Well, if you are here, most likely you have survived an AMERICAN Parent Funded--- Teen P.O.W. Camp.
Or you know someone that did.�
These "Camps" I am refering to are usually Boarding Homes for troubled teenagers. They can be religious or non religious. The length of stay varies from facility to facility. Usually the length of stay is determined by how much money the parent can afford.
Some facilities use medication, and brutal lock down proceedures. Some places are more subtle and will use guilt, manipulation, and deprivation techniques to achieve guaranteed success.
When The parent runs out of money, The child is usually declared "Well Enough to come home again." But never is the child declared "Well enough" until the money runs out.�
The problem is that no one understands the abuse these children and teens often suffer in Un-Regulated, and Unlicensed places like this.
Often these children suffer much abuse and neglect at the hands of strangers that the parents have trusted. The State or Federal authorities are totally unaware that these facilities are in their own backyard.
Parents are often not told that this type of Abuse will be used on their child. For instance, my parents were totally unaware that the home I was in was in the midst of an ACLU court case and the owners of the home were charged with Child abuse and neglect.
They neglected to tell my parents and 155 other parents this critical information. They only wanted to get the money as I think my parents paid $15,000 for me and my sister.
I was one such survivor.
If you want to call it survival. I mean, I am still breathing. But that place stole from me my teen spirit. They hurt my emotional well being and I will carry deep scars forever. My memories haunt me.
I was in a Lester Roloff home in Hattiesburg Mississippi. It was run by Bob and Betty Wills. It was based on Theology. The prefered method of getting the un-Godly Students to see their need for God- was usually either Physical or Psychological trauma and abuse. But finding "their God" did not mean you were exempt from abuse. Everyone was deprived of basic human needs and basic rights of the U.S. Constitution.
The� Students were supervised by unqualified Workers. Most workers were often only a few years older than the students themselves all usually were former students themselves. They did not have the Education needed to be playing head games with the students....They did not have an education in Child development or a background in Medical nursing.
We had no rights and the freedom of Speech was restricted. Our ability to make decisions for ourselves was limited. We couldn't even choose what clothes we could wear. As we had to wear dresses. We were forced to pray for many hours a day on end. When we were not praying, we were reading or quoting the Bible. We did not have regular outside time to play games and exercise. We often only went outside one hour a week.
We had a 24 hour "Buddy" everywhere we went for 3 months. We were restricted from speaking to other New Students.
If we went to town and tried to tell any town citizen on the street to "help us, please tell our parents about the abuse we face under these people"- We were beat black and blue. Saddest of all, Churches and Pastors from different towns- often hosted us to sing. We were not allowed to tell those church members about our abuse, or We would be beaten black and blue.
But I have heard and read about horror stories from other places across the country that are more like mental hospitals, staffed by health care providers. These are not always better places for the child either. Often many places like this, prefer to leave children locked in restraints for days on end or shoot them up full of medication.
Does this sound like something you went through? Does this sound like something you made your child go through unknowingly? Do you know a person that has suffered in one of these TEEN POW CAMPS?
If so, please contact us for help.
I am asking that you sign the guest page and use your real name and email so that others you knew at these places can find you. I have found that they are looking for you too!
We need to support each other.
For further studies I would recomend reading AMERICAN GULAG by Alexia Parks and check out her website @
http://www.teenliberty.org
To be fair and objective, I am not saying that these homes and facilities like them have no merit.
On the contrary, I beleive that these types of facilities exist because of a growing need for parents to find help with raising thier teens.
I beleive that many operators of these Boarding schools and group homes have good intentions.
Otherwise, there would not be so many of these facilities across the nation.
However, parents must take the time to investigate these places before sending their child to live with strangers.
I have cited in the above text and on this web page the Roloff and the Bob and Betty Wills homes in particular; as using less than desirable techniques in Behavior Modification.
The reason I have used these Roloff Homes as an example is because I have personal experience as a former student.
I do not want to sound like I am just targeting them because I am not. There are plenty of bad facilities in America. I would Not recomend you send your child to any of them.
We call places like this "POW Camps for Teens" because there is really no better way to describe the human rights violations that often occurs at these places.
Often well meaning people confuse Abuse for Discipline . They are not the same.
Abuse in any form for any reason is still abuse.
Of course teens need guidance and discipline.
Teens need a firm foundation to learn upon.
I am sad in many ways to have to warn parents about the Roloff homes, and The Bob and Betty Wills homes. I think that they have a good model for teaching teens based on the word of God. But that model has serious flaws.
First and foremost of these flaws is the use of Physical and pschycological abuse and censorship of basic freedoms.
I beleive that these people could avoid the nasty publicity, the series of courtroom battles on child abuse charges, by doing some modifications of their own to the basic concepts of the program.
I would like to suggest that they continue to teach the word of God - but limit the amount of time the teen is forced into mandatory prayer and chapel services.
I would strongly suggest that they end all forms of abuse immediately.
No one wants to come to God out of fear and manipulation. It is not right to guilt a child into fearing GOD.
I do beleive however, if the school offers God, the Bible and Jesus to the children with love and acceptance, The teens in their care would want to seek the Lord on their own.
If short Bible classes, freewill prayer and fasting services were offered to the Teens -and not forced upon them- then many of them would happily come to the Lord and desire to change their ways.
There is no reason that a life of a teenage can't be changed for the better with love and caring attention towards them.
Most Kids respond positively to kind words and love. Most kids will acheive success if someone is willing to show them respect.
Most kids are rebellious because the parent can't find enough time of the day to invest happiness into that child's life. In most cases.
I have never met a rebellious teen who's parents invested quality time into thier child on a consistant level. And by consistant level - I mean everyday. YES everyday Parents! Once a week "I love you's" come across more like "I OWE YOU'S. That's the way the child sees it.
Teens with loving parents, parents who lay down ground rules before the teen gets out of control, parents who spend quality time with their children daily--these parents are blessed with the fruit of their seed.
Parents who neglect to invest time and love into their children, are usually the same parents who are looking for someone else to fix their child.
But it is not too late if you are a parent looking for answers. My suggestion, unless your kid is a danger to self, family or others-- Don't just send them away to one of these places. Even a good facility.
If you don't at least try to bridge the gap before sending your child off to someone- they will resent you forever.
Parents, you can have a tough kid- that doesn't mean they are beyond your ability to repair them. If you build a relationship with your child now, I bet in three months you will see some marked improvements in their behavior.
Parents - YOU NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR CHILDREN AND START TODAY.
You can do it. You love your child. I know you do. I know you will do the right thing for them. .
and the Truth.
Former Students
Subscribe to BethesdaGirls_RedemptionRanchBoys
![[WEbCeleb]](http://us.yimg.com/i/ligans/cb/smceleb.gif)
![[Games]](http://us.yimg.com/i/ligans/cb/smgame.gif)
![[Hypersite]](http://us.yimg.com/i/ligans/cb/smhyp.gif)
![[History]](http://us.yimg.com/i/ligans/cb/smtdih.gif)
![[Sports]](http://us.yimg.com/i/ligans/cb/smsp2.gif)
![[Ask Earl]](http://us.yimg.com/i/ligans/cb/smerl.gif)
![[Jokes]](http://us.yimg.com/i/ligans/cb/smjoke.gif)
![[Shout Out]](http://us.yimg.com/i/ligans/cb/smso.gif){kind=small}
