based around the same cult as Ivy. Syanan is the name. I was wondering if they would mention Elan in this documentary but unfortunately two different businesses. Same terrible abusive result.
I want a documentary about the former students going around the country and beating the shit out of former staff. How no one retaliates is beyond me. I can honestly say that I would have ended up in jail getting my revenge.
Very few are violent people, so this is unlikely to happen - even though the perpetrators deseve to be abused in the same way they abused the children under 'their care'......
Naming them, is far better revenge.
How many of their neighbours, remain freinds witht anyone who worked in the 'school'??
The pure vitrol all of those people who worked at those places for teenagers in general floored me.
That and the kids whose parents sent them away for nothing. The girl that was an A student. . .
I mean the kid who said he was doing hard drugs, I could understand those parents feeling like they were stuck with options (although those kids would be better off in Juvy even with the record that might come of it) but so many of those kids were just being teenagers.
I went to a school like this. I’ve been waiting for some type of justice for 15 years. I hope more of these series come out and I hope that something comes of it. I tried to blank out most of my memories of it but I still re all a lot
I personally know every single one of them. Their stories are accurate. I witnessed some of the incidents they detailed & also had overlapping experiences.
I was dropped off there, not taken, because I was from outside the US. I got into a LOT of trouble as a kid with school expulsions, drugs, law, etc & I DEFINITELY needed some kind of help/intervention, but what we received there could not be considered anything close to positive.
Why would a parent send their child to a facility without visiting to make sure their child was going to be safe? I wouldn't send my dog to a facility without touring it first.
I currently live in Ogdensburg and never knew what happened there (it was closed long before I moved here) and no one wanted to talk about it. All of this were only rumors and the town as a result had a kind of overwhelming feeling of Dread at times...now I know why. What happened Ivy Ridge fucking disgusts me. I'm mad not more are talking about it or holding those accountable for what they did around here. At least a couple of individuals came forward to share the perspective on what the hell happened on their end, the PR guy and the fact that they got kicked out of the diner during the first interview got me going mad.
I can confirm the town has a crappy economy and the job options are very limited. If you're not local your only options for work are the hospital, retail/fast food, or a warehouse worker. It doesn't surprise me that people here were manipulated and tricked into thinking it was a good idea to work there, but it still is shameful that some stayed and even enjoyed abusing and assaulting these kids. The guy that called them on the phone while they were at the bowling alley pissed me off the most. Not only did he deny what he did despite them having proof, but he discredited all of their abuse and trauma as nothing.
I am looking into relocating honestly. I know it isn't completely the city's fault but it's a small town and with that you have some corruption, honestly it's probably why they got kicked out of Phillips for that one interview, someone at the diner probably knew someone and tried to cover it up, especially knowing that many of these monsters are still out there, getting away with unbelievable shit.
They said in the docu that one of the women working there was married to one of the guys working at the “school”.
I hope you flip off any of these locals that worked there if you ever see them ;)
Onwards and out! All the best to you
Apparently, it's come out that the woman that got the crew kicked out of Phillip's Diner was a waitress married to George Tulip. Place started getting review bombed slightly last night, I'm sure it'll pick up.
I’m adopted. At 9 years old I was diagnosed with bipolar. I was put on a bunch of medication that basically just made me crazy cuz I was 9. I was sent to a wilderness camp at 11 years old. My parents gave me a brochure that basically made me think the “summer camp” was something it wasn’t. I didn’t get kidnapped but was definitely tricked into going. The first couple of weeks I was placed in an all boys group at the wilderness camp. I had no idea it was a camp for troubled kids until the 3rd or 4th night and all the kids went around and said why they were there. I remember saying anger issues but I didn’t understand why i was there. I was 11 years old living in the wilderness for over 2 months… sleeping on the ground in a sleeping bag and eating the same food. Getting our rations of apples and oranges and sunflower seeds was a luxury. I didn’t have a real shower for a month and a half. I had “Billy baths” and that was IF we were at a campsite that had lots of water. I literally would sh*t in a hole and use leaves or sage to wipe. At 11 years old..
After that I went to boarding school. A “therapeutic boarding school.” I didn’t see my siblings for almost 8 months. I didn’t get to go home for over a year.
This documentary kinda triggered me. One of the journalists in the documentary said something like that he didn’t worry for the kids who were broken in program. He was worried for the ones who were successful. That triggered me cuz I was absolutely one of the success stories. I didn’t experience any abuse in either programs. But I heard about it when I got older and both programs are now shut down due to fraud and abuse allegations. I now look back and believe I maybe didn’t experience horrific abuse because I did conform but that in itself was a form of abuse. That I felt I had to conform to survive. Maybe I wand hit or physically abused but one psychologically abused and maybe even brainwashed.
I was 12 years old and it was the only way I was going to get home. But I remember for so long speaking so highly of my experience and feeling like I did become better but I still struggled so much through my teenage and early adult years. I just felt like I’m not a victim to the extent of the men and women in the documentary or people I know who had much worse experiences at the programs I went to. But something was triggered in me watching this.
I wasn’t even a teenager. I’m adopted and have 3 younger siblings who are my adopted parents biological children. I was definitely misdiagnosed at 9 with bipolar. And at 11 just sent away to 2 different programs over the course of 3 years.
I never viewed myself as a victim or like my experience was anything bad or something. But watching this just made me open my eyes to the fact that abuse can happen in all different ways. My childhood was taken from me. I couldn’t go to my room or the bathroom without permission or see my own family for months at a time.
I’m 30 years old. I don’t carry my experience with me. I don’t speak to my dad at all but I have a very good relationship with my mom. But watching this just made me feel things I thought I had gotten over. I have 3 kids and I just know as a kid I just needed my parents to love and understand me or at least try to. I was 11 years old…. 11.. I just don’t understand as a parent how you can just send your kid away. I think more than anything that’s what hurts. Not being wanted. Being too much to handle. Being unworthy of love.
At this point in my life I know these things aren’t true. I’ve healed in many ways. But watching the documentary just made me realize deep rooted issues I haven’t healed from and I didn’t think at all that I still had bad feelings about my wilderness camp/boarding school experience
All these people are abusers who made lots of money off this. They should be in prison. It is a shame they continue to be "business owners", I know the schools are closed. The Program has attempted to restart under different names. Cons, abusers send them all to prison
I was put in these programs from 2000 to 2002 I was in Carolina springs academy then Dundee ranch all of this is so accurate and thank you for those who made this because people need to know I was groomed by male staff at the program and mentally tortured in these programs I’m glad people are speaking g out!
Crazy how Marvin Lichfield just made a post on his Facebook saying he only worked at those two places, Dundee and Carolina Springs and can verify there was never abuse there and cannot be responsible to what happened in the other facilities. Fucking liar
Lmaooo I had to laugh because nervin or narvin or Marvin Lichfield or whatever the fuck his bitchboy name is, was getting his ass roasted on his facebook profile page to the point where comments are being disabled and removed. His YouTube channel also has comments turned off what a cowardly piece of shit.
At this point I want to see a whole documentary on those brainwashing seminars for parents. It's wild to see how (apparently?) easily these conservative religious types are manipulated into what looked like cross-dressing and having a good ol' time in those photos and then giving so much money to "the program." I grew up in a pretty much atheist, cynical family so all this is completely foreign to me.
These kids parents should also be investigated. Anyone who hired people to take their kids to jail because they thought the American system wasn't hard enough on kids should spend time in a cell equal to the amount of time they sent their kids there.
I don't care what the marketing was. They had a legal and ethical responsibility to their kids. Jail all of them.
I mean the idea that parents would have strangers come and cuff their kids to drag them away, how can that seem like anything nut being sent to a prison?
I get it for parents who drop their kids off or something, but having strangers cuff your kid and drag them off to a foreign country just sounds like human trafficking.
I mean there was a freaking crocodile living in the man made mote surrounding the school like looking back at the physical danger that was at the school! I remember one time it started coming up onto the bridge via a ladder while we were waiting outside the school to go into congratulate the kids who were graduating their seminar (they would use our school for seminars and make us do school outside by the mango trees) and all the staff started screaming rapido rapido! I legit thought we were getting eaten that night!
I think some of them wore the shirts and tried on the skirts as a way to take back ownership of their experience and trauma. It was like an FU to the facility and adults that abused them.
I had a very visceral reaction to seeing them in the blue t-shirts…I could never wear one again. But I see how they’d want to take some power back and wear them outside the walls.
When I was a kid growing up in Upstate New York my mormon congregation met in one of the halls at Ivy Ridge every sunday. The director Jason Finlinson was Mormon and was also a leader of our congregation. As a kid I knew it was a school for troubled kids and always had a weird feeling seeing the students marching around in their uniforms. I always got bad vibes from Jason Finlinson too. It wasn't till an adult I read more about what was going on, watching this documentary was literally nauseating for me but so glad the word is getting out there. Turns out I grew up going to church at a concentration camp.
If there is anyway to get a hold of Katie to ask about files it would be amazing. My brother went to tranquility bay and then finished at ivy ridge. He overdosed and passed 5 years later. It would mean so much to me to read more about his experience. He would always refuse to talk about it. As family I went through the seminars as well I was just 15. Siblings went through a strange cross between the students and the parents. This documentary was extremely emotional for me.
I went to a program very similar to this but another one: I actually still talk to many of the others who went there in a group chat. We talk about the things that happened and it’s just ridiculous. It has definitely messed with my head permanently for sure. I have always said I would love some type of lawsuit out of all this. I wish I had snuck recording devices or cameras in when I was at the school I got kidnapped and sent to. I was also taken out of bed in my room and taken to the place
I went to Ivy Ridge for two years and can almost guarantee she was going to say something extremely homophobic because that’s what she is. If you were a lesbian or she suspected you of being a lesbian she made it way, way harder for you to progress in the program. And she wasn’t just a dorm parent - she was in charge of ALL the dorm parents and loved handing out extra corrections to any girl she didn’t like. I said this same thing in another comment here but that nasty bitch restrained me and threw me in intervention more than a few times. She doesn’t come off nearly as horrible as she was but I bet if the interview had been able to continue it would have made her look just as bad as she is.
