A gay high school stunt was allegedly raped months after plats of bullyg fell of af ears, acrdg to a lawsu filed by the boy's mother.
Contents:
- RAPE OF GAY HIGH SCHOOL STUNT WAS IGNORED, ACRDG TO LAWSU
- THIS GAY TEEN WAS RAPED
- FEATURED FICTN
- RAP, DAILY BEATGS, AND NO ESPE: CHRISTIAN SCHOOL WAS HELL FOR THE BOYSUNGODLYBLUE CREEK AMY WAS AN ABIVE HELL ON EARTH, FORMER STUNTS SAY—AND THE PRCIPAL WHO RAN IS NOW HEADG UP A NEW BIBLE SCHOOL ANOTHER STATE.BRANDY ZADROZNYUPDATED JUL. 12, 2017 7:42PM EDT / PUBLISHED JUN. 12, 2016 12:01AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEASTJAB* DRSED HIMSELF A MOUFLAGE JACKET AND A MATCHG BEANIE ON THE SUMMER MORNG HE RAN AWAY TO THE WT VIRGIA HILLS. AT 14 YEARS OLD, HE WAS ONE OF THE YOUNGT, SMALLT, AND LONGT-ATTENDG STUNTS AT BLUE CREEK AMY, A RELIG REFORM SCHOOL FOR BOYS OM WHICH HE WAS SPERATE TO PE.BLUE CREEK AMY WAS MA UP OF AN OLD SCHOOLHOE AND SEVERAL BS SUATED ON A REMOTE MPGROUND CENTRAL WT VIRGIA. A MISSN OF THE NEARBY INPENNT FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST CHURCH, PASTOR JAM WALCK ADVERTISED BLUE CREEK AS AN “ALTERNATIVE TO TODAY'S GENERATE, SECULAR CULTURE AND TN METHODS,” AND TOOK BOYS WHO HAD BEEN TROUBLE AT HOME—BOTH LOLLY AND OM AS FAR AWAY AS TEXAS—TO BE REFORMED. ITS PRCIPAL, 35-YEAR-OLD JR THOMPSON, HAD REOPENED THE CHURCH’S MPGROUNDS 2010, RENAMED BLUE CREEK AMY, AND MARKETED THE BOARDG SCHOOL, WHICH HE RAN WH HIS WIFE, HANNAH, AS A GODLY ANSWER FOR “AT-RISK” TEENS WH EMOTNAL AND BEHAVRAL DISABILI AND CHRISTIAN PARENTS WH $1,000 A MONTH TO SPEND ON THEIR SALVATN.“WE N’T WA TO WATCH GOD MOVE AS HE HELPS SNATCH TROUBLED SOULS OUT OF SATAN’S HAND,” THOMPSON WROTE ON THE SCHOOL’S NOW-FUNCT WEBSE.WHAT THE BOYS FOUND WHEN THEY GOT TO BLUE CREEK AMY WAS SOMETHG ELSE ENTIRELY—AN ALL-TOO-MON STORY FOR VICTIMS OF LTER ROLOFF-SPIRED HOM, WHICH THRIVE AS PART OF THE UNREGULATED RELIG TEEN REFORM DTRY. ALONG WH A STRICT BIBLE-BASED CURRICULUM, BOYS AT BLUE CREEK AMY WERE ALLEGEDLY SUBJECT TO ISOLATN, PHYSIL BEATGS AND MISTREATMENT, AND AT LEAST TWO STUNTS REPORTED SEXUAL ABE BY ANOTHER STUNT, ACRDG TO URT DOCUMENTS OM A PENDG CIVIL SE BROUGHT AGAST THE SCHOOL BY ONE BOY’S GUARDIAN; PLATS AND REPORTS OM WT VIRGIA'S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN ROURC OBTAED THROUGH A FREEDOM OF INFORMATN ACT REQUT BY THE DAILY BEAST; AND TERVIEWS—WH A LAWYER REPRENTG THREE BLUE CREEK AMY STUNTS, THREE OTHER FORMER