Former Students Share Stories of Life Inside Alabama's Worst Religious Private School

[lizzybee]

I read this story last night and it might be the worst I've read of the types of stories coming out of scary religious organizations. Scars from shackles, putting kids in isolation naked for weeks, etc. 

Former students share harrowing stories of life inside Alabama's worst religious private school

36 Children Were Removed in 2015: http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2015/03/36_children_removed_from_youth.html

Another story about them being arrested for child abuse. One girl says she was shackled and in isolation for 22 days for trying to write a letter to her mother for help. http://www.fox10tv.com/story/29937890/three-arrested-for-alleged-child-abuse-at-home-for-troubled-youth

[Cleopatra7]

Loved the comment that said that having Christian torture camps was "the price we pay for freedom." It's situations like this that make me hate the idea of "religious freedom/liberty" since it's just a ruse for Christian fundies to run roughshod over the rest of us.

[princessmahina]

"Alabama law (Code of Alabama 16-1-11.1) says state regulation of any religiously affiliated school would be an unconstitutional burden on religious activities and directly violate the Alabama Religious Freedom Amendment. State law also says the state has no compelling interest to burden nonpublic schools with licensing or regulation.

While Alabama does have a few basic reporting requirements for private schools, it exempts those that are church schools in every instance. Teachers do not have to undergo background checks and schools do not have to be inspected. While many church-affiliated schools do choose to pursue licensing or accreditation by outside agencies, it's not a mandate in Alabama."

 

What the everloving fuck is going on in my state?!

[FundieFarmer]

Wow...their "counselor" wasn't listed on any state counseling board. What a sham.

I can't even imagine the level of deception, institutionalized poverty, and manipulation that went into pulling this off for so long. There's blame to go around for sure, but I certainly feel for the families who thought they were getting help and wound up irreversibly taking years from their children.

[RosyDaisy]

What the everloving fuck is going on in my state?!

Do you really want to know? Let's just say that horrible things happen in private Christian schools, not just the ones for "problem children" (for lack of a better term). The state of Alabama knows these institutions exist. They aren't turning a blind eye. They actually believe this shit is in the child's best interest. In many cases so do the parents. DHR also turns a blind eye. It's sick, twisted, and a license for child abuse. THIS HAS TO STOP NOW! Child abuse is crime and should be treated as such no matter if it's a public or private religious institution.

[princessmahina]

17 hours ago, RosyDaisy said:

Do you really want to know? Let's just say that horrible things happen in private Christian schools, not just the ones for "problem children" (for lack of a better term). The state of Alabama knows these institutions exist. They aren't turning a blind eye. They actually believe this shit is in the child's best interest. In many cases so do the parents. DHR also turns a blind eye. It's sick, twisted, and a license for child abuse. THIS HAS TO STOP NOW! Child abuse is crime and should be treated as such no matter if it's a public or private religious institution.

I guess I'm spoiled because the private Christian schools I went to were wonderful (none in Alabama however). It feels weird and awful that there should be places for children that are terrible and evil like this one. Shame on Alabama for thinking that preventing abuse is an "undue burden."

[Grimalkin]

       I couldn't even finish reading this. I read a fair amount and couldn't handle it.