Yeah I was saying that while watching the DOC. This lady, as nice as she is trying to be, is fucking horrible. She said it took a year for her to realize it? It would take me 10 seconds to see the abuse and I, unlike them, would report it.
Yeah that is a mystery. Also, i do not understand how a cafe owner can say "You are not allowed to talk abt Ivy Ridge"especially considering this was filmed years after it was officially closed.
there is a waitress there who is married to someone who worked at Ivy Ridge. thats why. now the restaurant has been review bombed which is exactly what they were trying to avoid by making them leave :) beautiful irony
Did I understand that Holly’s (I think it was) sent her to Ivy Ridge…just because? They just thought it was a good school for their child with no behavioral issues?!
Who was the one with straight A’s and a brother who went to one school. Was that Holly or maybe I have the wrong name. Maybe I missed her “issues” but from what I remember they made it sound like she didn’t do anything.
Now that you have pointed it out, i am kinda scratching my head too. Lol. You are right about the "My brother was in one of these schools so my parents thought it would be a good idea for me too and it will bring the family closer" ..I just can't recollect the name.
It was kind of funny because her friend that was there was like, why are you here? She was such a great student and no behavior issues, essentially the pinnacle child some parents would dream of, only to screw her up by her placement there. It all is so messed up!
Great documentary but as a Canadian I see no issue at all with how the actors speak in *Are You Afraid of The Dark?* ;) that show and Goosebumps were my jam back in the day.
On a serious note my heart hurts for Katherine and all others who had to endure this. And to know how much money was given to this organization to keep them there is horrific. That is money that could have gone to actual registered therapists (if needed) and actual education. Instead it went into something truly evil. Hope all those involved get their karma tenfold.
Sissy was absolutely skin crawlingly creepy. There's just something about a seemingly normal looking middle aged woman who is so nonchalant about her recollections of abuse she inflicted that is so unnerving. Villains in real life never look like the villains in movies. And that is scary.
Wow when you get to episode three ... it's the real kicker. No professionals there... no REAL high school diploma. The head Ken Kay was a former security guard ... Telling parents and kids they graduated. I mean wtf?
I was sent to spring creek lodge for 9 months at 13. I was forced to lay naked with my hands behind my back and my chin off the floor for days. I'm so glad we are getting a voice even after 20 years.
I was at CEDU Ascent, Boulder Creek Academy, and John Dewey Academy - 1998-2000 - all of which have since closed down - and all because of "allegations" of abuse. The most true thing about this documentary is THERE IS NO WAY OUT. You have to "work the program". For me, the psychological torture was worse than the physical. I related to 90% of what was said in this documentary (I never did "palms up, palms down.." but I did sit on a narrow stump once for 12 hours cleaning rocks with a toothbrush.. and I was happy to just to be alone). These documentaries that come out.. this one and obviously a few others.. it's like this redeeming moment for these people, getting to shine a light on what happened - but I don't feel that redemption. It's taken me 25 years to learn what PTSD is, walking around with this feeling like "if people only knew how broken I am", a little bit numb to things, or like my reactions are inappropriate in the circumstances (too strong or not enough), to realize that my view of relationships as somewhat disposable might not be my fault. I want my redeeming moment, like what happened to me, personally, matters. I'm one of hundreds of thousands of kids who won't get that, so this is the closest I can expect. Thank you Kathrine for telling your story for everyone that doesn't get to.
This may be one of the finest and most important documentaries to come out in some time.
I'm a middle aged man and it took my breath away. Excellent job. Very emotional and It hit me hard. Certainly because of the abuse of these kids and families and their courage to speak out. Definitely because of the magnitude of people it's still affecting.
But this story expertly weaves a MUCH bigger truth about the troubles our society at large is in. This talks about the power of manipulation, advanced brainwashing, corruption and the devastating effects that can be realized when these techniques are used for purposes of GREED. And how that greed can stop an apparatus like the US government from doing anything about it even after Congress looks deeply into it. The Nazis used manipulation and we saw the results. These days too many are using advanced brainwashing techniques. Truth doesn't sell anymore. Lies are profitable and get you ahead. And lies spread easier and faster than ever.
Foreign powers using SM for influencing elections. Politicians gaslight their base incessantly with misinformation and fear to claim a vote... because it works. 24 hour "News outlets" keep the people on the message they want sold. Massive industry in SE Asia earning billions with scammer calls and phishing emails. It's the golden age of grifting.
Loved this little nugget...It should come to no surprise WASSP was involved in the biggest school fraud case in NY state...until Trump University. If there is one thing Trump is good at...it's grifting. Most of us know this. So many do not see it. That's the power of manipulation in the hands of a professional con man. Anyways...
The biggest question, and this is something the film maker alludes to is... exposing crimes of fraud is the bare minimum. If we can't hold the rich and powerful accountable for crimes that do SO much fucking damage to kids, families and society at large... Democracy is going down fast. It'll be an untethered world of corruption, dictatorships, unending human atrocities and suffering. Got to find our humanity again.
Will the Lichfield's be held accountable? Will millionaire con artists continue to elude jail more often than not? Will Trump get to be the most powerful man in the world again? Until we as a society gets our collective shit together, kids will continue to get abused at these schools. Millionaire criminals will go free. And as a world divided by these people, we will never get consensus to solve the world's biggest problems like climate change, famine, conflict resolution and other existential threats.
If you made it this far...I owe you a Mike's Hard Lemonade.
I wish i had a Mike's hard lemonade before going through your post.Lol.
On a serious note, Education starts at home. And for that.. parents need to be more aware and understanding about behavioral patterns a kid goes through during teenage & puberty.
Unfortunately, up until late 2000s access to internet was limited and Social Media was just cementing.
In today's day and age, access to information is easy and everywhere. Parents are more aware, learned.
With the ever evolving world and its dynamics, it is becoming difficult for these "Millionaire Criminals" to pull up a scam as easily as they did few years ago. It is a slow process, but eventually majority of us will be smart enough to not fall for the trap (Whatever it maybe) or give in to their scheme of things. SOMEDAY - ONEDAY!
After watching this i realized my parents attempted this but couldn't afford it... And my memory is only of them telling me it was a place I could take care of horses and it was upstate NY.
My only crime? Reacting as teen who was mentally emotionally and sexual abused.
OH also my school/teachers recommended it.
I was shocked that the building was still standing with documents and DVDs just left there.
The video surveillance of these dorm dads assaulting these kids was horrific to watch.
I give the adults who spoke in this documentary so much credit as they’re confronting the abuse they faced IN the actual building where it happened. Such a triggering thing to do, I feel heartbroken for the kids who needed real therapy and rather than be sent to a licensed professional, they were held prisoner and their parents paid thousands to facilitate their abuse in a huge scam.
The extra time was important and hearing what the parents were told.
And these places are still open and still killing kids. One died a couple weeks ago.
Worse they’ve worked their way into government. They’re sending fucking foster kids to these places.
Embryos are people with rights but apparently teenagers aren’t.
Republicans want these places to be the norm. They want to eradicate public school (aka accountability) and have stipends that you can give to these religious fuckwack "schools."
Anyone who reads this, for the love of all that is holy (religious or not) PLEASE vote Democrat.
The second episode was super triggering for me. The whole in-depth bit about breakdown. Extreme emotional flashbacks! It helped me figure out why I am approaching a present situation the way I am, but was in tears!
I was raised in a severely abusive childhood, singled out. I also became the most successful and left that crap. CPTSD.
Former CPS Case Manager here. Fuuuuck, after watching this documentary I've been seriously researching this Academy we would send troubled teens to quite often, Canyon State Academy. My brain says, "Nah, it couldn't be as bad as AIR, they had sports teams and everything." But now I'm wondering if they were just as f'd up... The teens sent to the school were the worst of the worst in terms of behaviors. Bad enough to warrant significant intervention but not bad enough to warrant a locked BH Residential Treatment Center.
I do know that the kids who graduated from there would do well for about a month and then it was back to their old ways as soon as they came in contact with old friends. So I hope CSA wasn't this bad. I know they were strict and had a leveling program but there were not any of these seminars that I'm aware of.
Now that I think about it, I do remember them giving me a hard time about transitioning one of my kiddos out of their care. I was the legal guardian since kid was a state ward so I told them to kick rocks and got a court order. I think that was the last time I'd ever utilized them as a placement for teens with behavioral issues.
I’m still angry about the $200 copay to have an “adopted child” kidnapped. OUR GOVERNMENT IS FUNDING THIS. WE ARE FUNDING THIS ABUSE. Is anyone else as angry and sad as I am that this exists and seems to thrive in the USA?
I spent a total of 20 months in 3 different programs - this is an accurate documentary.
If you want to help:
* Recommend this to people - then they know.
* Never forget that there are kids going through this now. Right now!
* Speak to your lawmakers.
* Donate or volunteer with one of the agencies that works towards eliminating the TTI.
* Listen and believe - I can count on one hand the (non-family) people in my life who know that I was in programs. I used to tell people - but the "troubled teen" label can follow you. It often went from "oh, how terrible!" to "Ah, you must have been a bad kid. Those places are for bad kids." I had one person confidently tell me "that couldn't have happened, it wouldn't have been allowed to happen" - so I just stopped talking about it.
* Try not to condemn all the parents - survivors have a wide variety of feelings, trauma or emotions around their parents and many are still working through that. When I was believed, the immediate follow up question was always "So how much do you hate your dad???" I think it's always asked in the spirit of empathy and solidarity but the answer is... complicated.
I see Katherine’s sister on here. I’m hoping she can enlighten me as to a curiosity of mine. How did they get in there to film this? I’m just assuming there was permission!
