Head of School Using Electric Shocks Forced to Resign

[one...two...tree 2,762]

A few years ago, Mother Jones published Jennifer Gonnertman's year-long investigation of the Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC), a Massachusetts private school for special needs kids that uses painful electric shocks for discipline. Despite the story's impact, and despite several state and federal investigations, the school remains open. Currently the school receives state funds to educate and care for children with a wide range of conditions. Some are severely autistic or schizophrenic, while others are simply troubled teens whose rebellious behavior was too much for the public school system to handle. But regardless of their mental or physical capacities, the school has a one-size-fits-all treatment for about half of its students: electric shocks.

JRC has weathered attacks for 40 years, but there are signs that the wind may be changing: Earlier this month, school founder and executive director Matthew Israel announced he is stepping down as of June 1. In a statement, Israel said, "I am now almost 78 years old, and it is time for me to move over and let others take the reins." Israel will reportedly be moving to California to join his wife, Judy Weber, who runs a special needs school called Tobinworld. In his official statement, Israel made no mentions of the recent charges plaguing the school, but it's been discovered that his resignation is part of a plea bargain to spare himself jail time.

As the Boston Herald reports, Israel agreed to resign and to undergo "five years of pre-trial probation to settle charges accusing him of interfering with an investigation..." The investigation in question is a 2007 incident in which someone pretending to be a JRC supervisor prank-called the school and ordered administrators to shock two special needs teens. The administrators gave one teen 29 shocks, and the other 77. And though the school will tell you the shocks feel like a bee sting, Gonnerman says it feels more like a swarm of wasps attacking.

There is 24/7 video surveillance of all students and staff, so these actions should have been easily preserved as evidence. However, Massachusetts attorney general Martha Coakley indicted Israel on charges that he ordered staff to destroy video footage of the incident. "Dr. Israel then attempted to destroy evidence of the events and mislead investigators, and that conduct led to his indictments today," she told the Guardian. "Today's action removes Dr. Israel from the school and should ensure better protection for students in the future."

By agreeing to leave the school, Israel was able to avoid incarceration, but his departure doesn't necessarily mean that things at the school will change immediately. As part of the deal, there will be additional checks in place to make sure incidents similar to the 2007 event don't recur, but the shock devices will still be allowed. JRC is currently looking for a replacement for Israel. Until then, his longtime, trusted, second-in-command Glenda Crookes will run the school. Hope she's up to the task: even though Israel's gone, the Department of Justice still has an open investigation of the school for violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act.

http://motherjones.c...n-school-shocks

[Vi-Jay 218]

Freaking inhumane.

[Vi-Jay 218]

I coouldn't think of anything else to write 'cause I was speechless due to disbelief.

There are monsters in this world. They are called Humans.

[Danno 1,228]

I coouldn't think of anything else to write 'cause I was speechless due to disbelief.

There are monsters in this world. They are called Humans.

Exactly who are the Monsters, the State or the School?

<<< As part of the deal, there will be additional checks in place to make sure incidents similar to the 2007 event don't recur, but the shock devices will still be allowed.>>>

Even if one takes the "Mother Jones" reporting at face value, what do we have here?

-A school was investigated.

-video footage was possibly destroyed.

-A near 80 year old man retired.

-With a few additional checks the program continues with the second in command, taking over.

People all across this country and no doubt many VJ'er are firm believers in electric shock training on members of their family (Their pets) with various containment systems... "Invisible fencing" and the like.

In a normal school setting, Electric Shock as a training method sounds far out, but in these specialized schools where traditional methods can't work.... apparently this -Electric stimulation, does.... or it would not continue.

These methods have been used to train animals for decades, in fact go to any Bass Pro store and you will see a large assortment of "shock collars".

The settings on these can range from a mild tingle increasingly up to a actual JOLT, should animals determination persist.

As the potential for abuse is obvious,

Naturally, any such program must be laden with oversight, documentation and strict policy guidelines.

Investigations like these often turn into witch-hunts, the fact that nothing meaningful ever came from the long investigation tells us more about the situation ...than this Mother Jones story did.

As the potential for abuse is obvious,

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Sounds like torture to me

[Danno 1,228]

Sounds like torture to me

It could be, but anything taken too far would be torture ... even making kids eat too much school lunch.

YOu do know similar devices are used in Muscle therapy?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

But this isn't muscle therapy, it's punishment. You can't relativise the two, much as you might want to try.

[Danno 1,228]

But this isn't muscle therapy, it's punishment. You can't relativise the two, much as you might want to try.

So even the slightest tingle, the smallest electro sensation is "torture" in your mind?

Edited May 28, 2011 by Danno

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Using pain as disciplinary punishment is torture Danno. I'm sure you can read more into those words than is there.

[Danno 1,228]

Using pain as disciplinary punishment is torture Danno. I'm sure you can read more into those words than is there.

Whatever you say.

torture |ˈtôr ch ər|

noun

the action or practice of inflicting severe pain on someone as a punishment or to force them to do or say something, or for the pleasure of the person inflicting the pain.

• great physical or mental suffering or anxiety : the torture I've gone through because of loving you so.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Put the dictionary away Danno. I know what the word means, that's why I used it.

[Danno 1,228]

Put the dictionary away Danno. I know what the word means, that's why I MIS-used it.

I think you miss-type but I fixed it for you.

Edited May 28, 2011 by Danno

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

You've proven that you're a fool.

[Danno 1,228]

You've proven that you're a fool.

I think the dictionary highlighted who the fool was quite nicely.

[Little_My 464]

Using electric shocks - or any other method that is meant to inflict pain - on children as a way of teaching them right from wrong is not only cruel, inhumane and borderline medieval, but also entirely absurd in terms of the wished results.

No child will not grow up to be a fully functioning, stable member of society if he/she is "trained" through pain. A special needs child stands even less of a chance to ever be able to integrate into society and reach any kind of level of functionality, if these types of measures are implemented. Teaching a child anything through installing fear in them is utterly and entirely wrong, and really never works. Children who grow up scared and are thought "right and wrong" through physical pain more often than not end up using violence and inflicting pain as a way of coping in the society themselves. Whether or not you want to label using electric shocks as "torture" is your business - personally, I would. Even if it would not be considered as "torture" in the dictionary definition sense of the term, it is cruel and should be illegal.

Also, Danno; I am a full proponent of animal rights and do not believe electric shocks should be used to train animals either. However, children are not animals. We do not "train"our children the way we train our dogs. If something works on an animal, it does not mean it is a good idea to adopt the same measure in raising children. Using electric shock dog collars as an example was just.. wrong. And depressing.