Letters To Editor

strugglingteens.com 

Educational Consultants helping parents and professionals since 1989


Free eAlerts

 For FREE updates... 
enter your email
address and click
 GO 

Online News

Newsletter
New Perspectives
Visit Reports
Seen n Heard
Employment Listings

Site Guide

Home
Schools & Programs
Discussion Forum
Resources
Information Services
Newsletter Archives
Online Store
Contact Us
 

Posted September 9, 2002 

CROSS CREEK MANOR
Blanche Hardy
Granbury, Texas
blancheamber@aol.com
September 8, 2002

I am the grandmother of a child who was placed in Cross Creek Manor. I finally got her released, and in my opinion, this place should be closed. I shall start my list of reasons for this by describing what was done to her, according to her reports. For the first three months she was there, she was linked to two other students. She was only released from the linking when they found out I had a lawsuit going. She also felt she was being humiliated by the way she was being talked to and was not given any privacy, even in the rest room. She claims to have been strip-searched and emotionally stripped of her dignity and reports the food was unbearable.

The schooling, which they call Browning Academy, consisted she claims, of being handed a schoolbook and occasionally being tested. She received A's when she was given neither a test, nor a book on a subject, according to my granddaughter. My assumption is that this was done to show the parents how well their child is doing in this so-called program.

When I enrolled her in school this year, the counselor noted that she had an A in theater from Cross Creek. My granddaughter claims to have never had class on theater, nor was she ever given a textbook. She reported to me that their students are constantly being called profanity names, with other students encouraged to join in. My granddaughter said she was frequently a target of the name calling because of my lawsuit, however, the profanity wasn't limited to her.

She told me she had tried to commit suicide while she was there and no doctor was called. She said she was put in isolation and laid on a concrete floor for hours while throwing up. The children are frequently placed in isolation according to my granddaughter, and are locked up for indefinite times with nothing but a concrete floor to lie on. She indicated she was threatened with "consequences" as they call them, if she testified against them in court. One of their main terms is "accountability" for one's actions. I would like to see them be held accountable for what I consider to be their abuse of these children.

I have contacted the licensing dept. in Utah, which is investigating potential violations, and the school board, which is investigating their teaching credentials.

I feel these children go through horrendous mental abuse. My granddaughter did not suffer physical abuse, but reported to me that others did, but were not allowed to tell, or they would again suffer "consequences".

They are listed on the Internet as a Private School, Correctional Facility Lockdown or Residential Treatment Center. What are they? I do know that they are not a Residential Treatment Center because I've learned my granddaughter's counselor was not even licensed, nor did he have the educational background, to counsel. He wrote a letter and she told me he made her copy it, asking me to drop the lawsuit. If she did not copy it, she claims she was told there would be "consequences". He only stated in his deposition that he "helped" her, however did admit that he was not licensed to counsel anyone.

My granddaughter is still having nightmares about her stay there. I highly recommend to all parents to investigate any facility where you are thinking about sending your children. Once they arrive, students are not allowed any contact with the parents for a few months and when they are, they are monitored as to what they can tell. You are putting your child in the hands of strangers and they can't even report to you as to what is happening. PARENTS BEWARE!!!!

PO Box 1671 | Bonners Ferry, ID 83805 | 208-267-5550
Copyright © 1995-2017 by Strugglingteens,LLC. All rights reserved.    Privacy Policy