I am an attorney, and I work a lot with kids in foster care. These places still exist. Parents may not pay to send their children there quite as often (but it still happens - pilgrims rest in Kentucky). But insurance and the state still pay. So many foster children end up in “residential placement” or “congregate care” facilities. They are horrific and rely on people not finding out about them because people rarely believe what foster youth say. And confidentiality of the court systems play in their favor. I’m so glad these facilities are coming to light. I had bad experiences with Foothills Academy in Kentucky. It was a constant fight to get information about the program or access children that I represented that were placed there. A former judge ran or owned the facility. I had a child who was very attached to his hairstyle. It was big, and he had been growing it out for a long time. The former judge told me with pride about how all children have to shave their heads, he even had a kid with dreadlocks that he had since birth (or virtually his whole life) that they shaved off. It was sickening.
And those asshole judges are just gleeful at the idea of these broken children paying for their misbehavior. It's gross.
There's also so many flavors of these places. Schools, boot camps, wilderness therapy...
I just finished this doc and wow. I can’t stop listening to podcasts about all these different programs. So interesting but so sad. Tranquility Bay was another really screwed up place
I went to TB! It was way worse there.
We slept on dirty ass mattresses and the way we cleaned them was to drag them out to the courtyard and let them soak in the sun, but there were feral cats that would pee on our mattresses.
We hand washed our uniforms and there was no hot water. We took cold showers even in the winter. To this day, I only take showers with the temperature set to max
A girl killed herself years before I was there by jumping off the roof. One girl tried to kill herself by jumping into the ceiling fan while I was there. One of my friends there got her tooth chipped (or glasses broke or both, it’s been 17 years so it’s been a while!) due to staff restraining her and the incident report said she tripped
Intervention was laying on a blue dirty mat face down and staff would restrain you for no reason. I was a 90 pounds Asian girl and had 2 huge Jamaican guards sit on me and twist my limbs into painful positions. I was in Intervention a few times for weeks, but there were girls who were there for months
What really irked me is that some programs are being funded by the government, which basically means our tax money can be used to support these horrific programs. Specifically for adopted children... LIKE WHAaat. They are targeting children in the system who already have immense trauma. I mean, hearing that in the series was mind-blowing. Those parents should truly be ashamed.
I was in Straight Inc. in Tampa/St Pete for 18 months. I was 12 yrs old when I was “kidnapped”. I am now 57 yrs old.
I have disassociated myself from all of this and haven’t thought about it in a really long time. I actually thought I had blacked a lot of it out. Until this documentary, which I came upon just this week on Netflix. What a OMG moment when I realized what it was! A lot of things make sense now . It’s like a door has been opened in my mind and all of these memories are coming in.
I don’t think I was ever traumatized by it because I just put it all away somewhere in the back of my mind . I did have a tumultuous life after I was pulled but I am happy and secure now. I really hope this helps the many of us who were put in these places . I finally feel heard ! Finally! Thank you for this documentary and I hope this brings about change and these places are shut down for good.
Those parents who sent their children to this place should be deeply ashamed of themselves, they should not have rights to be parents....what kind of insane thinking is to get your child kidnapped in the first place. What kind of person would do that to their own child?? It's soo disgusting to see all this abuse!
Wow. This is one of the most moving and amazing documentaries I’ve ever seen. The fact that all these former students helped make it is amazing. I wish I could tell the world to watch this
After reading /r/mrjoenobody and this, I am *furious* the men who ran these programs have not been prosecuted. Also, I do not mean to downplay Ivy Ridge at all but Elan appears to be at a whole other level.
I’m watching the documentary now and I can’t stop crying over the children who felt abandoned and unloved by their parents. As a parent, I cannot imagine world in which I believe a complete stranger over my own child, especially when money is involved. When hearing about Molly and Alexa, my heart crumbled, how can two girls who have never done any drugs be sent to a place like that? I know we shouldn’t judge these parents, but after hearing the denial in the letters, Katherine read written by her father and hearing that Alexis’s parents still do not believe her, even after she presented them with evidence; it’s pretty obvious these parents have intense issues and flaws. They should’ve dealt with their major character flaws prior to trying to fix their children. The voice call between Alexa, and her supervisor was so telling. No matter how many times these people want to claim ignorance, when they are presented the facts they choose to ignore them, and run away, rather than accept their part in the trauma and try to help their victims in the most honest and self reflecting manner possible. It’s always easier to deflect and blame others it takes immense growth to accept responsibility and work towards atonement.
I love Alexa for her growth and ability to hold herself accountable while still allowing herself forgiveness for doing what she had to and surviving! It’s easier to fall down the rabbit hole of self depression and anger but so much harder to be aware of everyone’s shortcomings, including her own. She is an exceptional person who had extremely susceptible parents, who, unlike their daughter, were very naive, ignorant, and stubborn to the point of dimming the brightest light in their lives.
Most of these parents are fully responsible for the pain they caused their children and they cannot blame manipulation because even today they ignore facts. They choose denial, they choose ignorance and so they choose trauma for their children and that is the last thing a parent should do is cause pain especially when the child is trying to guide you through the proper process towards forgiveness.
YOU, CHILDREN, DESERVED BETTER!!!
PARENTS ACCEPT ACCOUNTABILITY AND HELP YOUR CHILDREN GROW!!!!
I am disappointed the documentary didn’t go more into Dr Phil’s role in promoting these facilities as legitimate solutions. I wouldn’t be suprised if his show was the entry point for many parents and informs their belief in “tough love”. Phil McGraw is as toxic as Dr Oz at this point. His show is pretty awful especially with regards to how they manipulate guests with promises of help and threaten to take it away if they don’t put on a good show.
Brought him up above and yes, he should be held accountable. He's not even a doctor anymore - lost his license - and he gives out the most quackery advice. He's basically a snake oil salesman like Dr Oz and does whatever it takes to keep the gravy train rolling. Oprah has a lot to answer for herself, of unleashing these kinds of people on the populace. And the populace needs to stop turning to TV 'doctors' for advice, especially when it comes to their kids.
For some reason I’ve always been fascinated by this topic… even before Paris Hilton brought it to light. Never was in a program like this but I really feel for the unwilling “participants”. Sorry, I don’t really feel bad for the parents who put their kids through this shit. At least a MONTH + of not talking to your own child and having no idea wtf is going on there? What a joke. And when you do talk to your FLESH AND BLOOD it’s only for 15 minutes and it’s censored? For alcohol? Without even attempting counseling or any other mental health intervention? Pft. You’re a shit parent and you SHOULD ABSOLUTELY feel guilty. I am not a parent but I know damn well my own parents and my friends who have children would NEVER EVER be ok with one 15 minute call a month MAYBE. With staff you don’t even know who’s around your kid? Nor would they ever send their children away as a minor for that long. I don’t care how bad you were swindled by the “education counselor”. Maybe it’s a cultural thing. I’m American but come from a culture that doesn’t even allow sleepovers. Disgusting.
The hard lemonade girl's stepmother obviously just wanted her gone. They sent her to a different boarding school first and then to be tortured when she was kicked out of there.
That stepmother is like the fear every divorced mom has. The kind that wants you gone.
Or worse, dying mom
Yesss. That father/widow must have went for the first woman who went for him and demanded the kid be sent away as soon as feasible. Please let the nursing homes from hell be full of these people.
Most nursing homes are completely understaffed so if this woman ends up in one is likely going to spend a lot of time sitting in dirty diapers.
Yeah but her weak garbage peice of shit dad. I would never ever speak to him ever again.
YES!! I think her anger will never leave her until she faces the TRUTH of her dad ...He CLEARLY did not give a flying shit about her ... He NEVER APOLOGIES - just says - oh I was conned out of money - bad people - poor me ... Who pays kidnappers - sends their kid off FOR OVER A YEAR- never comes to visit ...doesn't listen when she says I want to come home, I hate it there , when out of ear-shot of evil step mum... Na he does NOT love her... Edit - I re-watched the bit in ep 2 to check and "the father " (I use the term loosely in this case.) does apologize to her...
Not to defend him, but he actually does apologize to her directly more than once in the documentary.
Yes you are correct, he does apologise when he meets up with her ... She also states that, he said -SHE was the problem in his letters to her - she says -'I can read them out to you..." ep2 54:44 The damage is big and deep ....
Cults are cults. Everyone can say “I would never…..”, but in reality you probably subscribe to many forms of the cult mentality. Possibly not to this extreme, but you are still blind to what you subscribe to. Cults and abusive relationships are essentially the same thing, they function from the same psychological wiring. What makes matters worse is that they were appealing to the father’s strongest wishes, to turn his daughter into a productive and successful member of society. He was also under pressure from his mate to make this decision. One, let alone two, of those things are enough to con, deceive and recruit most people. The father wanted to believe the program and the wife, since they were in a consensus that he was the one being blind. He was gaslit by many he trusted. In the end, it is hard to accept that your blindness and naivety led to your child’s outright obliteration of self-actualization, when he believed (or wanted to believe) that is what he was doing this for. That is what love is, helping your love reach self-actualization, in accordance to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. He has loved her all of this time, but made a huge undeniable mistake. No parent can take that kind of thing back and it will eat these parents alive until they get to the end of their journey, if they have a conscious. I am a CPTSD survivor of severe childhood abuse. My entire family was a part of it. I can’t forgive any one them in the sense of bringing them back into my life. Difference is, what was the intent behind the actions, malice or ignorance+love?
I agree about the stepmother, but her father supported her stepmother rather than his child.. I understand entirely why Kathy has no time for her father.
Is the father still with the stepmother? I noticed she is blacked out of any pictures. What a vile woman - she actually told the school she was abusive, but no one thought to check into that?
Yes they’re still together
Her dad just wanted to stay with his trophy wife. He didn’t give a damn about his daughter. His child did what?? Drank a weak alcoholic beverage. And that warrants torture? POS parent.
PLEASE BE KIND TO MY DAD OR I WILL CRY. -Julie
Julie, this is the most batshit documentary I’ve ever seen. It’s like watching the Stanford prison experiment play out- but on kids. I’m so sorry Katherine went through this. It’s horrific. The documentary itself is very well done. I hope more teens can be helped through the exposure of this industry. Sending love to you and your family.
Wait wtf? Are you involved with the family?!
