tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605961329669167895.post1403581737635390830..comments2024-03-21T13:38:52.948+01:00Comments on Tales from the black school: necolumen at Discovery AcademyGitteHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13182907413970200718noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605961329669167895.post-3327982181092756002016-04-23T05:02:14.551+02:002016-04-23T05:02:14.551+02:00I also attended Discovery Academy from December 19...I also attended Discovery Academy from December 1999 to January 2000. I am now 32 and the memories from this place still haunt me. DA had a practice of locking children in an isolated unit for weeks at a time, refusing to turn the lights off. I was deprived of sleep and food when I disagreed with their rules. The staff that runs this place are in their early 20's and they are as mature as the students that are forced to go there. <br /><br />The staff encouraged bullying, and fights were a daily occurrence. One staff member, Dan even encouraged students to fight in the large classroom after the teachers had left for the evening. I also saw a male student get raped by 2 other students. A few female students claimed that they were raped by the counsellors, and I completely believe these allegations. <br /><br />I watched a 14 year old girl get injected by a drug that made her pass out, after that 2 male counsellors brought her into the isolation unit. A few days later, she claimed she was raped and they left her in this unit for a few more weeks before she was transferred to another program.<br /><br />This school controls how long you are forced to stay by limiting the amount of classes you can take, I was actually punished for studying. If you completed too many units in a week, you would be forced to stand in front of a wall for days or weeks at a time. I actually spent my Easter weekend starring at a wall for studying too much, I still have back issues from this today. <br /><br />There was also a counsellor that provided the students with ecstasy on more than one occassion, he also provided students with alcohol. I left this place with more issues than I came with. A staff member was convicted of raping a student who was 16 at the time. You can find this conviction online if you search for, "Orem resident arrested for attempted rape of a 16 year old". This place abused children, and then dismissed the claims as displaced anger.<br /><br />I was personally jumped by 4 students when I first attended the school, I was beaten and the counsellors just watched and laughed. Another student was beaten so severely that he suffered permanent brain damage and talked with a slur for the remainder of the time that I attended. Of course the staff did their best to dismiss this as "boys will be boys" his parents obviously didn't want anything to do with him, very sad.<br /><br />I learned very quickly that I would have to literally fight every single day to survive this place. I was sent here because my parents did not want to take responsibility for raising their own child. Sure I skipped class a few times and I smoked weed here and there, when I left I couldn't relate to people, and within 2 years of leaving I was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon. Prior to going to this school I had never been in a fight in my life, by the time I left, at least 50. I started communicating with words and used my fists instead, sadly as aforementioned, this was encouraged by the staff.<br /><br />The children here would routine play a game of passing each-other out at night. I saw one kid convulse for almost 5 minutes. I am certain that these activities kill more brain cells than your kid smoking weed with his friends on the weekends. <br /><br />Don't be a fool, if you send your child here, they will come home with more issues than they were sent there with. I have been in contact with a handful of the students I went here with, and they all have the same issues I have or have had. Many of them ended up in jail or worse. <br /><br />These years are the most important years of your child's life in terms of mental development. Do you want your children raised by 21 year olds? Wake up people, don't convince yourself that you are doing the right thing, be a parent, that is what your child needs right now.<br />C.P.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16845403242679918211noreply@blogger.com