Day 292. Survivors found: 5
A fellow attachment therapy survivor was also a survivor of the Green Chimneys School. Several months ago, I posted here on their behalf a written account of the experience.
Since then, other Green Chimneys “alumni” have come forward with their own experiences. I am quoting them now out of respect and recognition. One gets sick of doors slamming shut; it’s nice when one opens, however unexpectedly.
“I was sent to Green Chimney’s in 1976. I spent three years there and it has taken me an entire lifetime to get over the experience. It amazes me sometimes that Green Chimney’s gets such positive press, but I am not surprised. - Leeah “…I also attended GCS from 1968 to 1976 because of my so-called “hyperactivity”. There was plenty of stuff I have observed during my 8 years at the school. I will share some of it with you because I feel that someone has to know. I was 7 years of age when I first arrived at the school. My parents had tricked me and told me that we were going on a vacation. I thought that is why because they had some luggage with them… - C. Maggio, class of 1976. “I was enrolled at this “Green Chimneys School”from 1970 til 1974 and I can ensure you this place is a “hell hole”.the exactly thing happened to Michale Richardson. - Peter Daily “If you want a gladiator school green chimneys is it . I atended there from 69 to 75 . i didnt know how to fight but after being there i [sure] knew how. kids would always pick on you and if you are week they realy would pick on you then. they had what they called a free for all. thats when a kid gets a package from home he sits on the top bunk of his bed he will through candy out to other kids and yell (fight for ) and they will. ( pay back knight. ) the knight before graduation while people are asleep the ones you dont like. are the ones you pay back while there sleeping.” - Jon
“I have mixed feelings about the experience. There were kind people, but there were also very cruel people there. In 1976 Green Chimney’s was co-ed. There was Girl’s House and Bonnie Bell (an off campus house for older girls). The majority of the counselor’s were White. Residence of color were often degraded and made to feel inferior. When I did something that one of my counselor’s liked he would say ‘Toby good n*gger.’…I had heard Richard Hill make remarks about residents. He made it clear to residents that he didn’t think much of the brown children under his care.
“There was also physical abuse. There was one night supervisor “Paul” who was known to beat residents. The morning after my arrival, I didn’t want to put on the new clothes issued to me. Paul ripped my pajamas off me and left me crying in a corner completely nude. I found out later that I was lucky because he was known to beat you to a pulp or kick you with his boots.
“Some of the abuse came from other residents. If you could not prove you were able to fight you could be subject to both physical and sexual abuse by older residents. When Bonnie Bell was closed, the older girls were moved on campus with the younger girls. When this happened, I can recall quite a few incidents of bullying, physical and sexual abuse.
“We spent more time on the farm with the animals than actually learning in the classroom. School was a joke. It left me three years behind. I spent several years playing catch up. I am not sure if the teachers were state certified or even heard of a standard…“
“One of the caretakers, her name was Sylvia Reese grabbed a kid’s arm and dragged him inside a dormitory bldg. I heard some screaming after that. Some stuff stays with you years after. When my folks left that day, naturally I was crying as any young kid would. During my initial time there, I was givin Thorazine and/ or Milleral ( not sure of the spelling). This was supposed to calm me down and probably make me forget.
“…There was indeed bullying by older kids and such, more than I can account for. And yes, no one believed you when you told them about it…
“…There was a maintenance worker named Joe Lotte, he likes to molest kids. He tried to come on to me so I ran. Again, I tried to tell a counselor but to no avail…
“In closing, I hope that someone that knows me reads this and contacts me. As I stated earlier, I spent 8 years in that place and was one of only a few students with that much time served.
“Thanks.”
One day Richard B Hill shoved an entire pack of cigaretts into the mouth of Michale.I told my parents about this and all they could say is”no other place will take you”(need less to say I have not spoken to them in 20 years even after my fathers passing) I could speak volums Of the of the staff and the {teachers} there .They sugar coat animals with indifference.I hope Rollo Ross goes to hell.Think twice before you send an unwanted child to this place.”
December 15, 2008 at 12:27 am
I can’t believe places like this exist, much less are state-funded.
Or rather, I can believe it, but I would rather not have to. I just don’t understand how people can abuse power this way.
Have you heard about(/seen/posted about) The Judge Rotenberg Center (in MA, with branches in NY, VA, TX, etc)? Children with autism, depression, behavioral disorders, self-injurious behavior, etc are treated with “aversive” conditioning, ie, an electric shock device that delivers a shock for bad behavior, including swearing or hair twirling which are seen as “antecedents” to this behavior.
It was originally posted in Mother Jones and the Texas Observer. Link
Mother Jones has some sidebar articles:
Nagging? Zap. Swearing? Zap
Why Can’t Mass Shut Matthew Israel Down?
How A Cult Spawned The Tough Love Teen Industry
Experts on Self-Injurious Kids Question Matthew Israel’s Methods
What Works for Troubled Teens?
The founder, Dr Israel, wrote a 3-page response to the article, which was then fact-checked here.
This is actually how I found your blog, as I had posted in my LJ several times about how horrified I was, prompting a long discussion, and one of my friends mentioned your research. I’ve been watching for a while. This subject is extra-close to my heart because my mother is a specialist in abusive head trauma, and a consultant on matters of child abuse as a whole.
Anyway, I thought the topic might be one of interest.
December 15, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Thanks so much for the links. Yes, I have heard of the JRC, that’s the place where they use cattle prods on kids and call it “aversive” conditioning as you say.
Personal experiences aside, it reminds me of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, where Harding elucidates a connection between butchering cows and electroshock.
This topic is definitely relevant, I’ll try to write something about it later.
Cheers for reading, hope to hear from you again.
January 1, 2009 at 6:44 pm
This is very horrible, however sadly even some public schools in the past decades of the 70s and even 80s were common places of horrible abuse, which at the time was just “how to deal with things”. Rest assured I am in NO WAY stating this behavior is acceptable. I am just curious as to if there are any more recent stories of abuse at Green Chimneys? Perhaps they did change their approach, on their website it says they have a training program that goes into public schools to help them “change their climate” with troubled youth, I can’t imagine that this program preaches harsh methods. I am impressed with the responders who survived what sounds like nightmarish conditions! Please keep your voices and stories out there, strong survivors will help prevent these horrors from happening in the future!
May 18, 2009 at 11:38 am
I was a student of green chimneys school from late early to 90s. through those years i reported several cases of abuse against myself and other students. I was both physically and sexually abused! I watched a staff member punch a student in the face then fired and rehired within 2 weeks! And also another staff member who assaulted another student with a pad lock. there are hundreds and thousands of reported and unreported cases of abuse at Green Chimneys school in Brewster , NY. I was sexually abused at Green Chimneys School several times over a long period of time, while there executives and board members carelessly and neglectfully allowed to pass for so long. Green Chimneys has agreements with large drug companies which pay them millions to allow there students to become test subjects of there prescription drugs. Many cases large and small are pushed under the carpet never to to be made public! I say that any former student reading this who experienced what you feel to be abuse, do not hesitate to take legal action against the leaders of this organization.