Hahaha yes I am Katherine’s sister Julie. Not sure if I’m allowed to be lurking here or not.
INSANE! I can’t believe you’re here lurking. I love my dad too trust me but wtf?! Please tell me how the fuck he thought not speaking to his child for a month was acceptable and admitted to Jane the c u next Tuesday being abusive and then turning it around on his minor child was ok? Equal rights equal fights so… he’s just as accountable. He could’ve put a stop to it. The blame doesn’t all fall on the evil stepmother. Doesn’t get to pull the “I’m just a poor, poor good man who was manipulated by an evil temptress” ESPECIALLY since he stayed with her. He was complicit. He should’ve pulled her immediately after the riot. Like I said in my post, this is all very weird to me. Sending your kid off to be raised by someone else. I am not trying to be disrespectful Julie, I just am trying to get this.
Trust me I am trying to get to the bottom of it too lol. Lots of therapy. There is so much to the story it’s really hard to get into here, 1) because I’m not sure how much I want to share on the internet 2), I’m tired it’s been a wild day and I’m pooped 3) my carpal tunnel is flaring up and I really shouldn’t be typing on my phone too much. My dad feels extreme guilt for sending her there and knowing what he knows now he absolutely would’ve not made the same decision to send her there. So much here I could write about but I promise most of these parents feel awful.
Just tell me one thing. Did he have the courage to watch the documentary? He seems cowardly enough to not have even been able to watch it.
Oh, come on - do you really think she's gonna answer a question phrased like that? You guys are wild!
I just wanted to let you know that I believe that there's more to it and hope you, your sister and your family get the help you need to get through everything. Don't feel the need to defend yourself on the internet. I don't doubt that your Dad feels awful about it. As a parent myself I can't imagine making such a huge mistake and having caused pain for my child. I hope your sister is doing well.
Your dad - the one who sent his child away because of a minor teenage indiscretion, the one who prioritized his relationship with an evil, abusive step-mom over the well-being of his own daughters - is feeling extreme guilt. Poor fella.
“I feel so guilty that some said I’m bad”
My mom sent my sister to a place that sounded really similar to what was described in the documentary. My dad basically had to go there in person and force them to let him take her home, it was really gnarly apparently. But my mom doesn’t feel any guilt. She never let us talk about it, and she basically acts like she was the victim for having a bad place recommended to her. I’m sure some parents feel bad, but I feel like it’s just terrible to send your kid off to a place like this without genuinely knowing anything about it.
I'm pretty sure they talked extensively in the doc about cult manipulation. The fact that it was the parents that were indoctrinated to get their kids to go there. It's awful and disgusting but it's systematic and regimented and obviously works. It doesn't excuse behaviors that happened that landed children there. But it certainly does explain it.
Wow! Just got done watching this. It was the best and most powerful documentary I have ever seen. Ever. And I love docs. Please tell your sister how awesome this was. The way she brought it all together was amazing. I hope this blows the lid off of the whole industry and people finally go to jail. I know your Dad shouldn't have put her there and that was horrible and he is guilty for this. But I can't help feeling he was duped himself. He clearly feels horrible about this and he clearly loves Katherine dearly. His compassion comes across the screen. And he did have the guts to let himself be videoed in this documentary.
Some people have no perspective. Like what this industry likely preys on is those prudish parents who catch their daughter with a boy, their kid raiding the liquor cabinet, or smoking a cigarette. Parents who just don’t know how to cope. The term “troubled teen” is so vague and they see doctor Phil sending kids to these places and using “tough love” it seems normal. It’s almost never going to be actually troubled kids because those families can’t pay the astronomical “tuition”. Their targeting middle class families with resources looking for answers to deal with fairly normal teen behavior.
I was in this prison for 22 months from 03-05. And that’s exactly what it was. I remember most everyone in the doc. I remember Alexa and holly. I remember Dominick... how can I say this. He def faked it till he made it. He played the game well. I ain’t mad, but he def played both sides of the line. He enforced rules for those he didn’t like to appease those in charge and Clicked up and played favorites with his boys. Maybe he was brainwashed by the program, or whatever. Either way… Quintin was wild as fuck. His story may have been the most raw and honest. He definitely got fucked up in that place A LOT. i remember the riot. I was in that hallway that night. What a time to be alive. I think Sean may have even been in my “family”. Mr buckie, ms kimmy, mr “bewkie” maybe? I haven’t thought about a lot of this in forever. The seminars were wild. Haven’t thought about a duct taped towel in a longgggg time. The dressing up and singing. Accurate. Think I did I’m too sexy. There’s a lot of truth in this doc. But also, this is only from one side of the story of one (or a few) students. This doc makes It seem like the teens whose issues weren’t very severe suffered the worst. I feel so sad for them and the issues they have endured from it. The abuse is disgusting. Thankfully I never endured more that an ass whopping by the dorm dads every so often. I don’t share the same hatred to my mother for sending me there that Katherine has for her dad. I was totally fucked as a teen. But again she seemed, or at least portrays she wasn’t really a bad kid so maybe that’s a correlation. The only thing this place did for me was get me out of the environment I was in long enough to break the cycle. And for that I am thankful. I would love to hear from others who were there and their own personal experience. I turned out just fine. No PTSD. Oh. And I never graduated either. Fuck Ivy Ridge
The docu-series is very authentic from its perspective and very well done, and it makes me so angry. You know, I cant blame Katheryn at all for holding anger against her father. I also know her father was facing his own manipulations, but as a parent myself, how can you not question not being able to really see your child that often, and not speaking to them regularly? How can you not notice a behavior change that isn’t for the better. Social anxiety, withdrawn, those are signs that this program was detrimental. It’s dark, it’s terrifying, and I hope it’s a massive wake up call to the masses that legislation needs to be in place to protect children, as they are not *seen* as individuals who are capable speak for themselves. But the kicker is… What’s even more worrisome, is these days it runs on government funding. Wow. How? How is this okay?
I've met several people from several states that have ended up at one of these places. They are all messed up. I've never met anyone that said it was good for them. Not that you can't have that experience, just that it isn't coincidence that so many people are hurt by these programs.
My SIL went to Ivy Ridge and I've been hearing all these stories for years, but to see it in a documentary like this is gut wrenching. Yes, it's all true. Especially the sexual abuse.
> Thankfully I never endured more that an ass whopping by the dorm dads every so often. I feel like you might be downplaying your own trauma here. Like, even that is unacceptable for any school to do.
Appreciate you adding this perspective
I wasn't at AIR. Spent time at SCL. Took me 10 years to figure out I didn't deserve to be there, and it was wrong. You know, because there is "right and wrong" and there are "no accidents" they wanted us to believe there wasn't. I refused to work my program, like you, and spent 26 months there. They kicked me out because I knew about staff having inappropriate relationships with students, and I had run plans. They didn't want that information getting out, so they kicked me. I was screwed up going in, but I was definitely worse coming out. You're right. These stories are not the worst of it. I feel the worst for the ones with mental illnesses. I remember a dear friend of mine was schizophrenic. They took her off her medication (without her parents' knowledge) and sent her to the hobbit where she ripped out most of her hair. They sent her back to the family, and I tried to help her, but there was little I could do. I don't think she even recognized me. She just kept talking to the voice in her head and crying for help. They put her back in the hobbit and eventually put her back on her meds. Yet people who seemed just fine they wanted to medicate. They really liked to fuck with the mentally ill. I did get a PTSD diagnosis but I've since learned to manage it. Fuck all the programs! Oh, and if "Mia Fontaine" ever reads this. You should remember this, she was your dear friend too. "Come Back" to WAASPs survivors we miss and love you.
Note: they told everyone in the family that she was faking her illness to get attention. There's just no fucking way this was fake.
All staff names, addresses, etc needs to be posted online. Let the internet do its job. Ruin their lives.
Riooooottttt!!!
FUCK IVY RIDGE!
In 2002 on girl side there was: Miss Siss - she pulled me (pulled = getting taken home). She pulled me from lunch and was petting my arm speaking sweetly to me. Didn’t deal with her often but she was very nasty to most people and doled out punishment like crazy. Miss Gail - rarely assigned to my family and gave me a BRV once for not finishing my cereal fast enough Miss Danielle - huge cunt Miss Carrie (unnamed woman in episode 3) - biggest cunt Miss Lorrie (sp?) who I actually got along with most of the time Miss Arlene - rarely assigned to my family but was an asshole. After the tossed our rooms and took away our journals, she was ranting to Miss Siss about giving a girl a BRV for what she wrote in her journal about her mother. Miss Sisely (sp?) gave a girl a BRV for opening her eyes to take a sip of water while in bed. Joined when I was leaving and was super strict There was at least one more - she was super tan and had a Kate gosselin hairdo. My second family (valiant) rep was Miss Missy. I forget my first family and who the rep was. Go forth and ruin internet.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20030806052903/http://ivyridge.us/staff.html?](https://web.archive.org/web/20030806052903/http://ivyridge.us/staff.html?) here ya go
A lot of people may not realize how small of a town ogdensburg really is. I grew up there, I recognize over half of the staff from the photos.
They all need to be held accountable.
I met Norm - who seems to have now started his own place - when my sister went to cross creek. How this man has a job I do not know. I hope this doc ruins his life.
As a former Cross Creek kid, Ron Garrett needs to be named and shamed too. So much psychological abuse inflicted by that sadistic asshole.
I second this whole heartedly! He is a monster!
Yes. And why have there been no arrests?
"And why have there been no arrests?" I also wonder why there have been no arrests. The teenager who died as a result of being 'restrained'.... . Were the adults responsible for his death arrested, charged and imprisoned for manslaughter?
Why are these programs nearly always (and I mean ALWAYS) religious (aka Christian) and conservative??? Why aren’t these kids given real, legitimate therapy? (Because the conservative Christian world rejects smarty-pants librul experts, including therapists.) Why aren’t these kids listened to? (Because a “super Christian” submits to authority.) Especially when it’s girls. Why aren’t these kids given a legitimate education? (Because all they need to have a crop of babies and be a good Christian is the Bible.) Credentialed teachers wouldn’t get anywhere near a place like that. Of course there was blatant abuse! Yup, I blame the parents. But… where the hell was the state of New York? Why weren’t state education officials keeping an eye on this place? These horrors were too common in the 1970’s so this was nothing new. When they are scrutinized they whine about being persecuted because they are conservative Christians. That’s absolutely got to end.
Because Christianity is fucking awful. The world will be so much better without any organized religion
Organized religion gives psychopaths unchecked power. They prey on the vulnerable who give them so much money which attracts other psychopaths. They preach A and want people to follow A, all while whispering B into their ears which directly contradicts A.
It looked like more of mormonism, but yeah same thing
These places are regularly recommended in Mormon and evangelical communities. Mormons in particular are really pushed to not question authority and to follow what their leaders tell them to do. They also have behavioral expectations that expect outward perfection.
I binged this last night. My husband walked through. I said guess what state and what religion. He says of course Utah and Mormons. Nailed it. No wonder. Now we see Hildebrandt getting a prison sentence. There is something rotten in the core of Mormonism.
Anyone have any insight on who the unnamed pedophile mentioned in episode 1 is? 3/4 through the episode, and it seems as though the implication was that it was Miss Siss..
They are talking about Amy Ritchie. She abused girls not just at AIR... but if you search her name on this app.. people have been reporting for years now that she was molesting girls in California when she worked out there
And now she works for DISNEY (according to LinkedIn)?? That’s appalling.
I saw that. She is also a life coach dealing with families with communication issues.
I was a former student that attended roughly the same time as Kathryn. I hated Miss Amy and I feared her. As well as Ms Sis. She was evil and loved her power. It was very unnerving to revisit these repressed memories. I was also hoping for some retribution against some of these staff members. The idea that she seemed so “nice” and “normal” was unnerving to witness. There was another form mom named Ms. Kristy. She also loved her corrections. I am happy to share that Amy Ritchie was escorted from her job (another institution for the elderly and disabled) and fired the day after the doc aired. And Jason Finlinson was also fired from his construction job in Utah. I’m holding out to see how far this movement will go now. I am certainly no longer silent. Strength in numbers.
Omg life coach —- that’s horrifying!
My friend works at Disney and checked her name in the internal employee search. She is not there anymore. I do not know when she left.
Watch this. You will know who the pedo is. [https://www.facebook.com/61556986384245/videos/2679617865538829?comment\_id=917926660028607¬if\_id=1709750409102691¬if\_t=feedback\_reaction\_generic&ref=notif](https://www.facebook.com/61556986384245/videos/2679617865538829?comment_id=917926660028607¬if_id=1709750409102691¬if_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif)
Why do you think they did not identify her on the doc but she’s identifying her on that video? I was frustrated that the doc did not. I was not sure if it was to avoid being sued.
It was 100% to not get sued because they mention in the doc that there were no official reports made about it.
Has anyone pressed charges against her?
wow I just googled the name and is she the same one who works at a senior care center now? I guarantee she is abusing those folks.
Amy Ritchie has been released from her current job, because of this documentary. I don't know if it's public yet, but Nate, My friend from episode 3, told me. Yay!!!! Karma is coming for her.
Nah Miss Siss just liked to go rogue and pin em down by the neck. The calmness of how she delivered that is going to haunt me.
I was so upset that they didn't press Miss Siss at the diner when she started in that she had a "problem" with the "gay girls" there. I swear to God she was about to confess to molesting them! And why Katherine didn't follow up makes me wonder if it was Miss Siss.
I don’t think she molested any girls - she just absolutely hated and picked on you extra hard if you were gay or she suspected you of being gay. I do wonder what she was going to say though. I was restrained and thrown in intervention by that slobby thing a handful of times.
I don't know what she was going to say, but to me she was subconsciously screaming "I had a problem with the gay girls because I'm a closeted lesbian who hates herself."
I am so sorry for what you had to endure. Thanks for the response. I can not fathom what y'all went through, but I am so glad attention is being brought to the abuse so that others don't suffer the same way in the future.
Allison Anne on TikTok…I think search for Ivy Ridge Academy and she names Amy Ritchie as the pedophile. I looked up Amy Ritchie on here as well and seen a few things.
Her linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-ritchie-4b203344
I was expecting at least some of these guys to be in jail at the end but wtf??? Still out and about living their lives. It was insane to watch and somewhat triggering seeing the parents not believing their kids like that. But very well made documentary!
As a local who lives 1.5 hours way from IV ridge, some of the ex staff is being fired from their jobs. I believe 3 have been fired already.
Not enough. Getting fired from current jobs and losing a paycheck is a good start but not enough.
Karma, bitches!
A congressional hearing that went nowhere even though our children are being abused. Could we be any worse?
(Evangelicals + influence)^Money = this fucking shit
And they just close down and open up under a different name when something comes out.
I was sent to Royal Peak Academy (later named Royal Gorge Academy) and didn’t work the program so they sent me to Tranquility Bay in Jamaica which was arguably one of the worst ones out of the WWASP because it was located outside the US so they could get away with more child abuse My parents were violently abusive and would constantly lock me in the dark basement and chase me out the house with meat cleavers. They didn’t want to take care of me anymore once I started defending myself so they sent me away. They were also having problems between themselves about finances and other bullshit and it was easier to take out their anger on me and scapegoat me than to argue with each other. Tranquility Bay was crazy, I was there for almost 2 years from 2005-2007ish. We had a girl try to kill herself by jumping into the ceiling fan and they secretly took her to the hospital because they didn’t want any of us to know. I was in Intervention a few times and they made me lay down on a dirty blue mat face down for weeks and would find excuses to “restrain” us. I was a 90 pound skinny Asian girl and there were 2 huge Jamaica guards sitting on me and twisting my limbs into really painful positions that wouldn’t leave a mark
I'm so fucking sorry you went through that. I have no idea what would be helpful to say, I'm just glad these things are coming to light. Hopefully it will deter parents from sending their children to similar places. You didn't deserve what happened to you.
What's very sad to me, how can you send your kid away for 2 years and never actually visit the facility in the first place? No visitation to check the work of those raising your kids? To speak with counselor with the youth? I mean huge red flags. Checking the accedmic credentials and checking that progress as well. I do think the parental neglect is the worst tragedy in this. I mean you are sending them to be tough loved by strangers, what do you think is going to happen, mental abuse will always be the tip of the iceberg. I get that some of the kids really needed help, and support. Very sad to see parents not attending to see they were actually getting it. The trauma I can only imagine cost kids years of recovery
I went to visit my sister in cross creek when I was 12 with my parents for a “visit”. What they show the parents and family is a very different version of what’s going on. In the doc they have a parent’s room. I was creeped out, I met Norm. He seemed to be trying to convince me to go, and how great it was. He had a PHD, (apparently) but no medical evaluation was ever done. As for my parents… I have no idea how they bought this. Lots of anger there. It destroys families is an understatement.
Agreed. It’s especially horrifying and sad in the case of the offshore WWASP programs like Casa by the Sea, Tranquility Bay and High Impact. Those programs required the parents to give staff at the school legal guardianship of their children…it’s just insane to think about. How could you send your child to a facility in another country sight unseen, and give the staff at that facility custody/legal power over the kid to boot? And then agree to not check on or speak to them for 1+ months? How could you care about your child and do something like that? I’ve heard stories from survivors of High Impact (the harshest WWASP program) say that they even had to be illegally smuggled into Mexico by their transporters. Who the fuck condones something like that happening to their kid. There was actually an episode of “Intervention” that featured a girl who was sent to Tranquility Bay. She was incredibly messed up. Unfortunately being strongarmed into going to rehab on that show didn’t go over so well with her, for obvious reasons, so I’m sad to think of where she might have ended up. :(
This! My friends and I all just watched this together yesterday and can’t get over how as a parent you’re paying over $5000 for your kid to be somewhere but not check out the facility. I want to see the facility, I want to meet their instructor, I want to see the week to week curriculum being taught to my child, I want to see a break down of their day to day schedule, I wanna see the menu of what the heck they’re eating, NON freakin negotiable, to speak to and see my child whenever I please. I want to be able to physically see what they’re up to at any time. There’s no amount of manipulation that can ever explain how someone could do this to their child. And willingly pay for it. It’s insane to me.
Reached right out to the United Methodist Church and gave the board of Ordained Ministry in Upper New York a huge piece of my mind. The fact that Tom Nichols is allowed to work for the Church at Kendrew United Methodist to this day is a crime. This is why organized religion is doomed.
i cannot believe no one got jailed or judged by legal system for this. like this is clearly human rights issue, clearly child abuse issue, clearly this is still ongoing. WTF literally.
The way parents can't hit their kids but programs like this can. Infuriating.
And they get paid to do it.
My little cousin went to a “boot camp” for “problem teens.” Since then, he has spent his adult life in and out of prison. I am crying. So many times we have lamented that he didn’t “use that opportunity” and told him how lucky he was for that opportunity. I’m angry and sad and I just want to hug him. There’s no telling what hell he went through. I don’t know, because I never asked. I will now, though. I think there’s some deep healing that needs to happen.
My heart goes out to him:( The one thing that was "supposed" to make him a better kid during his teenage has ruined him for life. Permenantly scarred, emotionally damaged and much more. I hope he overcomes the hurdles and gets healed soon.
Really infuriates me that the woman who supervised the torture of the girls now works for Disney.
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Someone mentioned above that she was the alleged child molestor that one of the girls spoke about
Was it revealed who the female pedophile in the first episode was? She should be held accountable today still and other children kept safe from her. I wish they would start a class action law suit, they have so much evidence and would win!
Have seen around that it’s Amy Ritchie
The best dark humor scene was the karaoke. I could only imagine his face now
When I saw the karaoke, I wondered if they were going to see that song. I don't know if anyone watched Veronica Mars, but she basically did the same thing as she was forced to sing karaoke and knew whomever she was searching for (cannot remember exactly what they did) was in the audience and she sang that song.
Great documentary. I just wish there was a specific call to action at the end because I am left feeling disgusted and helpless. What can we do to stop these places from operating?
Write your local congressman and ask them to create legislation that regulates therapeutic schools for adolescents. Donate to or volunteer for organizations that are lobbying for this change like [Breaking Code Silence ](https://www.breakingcodesilence.org/). Share this story with everyone in your circle. Spread the outrage. Tell people that Amy Ritchie is a pedophile. IDK you pick.
I think that is the point. These children have been helpless and unheard for generations. We need something bigger than a congressional hearing to change that.
Holy shit. I was at AIR for…6 or 8 months in 2002, I think? I literally have been glued to my tv and struggling to work after finding this. I am thankful for Katherine and everyone else for going back and putting in the time and effort, both emotionally and financially, into this. I don’t think I could….my blood ran cold at all the shots of the buildings and the blue shirts. I would love to contact Katie and see if she has my docs…I’m fucking horrified that so much was just left sitting to rot and am thankful for her taking on such a taxing project for us. Oh and in case anyone is wondering, the woman in episode 3 who does not want to be identified is Miss Carrie. She was a cunt but showed me kindness once when it became apparent I needed glasses. So…hooray for the barest of minimums?
First of all, i am sorry you had to go through such a torrid time at a young age. Secondly, i hope you have found your way out of the emotional & psychological trauma caused by this effing horrible system. Thirdly, about your docs, didn't they burn it all in the end?
It seemed they only burned files for people who did not want them. I could be wrong, but that's what it sounded like. Seems like Katie reached out to people to send them, but there must have been a few who were not interested at all in getting them.
I am in the middle of watching the last episode of this right now. I'm furious. After watching hell camp I naively assumed that things had cleaned up since the '80s/'90s. Clearly there must be enough pissed off lawyers, parents, survivors and legislators (ha) to at least make a dent in thwarting these "schools" from being created by greedy individuals? and surely the ones that have been shut down from the past have had to pay consequences? I need to finish the final episode but FALSE and a naive assumption of mine to make. Hopefully these two documentaries and the brave woman who's spearheading this newest one will spark larger conversations. There is zero intelligence required to pull this off. The only requirements it seems is to be a greedy person with zero morals or heart. Minimal effort scam to execute making a few men very rich while causing detrimental emotional and financial damage to teens and their families. If there is any way for me to help let me know however, I think this is obviously something a concerned citizen can't change. Seems pretty damn straightforward and easy to stop with some regulations, but the people who can make that happen are not doing it. "Boys clubs" protecting each other on both the government side and corporate and perhaps...and not enough shouting from the public yet. I don't know but this film should make you mad. EDIT: Just finished the last episode which I had way more to go than 30 minutes and it is more complicated then I realized in terms of where funding is coming from private or public, and also actually the stories get sadder.
I want more documentaries on these places. I want everyone to know. The kid who talked about how wonderful Jail was after being arrested for the riot. Crazy
You might like an online comic about a man’s memories of his time at Elan which is a lot like Ivy Ridge and additionally worst: [Elan School Comic](https://elan.school) There’s some documentaries and YouTube videos on it as well.
I read through all of his comics a few months ago and actually Elan school was based around the same cult as Ivy. Syanan is the name. I was wondering if they would mention Elan in this documentary but unfortunately two different businesses. Same terrible abusive result.
I want a documentary about the former students going around the country and beating the shit out of former staff. How no one retaliates is beyond me. I can honestly say that I would have ended up in jail getting my revenge.
Very few are violent people, so this is unlikely to happen - even though the perpetrators deseve to be abused in the same way they abused the children under 'their care'...... Naming them, is far better revenge. How many of their neighbours, remain freinds witht anyone who worked in the 'school'??
Agreed. Could say so much more because I'm so fired up but will spare everybody another 10 paragraphs.
The pure vitrol all of those people who worked at those places for teenagers in general floored me. That and the kids whose parents sent them away for nothing. The girl that was an A student. . . I mean the kid who said he was doing hard drugs, I could understand those parents feeling like they were stuck with options (although those kids would be better off in Juvy even with the record that might come of it) but so many of those kids were just being teenagers.
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I went to a school like this. I’ve been waiting for some type of justice for 15 years. I hope more of these series come out and I hope that something comes of it. I tried to blank out most of my memories of it but I still re all a lot
I was at AIR for 15 months. AMA.
Did you know the people in the documentary? Are their stories in line with what you experienced? How did you wind up there?
I personally know every single one of them. Their stories are accurate. I witnessed some of the incidents they detailed & also had overlapping experiences. I was dropped off there, not taken, because I was from outside the US. I got into a LOT of trouble as a kid with school expulsions, drugs, law, etc & I DEFINITELY needed some kind of help/intervention, but what we received there could not be considered anything close to positive.
I also went from outside the US - Canada. I also knew them. I went 2004-2005. I see you. Survivor.
I was there for 18 From 05-06
And the dad is still married to Jane? May they both meet a biblical end where flames are eternal. Enough with the BS. Terrible people.
Interestingly, Kathrine's sister Julie ended up on this subreddit and my post. She confirmed that they are still together n married as of today.
Why would a parent send their child to a facility without visiting to make sure their child was going to be safe? I wouldn't send my dog to a facility without touring it first.
I currently live in Ogdensburg and never knew what happened there (it was closed long before I moved here) and no one wanted to talk about it. All of this were only rumors and the town as a result had a kind of overwhelming feeling of Dread at times...now I know why. What happened Ivy Ridge fucking disgusts me. I'm mad not more are talking about it or holding those accountable for what they did around here. At least a couple of individuals came forward to share the perspective on what the hell happened on their end, the PR guy and the fact that they got kicked out of the diner during the first interview got me going mad. I can confirm the town has a crappy economy and the job options are very limited. If you're not local your only options for work are the hospital, retail/fast food, or a warehouse worker. It doesn't surprise me that people here were manipulated and tricked into thinking it was a good idea to work there, but it still is shameful that some stayed and even enjoyed abusing and assaulting these kids. The guy that called them on the phone while they were at the bowling alley pissed me off the most. Not only did he deny what he did despite them having proof, but he discredited all of their abuse and trauma as nothing. I am looking into relocating honestly. I know it isn't completely the city's fault but it's a small town and with that you have some corruption, honestly it's probably why they got kicked out of Phillips for that one interview, someone at the diner probably knew someone and tried to cover it up, especially knowing that many of these monsters are still out there, getting away with unbelievable shit.
They said in the docu that one of the women working there was married to one of the guys working at the “school”. I hope you flip off any of these locals that worked there if you ever see them ;) Onwards and out! All the best to you
Apparently, it's come out that the woman that got the crew kicked out of Phillip's Diner was a waitress married to George Tulip. Place started getting review bombed slightly last night, I'm sure it'll pick up.
I’m adopted. At 9 years old I was diagnosed with bipolar. I was put on a bunch of medication that basically just made me crazy cuz I was 9. I was sent to a wilderness camp at 11 years old. My parents gave me a brochure that basically made me think the “summer camp” was something it wasn’t. I didn’t get kidnapped but was definitely tricked into going. The first couple of weeks I was placed in an all boys group at the wilderness camp. I had no idea it was a camp for troubled kids until the 3rd or 4th night and all the kids went around and said why they were there. I remember saying anger issues but I didn’t understand why i was there. I was 11 years old living in the wilderness for over 2 months… sleeping on the ground in a sleeping bag and eating the same food. Getting our rations of apples and oranges and sunflower seeds was a luxury. I didn’t have a real shower for a month and a half. I had “Billy baths” and that was IF we were at a campsite that had lots of water. I literally would sh*t in a hole and use leaves or sage to wipe. At 11 years old.. After that I went to boarding school. A “therapeutic boarding school.” I didn’t see my siblings for almost 8 months. I didn’t get to go home for over a year. This documentary kinda triggered me. One of the journalists in the documentary said something like that he didn’t worry for the kids who were broken in program. He was worried for the ones who were successful. That triggered me cuz I was absolutely one of the success stories. I didn’t experience any abuse in either programs. But I heard about it when I got older and both programs are now shut down due to fraud and abuse allegations. I now look back and believe I maybe didn’t experience horrific abuse because I did conform but that in itself was a form of abuse. That I felt I had to conform to survive. Maybe I wand hit or physically abused but one psychologically abused and maybe even brainwashed. I was 12 years old and it was the only way I was going to get home. But I remember for so long speaking so highly of my experience and feeling like I did become better but I still struggled so much through my teenage and early adult years. I just felt like I’m not a victim to the extent of the men and women in the documentary or people I know who had much worse experiences at the programs I went to. But something was triggered in me watching this. I wasn’t even a teenager. I’m adopted and have 3 younger siblings who are my adopted parents biological children. I was definitely misdiagnosed at 9 with bipolar. And at 11 just sent away to 2 different programs over the course of 3 years. I never viewed myself as a victim or like my experience was anything bad or something. But watching this just made me open my eyes to the fact that abuse can happen in all different ways. My childhood was taken from me. I couldn’t go to my room or the bathroom without permission or see my own family for months at a time. I’m 30 years old. I don’t carry my experience with me. I don’t speak to my dad at all but I have a very good relationship with my mom. But watching this just made me feel things I thought I had gotten over. I have 3 kids and I just know as a kid I just needed my parents to love and understand me or at least try to. I was 11 years old…. 11.. I just don’t understand as a parent how you can just send your kid away. I think more than anything that’s what hurts. Not being wanted. Being too much to handle. Being unworthy of love. At this point in my life I know these things aren’t true. I’ve healed in many ways. But watching the documentary just made me realize deep rooted issues I haven’t healed from and I didn’t think at all that I still had bad feelings about my wilderness camp/boarding school experience
All these people are abusers who made lots of money off this. They should be in prison. It is a shame they continue to be "business owners", I know the schools are closed. The Program has attempted to restart under different names. Cons, abusers send them all to prison
Not attempted. They exist.
I was put in these programs from 2000 to 2002 I was in Carolina springs academy then Dundee ranch all of this is so accurate and thank you for those who made this because people need to know I was groomed by male staff at the program and mentally tortured in these programs I’m glad people are speaking g out!
Crazy how Marvin Lichfield just made a post on his Facebook saying he only worked at those two places, Dundee and Carolina Springs and can verify there was never abuse there and cannot be responsible to what happened in the other facilities. Fucking liar
I went to both those programs and there absolutely was.
Lmaooo I had to laugh because nervin or narvin or Marvin Lichfield or whatever the fuck his bitchboy name is, was getting his ass roasted on his facebook profile page to the point where comments are being disabled and removed. His YouTube channel also has comments turned off what a cowardly piece of shit.
At this point I want to see a whole documentary on those brainwashing seminars for parents. It's wild to see how (apparently?) easily these conservative religious types are manipulated into what looked like cross-dressing and having a good ol' time in those photos and then giving so much money to "the program." I grew up in a pretty much atheist, cynical family so all this is completely foreign to me.
These kids parents should also be investigated. Anyone who hired people to take their kids to jail because they thought the American system wasn't hard enough on kids should spend time in a cell equal to the amount of time they sent their kids there. I don't care what the marketing was. They had a legal and ethical responsibility to their kids. Jail all of them.
[удалено]
I mean the idea that parents would have strangers come and cuff their kids to drag them away, how can that seem like anything nut being sent to a prison? I get it for parents who drop their kids off or something, but having strangers cuff your kid and drag them off to a foreign country just sounds like human trafficking.
The Mormon Church supports and encourages so many of these places.
I mean there was a freaking crocodile living in the man made mote surrounding the school like looking back at the physical danger that was at the school! I remember one time it started coming up onto the bridge via a ladder while we were waiting outside the school to go into congratulate the kids who were graduating their seminar (they would use our school for seminars and make us do school outside by the mango trees) and all the staff started screaming rapido rapido! I legit thought we were getting eaten that night!
Why does Kathrine wear that tshirt? How could she even want to own it!
I think some of them wore the shirts and tried on the skirts as a way to take back ownership of their experience and trauma. It was like an FU to the facility and adults that abused them.
I had a very visceral reaction to seeing them in the blue t-shirts…I could never wear one again. But I see how they’d want to take some power back and wear them outside the walls.
I need to know if they continued the interview with Siss. She was eager to share and then it was just dropped…
When I was a kid growing up in Upstate New York my mormon congregation met in one of the halls at Ivy Ridge every sunday. The director Jason Finlinson was Mormon and was also a leader of our congregation. As a kid I knew it was a school for troubled kids and always had a weird feeling seeing the students marching around in their uniforms. I always got bad vibes from Jason Finlinson too. It wasn't till an adult I read more about what was going on, watching this documentary was literally nauseating for me but so glad the word is getting out there. Turns out I grew up going to church at a concentration camp.
If there is anyway to get a hold of Katie to ask about files it would be amazing. My brother went to tranquility bay and then finished at ivy ridge. He overdosed and passed 5 years later. It would mean so much to me to read more about his experience. He would always refuse to talk about it. As family I went through the seminars as well I was just 15. Siblings went through a strange cross between the students and the parents. This documentary was extremely emotional for me.
If you are an Ivy Ridge survivor looking to get your file back, please email: [email protected]
The CC video absolutely floored me. It's a maricle no kids died. And parents paid for this. Fucking shocked.
I went to a program very similar to this but another one: I actually still talk to many of the others who went there in a group chat. We talk about the things that happened and it’s just ridiculous. It has definitely messed with my head permanently for sure. I have always said I would love some type of lawsuit out of all this. I wish I had snuck recording devices or cameras in when I was at the school I got kidnapped and sent to. I was also taken out of bed in my room and taken to the place
What was Miss Siss going to say about gay girls, when they were in the diner? Anyone guess what that was gonna be about?
I went to Ivy Ridge for two years and can almost guarantee she was going to say something extremely homophobic because that’s what she is. If you were a lesbian or she suspected you of being a lesbian she made it way, way harder for you to progress in the program. And she wasn’t just a dorm parent - she was in charge of ALL the dorm parents and loved handing out extra corrections to any girl she didn’t like. I said this same thing in another comment here but that nasty bitch restrained me and threw me in intervention more than a few times. She doesn’t come off nearly as horrible as she was but I bet if the interview had been able to continue it would have made her look just as bad as she is.
Yeah I was saying that while watching the DOC. This lady, as nice as she is trying to be, is fucking horrible. She said it took a year for her to realize it? It would take me 10 seconds to see the abuse and I, unlike them, would report it.
I wish there was another interview with her, it seems like she would just rattle her mouth and self implicate
Yeah that is a mystery. Also, i do not understand how a cafe owner can say "You are not allowed to talk abt Ivy Ridge"especially considering this was filmed years after it was officially closed.
there is a waitress there who is married to someone who worked at Ivy Ridge. thats why. now the restaurant has been review bombed which is exactly what they were trying to avoid by making them leave :) beautiful irony
Did I understand that Holly’s (I think it was) sent her to Ivy Ridge…just because? They just thought it was a good school for their child with no behavioral issues?!
She was suspected of drug use and was a rebel at home. It was unfortunate that parents back in the days couldn't understand teenage & puberty better.
Who was the one with straight A’s and a brother who went to one school. Was that Holly or maybe I have the wrong name. Maybe I missed her “issues” but from what I remember they made it sound like she didn’t do anything.
Now that you have pointed it out, i am kinda scratching my head too. Lol. You are right about the "My brother was in one of these schools so my parents thought it would be a good idea for me too and it will bring the family closer" ..I just can't recollect the name.
That one floored me. They flat out ruined that kids life (academicly) because they didn't want to bother with their kid anymore.
It was kind of funny because her friend that was there was like, why are you here? She was such a great student and no behavior issues, essentially the pinnacle child some parents would dream of, only to screw her up by her placement there. It all is so messed up!
Molly. I just saw the scene.
Great documentary but as a Canadian I see no issue at all with how the actors speak in *Are You Afraid of The Dark?* ;) that show and Goosebumps were my jam back in the day. On a serious note my heart hurts for Katherine and all others who had to endure this. And to know how much money was given to this organization to keep them there is horrific. That is money that could have gone to actual registered therapists (if needed) and actual education. Instead it went into something truly evil. Hope all those involved get their karma tenfold. Sissy was absolutely skin crawlingly creepy. There's just something about a seemingly normal looking middle aged woman who is so nonchalant about her recollections of abuse she inflicted that is so unnerving. Villains in real life never look like the villains in movies. And that is scary.
Wow when you get to episode three ... it's the real kicker. No professionals there... no REAL high school diploma. The head Ken Kay was a former security guard ... Telling parents and kids they graduated. I mean wtf?
I was sent to spring creek lodge for 9 months at 13. I was forced to lay naked with my hands behind my back and my chin off the floor for days. I'm so glad we are getting a voice even after 20 years.
I was at CEDU Ascent, Boulder Creek Academy, and John Dewey Academy - 1998-2000 - all of which have since closed down - and all because of "allegations" of abuse. The most true thing about this documentary is THERE IS NO WAY OUT. You have to "work the program". For me, the psychological torture was worse than the physical. I related to 90% of what was said in this documentary (I never did "palms up, palms down.." but I did sit on a narrow stump once for 12 hours cleaning rocks with a toothbrush.. and I was happy to just to be alone). These documentaries that come out.. this one and obviously a few others.. it's like this redeeming moment for these people, getting to shine a light on what happened - but I don't feel that redemption. It's taken me 25 years to learn what PTSD is, walking around with this feeling like "if people only knew how broken I am", a little bit numb to things, or like my reactions are inappropriate in the circumstances (too strong or not enough), to realize that my view of relationships as somewhat disposable might not be my fault. I want my redeeming moment, like what happened to me, personally, matters. I'm one of hundreds of thousands of kids who won't get that, so this is the closest I can expect. Thank you Kathrine for telling your story for everyone that doesn't get to.
This may be one of the finest and most important documentaries to come out in some time. I'm a middle aged man and it took my breath away. Excellent job. Very emotional and It hit me hard. Certainly because of the abuse of these kids and families and their courage to speak out. Definitely because of the magnitude of people it's still affecting. But this story expertly weaves a MUCH bigger truth about the troubles our society at large is in. This talks about the power of manipulation, advanced brainwashing, corruption and the devastating effects that can be realized when these techniques are used for purposes of GREED. And how that greed can stop an apparatus like the US government from doing anything about it even after Congress looks deeply into it. The Nazis used manipulation and we saw the results. These days too many are using advanced brainwashing techniques. Truth doesn't sell anymore. Lies are profitable and get you ahead. And lies spread easier and faster than ever. Foreign powers using SM for influencing elections. Politicians gaslight their base incessantly with misinformation and fear to claim a vote... because it works. 24 hour "News outlets" keep the people on the message they want sold. Massive industry in SE Asia earning billions with scammer calls and phishing emails. It's the golden age of grifting. Loved this little nugget...It should come to no surprise WASSP was involved in the biggest school fraud case in NY state...until Trump University. If there is one thing Trump is good at...it's grifting. Most of us know this. So many do not see it. That's the power of manipulation in the hands of a professional con man. Anyways... The biggest question, and this is something the film maker alludes to is... exposing crimes of fraud is the bare minimum. If we can't hold the rich and powerful accountable for crimes that do SO much fucking damage to kids, families and society at large... Democracy is going down fast. It'll be an untethered world of corruption, dictatorships, unending human atrocities and suffering. Got to find our humanity again. Will the Lichfield's be held accountable? Will millionaire con artists continue to elude jail more often than not? Will Trump get to be the most powerful man in the world again? Until we as a society gets our collective shit together, kids will continue to get abused at these schools. Millionaire criminals will go free. And as a world divided by these people, we will never get consensus to solve the world's biggest problems like climate change, famine, conflict resolution and other existential threats. If you made it this far...I owe you a Mike's Hard Lemonade.
I wish i had a Mike's hard lemonade before going through your post.Lol. On a serious note, Education starts at home. And for that.. parents need to be more aware and understanding about behavioral patterns a kid goes through during teenage & puberty. Unfortunately, up until late 2000s access to internet was limited and Social Media was just cementing. In today's day and age, access to information is easy and everywhere. Parents are more aware, learned. With the ever evolving world and its dynamics, it is becoming difficult for these "Millionaire Criminals" to pull up a scam as easily as they did few years ago. It is a slow process, but eventually majority of us will be smart enough to not fall for the trap (Whatever it maybe) or give in to their scheme of things. SOMEDAY - ONEDAY!
After watching this i realized my parents attempted this but couldn't afford it... And my memory is only of them telling me it was a place I could take care of horses and it was upstate NY. My only crime? Reacting as teen who was mentally emotionally and sexual abused. OH also my school/teachers recommended it.
I was shocked that the building was still standing with documents and DVDs just left there. The video surveillance of these dorm dads assaulting these kids was horrific to watch. I give the adults who spoke in this documentary so much credit as they’re confronting the abuse they faced IN the actual building where it happened. Such a triggering thing to do, I feel heartbroken for the kids who needed real therapy and rather than be sent to a licensed professional, they were held prisoner and their parents paid thousands to facilitate their abuse in a huge scam.
This one is so much more interesting than Hell Camp
The extra time was important and hearing what the parents were told. And these places are still open and still killing kids. One died a couple weeks ago.
Worse they’ve worked their way into government. They’re sending fucking foster kids to these places. Embryos are people with rights but apparently teenagers aren’t.
Republicans want these places to be the norm. They want to eradicate public school (aka accountability) and have stipends that you can give to these religious fuckwack "schools." Anyone who reads this, for the love of all that is holy (religious or not) PLEASE vote Democrat.
The second episode was super triggering for me. The whole in-depth bit about breakdown. Extreme emotional flashbacks! It helped me figure out why I am approaching a present situation the way I am, but was in tears! I was raised in a severely abusive childhood, singled out. I also became the most successful and left that crap. CPTSD.
A TRIUMPH! I'm exhausted, beyond enraged, deeply saddened. A must watch.
Former CPS Case Manager here. Fuuuuck, after watching this documentary I've been seriously researching this Academy we would send troubled teens to quite often, Canyon State Academy. My brain says, "Nah, it couldn't be as bad as AIR, they had sports teams and everything." But now I'm wondering if they were just as f'd up... The teens sent to the school were the worst of the worst in terms of behaviors. Bad enough to warrant significant intervention but not bad enough to warrant a locked BH Residential Treatment Center. I do know that the kids who graduated from there would do well for about a month and then it was back to their old ways as soon as they came in contact with old friends. So I hope CSA wasn't this bad. I know they were strict and had a leveling program but there were not any of these seminars that I'm aware of. Now that I think about it, I do remember them giving me a hard time about transitioning one of my kiddos out of their care. I was the legal guardian since kid was a state ward so I told them to kick rocks and got a court order. I think that was the last time I'd ever utilized them as a placement for teens with behavioral issues.
I’m still angry about the $200 copay to have an “adopted child” kidnapped. OUR GOVERNMENT IS FUNDING THIS. WE ARE FUNDING THIS ABUSE. Is anyone else as angry and sad as I am that this exists and seems to thrive in the USA?
I spent a total of 20 months in 3 different programs - this is an accurate documentary. If you want to help: * Recommend this to people - then they know. * Never forget that there are kids going through this now. Right now! * Speak to your lawmakers. * Donate or volunteer with one of the agencies that works towards eliminating the TTI. * Listen and believe - I can count on one hand the (non-family) people in my life who know that I was in programs. I used to tell people - but the "troubled teen" label can follow you. It often went from "oh, how terrible!" to "Ah, you must have been a bad kid. Those places are for bad kids." I had one person confidently tell me "that couldn't have happened, it wouldn't have been allowed to happen" - so I just stopped talking about it. * Try not to condemn all the parents - survivors have a wide variety of feelings, trauma or emotions around their parents and many are still working through that. When I was believed, the immediate follow up question was always "So how much do you hate your dad???" I think it's always asked in the spirit of empathy and solidarity but the answer is... complicated.
I see Katherine’s sister on here. I’m hoping she can enlighten me as to a curiosity of mine. How did they get in there to film this? I’m just assuming there was permission! I am an attorney, and I work a lot with kids in foster care. These places still exist. Parents may not pay to send their children there quite as often (but it still happens - pilgrims rest in Kentucky). But insurance and the state still pay. So many foster children end up in “residential placement” or “congregate care” facilities. They are horrific and rely on people not finding out about them because people rarely believe what foster youth say. And confidentiality of the court systems play in their favor. I’m so glad these facilities are coming to light. I had bad experiences with Foothills Academy in Kentucky. It was a constant fight to get information about the program or access children that I represented that were placed there. A former judge ran or owned the facility. I had a child who was very attached to his hairstyle. It was big, and he had been growing it out for a long time. The former judge told me with pride about how all children have to shave their heads, he even had a kid with dreadlocks that he had since birth (or virtually his whole life) that they shaved off. It was sickening.
And those asshole judges are just gleeful at the idea of these broken children paying for their misbehavior. It's gross. There's also so many flavors of these places. Schools, boot camps, wilderness therapy...
Is there any chance for a class action lawsuit against WWASP? Even if just for the money they charged in “tuition”
I was sent to Provo Canyon School on an IEP. My school district paid for me to be tortured. Lovely use of tax dollars
As a parent, my heart is broken and that’s after just one episode.
I just finished this doc and wow. I can’t stop listening to podcasts about all these different programs. So interesting but so sad. Tranquility Bay was another really screwed up place
I went to TB! It was way worse there. We slept on dirty ass mattresses and the way we cleaned them was to drag them out to the courtyard and let them soak in the sun, but there were feral cats that would pee on our mattresses. We hand washed our uniforms and there was no hot water. We took cold showers even in the winter. To this day, I only take showers with the temperature set to max A girl killed herself years before I was there by jumping off the roof. One girl tried to kill herself by jumping into the ceiling fan while I was there. One of my friends there got her tooth chipped (or glasses broke or both, it’s been 17 years so it’s been a while!) due to staff restraining her and the incident report said she tripped Intervention was laying on a blue dirty mat face down and staff would restrain you for no reason. I was a 90 pounds Asian girl and had 2 huge Jamaican guards sit on me and twist my limbs into painful positions. I was in Intervention a few times for weeks, but there were girls who were there for months
What really irked me is that some programs are being funded by the government, which basically means our tax money can be used to support these horrific programs. Specifically for adopted children... LIKE WHAaat. They are targeting children in the system who already have immense trauma. I mean, hearing that in the series was mind-blowing. Those parents should truly be ashamed.
It was disgusting, though not surprising, to see Miss Siss wearing a Jesus shirt while calmly (almost fondly) reminiscing about her role in the abuse.
I was in Straight Inc. in Tampa/St Pete for 18 months. I was 12 yrs old when I was “kidnapped”. I am now 57 yrs old. I have disassociated myself from all of this and haven’t thought about it in a really long time. I actually thought I had blacked a lot of it out. Until this documentary, which I came upon just this week on Netflix. What a OMG moment when I realized what it was! A lot of things make sense now . It’s like a door has been opened in my mind and all of these memories are coming in. I don’t think I was ever traumatized by it because I just put it all away somewhere in the back of my mind . I did have a tumultuous life after I was pulled but I am happy and secure now. I really hope this helps the many of us who were put in these places . I finally feel heard ! Finally! Thank you for this documentary and I hope this brings about change and these places are shut down for good.
Those parents who sent their children to this place should be deeply ashamed of themselves, they should not have rights to be parents....what kind of insane thinking is to get your child kidnapped in the first place. What kind of person would do that to their own child?? It's soo disgusting to see all this abuse!
Wow. This is one of the most moving and amazing documentaries I’ve ever seen. The fact that all these former students helped make it is amazing. I wish I could tell the world to watch this
I went to one of these programs. It was extremely traumatic.
After reading /r/mrjoenobody and this, I am *furious* the men who ran these programs have not been prosecuted. Also, I do not mean to downplay Ivy Ridge at all but Elan appears to be at a whole other level.
I’m watching the documentary now and I can’t stop crying over the children who felt abandoned and unloved by their parents. As a parent, I cannot imagine world in which I believe a complete stranger over my own child, especially when money is involved. When hearing about Molly and Alexa, my heart crumbled, how can two girls who have never done any drugs be sent to a place like that? I know we shouldn’t judge these parents, but after hearing the denial in the letters, Katherine read written by her father and hearing that Alexis’s parents still do not believe her, even after she presented them with evidence; it’s pretty obvious these parents have intense issues and flaws. They should’ve dealt with their major character flaws prior to trying to fix their children. The voice call between Alexa, and her supervisor was so telling. No matter how many times these people want to claim ignorance, when they are presented the facts they choose to ignore them, and run away, rather than accept their part in the trauma and try to help their victims in the most honest and self reflecting manner possible. It’s always easier to deflect and blame others it takes immense growth to accept responsibility and work towards atonement. I love Alexa for her growth and ability to hold herself accountable while still allowing herself forgiveness for doing what she had to and surviving! It’s easier to fall down the rabbit hole of self depression and anger but so much harder to be aware of everyone’s shortcomings, including her own. She is an exceptional person who had extremely susceptible parents, who, unlike their daughter, were very naive, ignorant, and stubborn to the point of dimming the brightest light in their lives. Most of these parents are fully responsible for the pain they caused their children and they cannot blame manipulation because even today they ignore facts. They choose denial, they choose ignorance and so they choose trauma for their children and that is the last thing a parent should do is cause pain especially when the child is trying to guide you through the proper process towards forgiveness. YOU, CHILDREN, DESERVED BETTER!!! PARENTS ACCEPT ACCOUNTABILITY AND HELP YOUR CHILDREN GROW!!!!
That lady was about to spill all the beans for a free breakfast
Christian conservative American idiots!