STUNTS, ONE PARENT, AND THE KANAWHA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.ONCE AT BLUE CREEK, THE BOYS WERE CUT OFF PLETELY OM THE OUTSI WORLD, FORMER STUNTS AND THEIR REPRENTATIV CLAIM. BUNKERED DILAPIDATED QUARTERS THAT WERE FTED WH RATS AND MICE, THE BOYS WEREN’T PERMTED TO SPEAK PUBLIC UNLS WAS TO SG HYMNS FOR LOL CHURCH AND THE ELRLY. THEY WEREN’T TAKEN TO THE DOCTOR, AND THEIR LLS HOME WERE MONORED TO TERCEPT ANY UNHAPPY TIDGS. WHEN THE BOYS WEREN’T GOG TO CHURCH, DOG MANUAL LABOR, OR MEMORIZG BIBLE VERS, THEY WERE A KD OF SCHOOL—SEATED SKS FACG THE WALL, PLETG BIBLE-BASED AMIC WORKBOOKS FOR HOURS.STAFF AT BLUE CREEK AMY TED CHILDREN G THE ACCELERATED CHRISTIAN EDUTN (A.C.E.) CURRICULUM, OM A HOMCHOOLG SUPPLY PANY WHOSE WORKBOOKS PROMOTE THE BIBLE AS A LERAL HISTORY BOOK AND STRS CREATNISM AS SCIENCE. (AT ONE TIME THE PANY EVEN ED THE LOCH NS MONSTER TO “DISPROVE” DARW’S THEORY OF EVOLUTN.) FOLLOWG A.C.E. GUIL, SKS FACED THE WALL, AND WERE UALLY SURROUND BY DIVIRS TO BLOCK OUT ANY DISTRACTNS.“THEY BASILLY HAND YOU A BOOK AND SAID, ‘LEARN,’” ONE FORMER STUNT, WHO ASKED NOT TO BE NAMED, TOLD THE DAILY BEAST.IN LI OF TEACHERS, ACE ONLY REQUIR “FACILATORS” TO CHECK STUNTS WORK AND RERD GRAS, BUT EVEN THAT WAS NEGLECTED AT BLUE CREEK, ACRDG TO SEVERAL STUNTS WHO TOLD THE DAILY BEAST THEIR TIME AT THOMPSON’S SCHOOL HAD TO BE MA UP ONCE THEY RETURNED TO PUBLIC SCHOOL BEE NONE OF THEIR WORK “UNTED.” EVEN THE DIRECTOR’S ADOPTED SON, 19-YEAR-OLD JT THOMPSON, WHO LIVED AT BLUE CREEK STARTG 2010, TOLD THE DAILY BEAST OVER FACEBOOK CHAT, “I PASSED HIGH SCHOOL BUT [JR THOMPSON] NEVER KEPT A LOT ON RERD, SO I HAVE NO PROOF.” BUT THE TNAL NEGLECT WAS NOTHG PARED TO THE PUNISHMENTS GIVEN BY THOMPSON, FORMER STUNTS ALLEGE.BOYS WHO ACTED OUT, OR REFED TO OBEY, MIGHT HAVE THEIR HEADS SHAVED LIKE JAB. ATTEMPTS TO N AWAY WERE ALLEGEDLY PENALIZED WH FOOD: AN ALL-BEAN OR ASPARAG DIET OR BEG MA TO CHUG WATER THEN NIED E OF THE BATHROOM. THEY WERE ALL ALLEGEDLY BEATEN—WH BARE HANDS, PADDL, AND BOARDS. JAB—WHOSE NEW GUARDIAN IS NOW SUG THOMPSON AND WALCK FOR THE MALTREATMENT THE BOY ALLEGEDLY ENDURED THERE— SAID HE WAS THROWN TO A WALL WHEN HE WOULDN’T NFS TO BREAKG A BENCH.“MR. THOMPSON WAS VERY AGGRSIVE WHEN ME TO PADDLGS,” SAID ONE FORMER STUNT, REACHED THROUGH FACEBOOK, WHO SAYS HE WAS SENT TO BLUE CREEK AMY FOR DRKG AND SMOKG POT. THE BOY, WHO ASKED NOT TO BE NAMED BEE OF HIS REMAG TI TO BLUE CREEK STAFF, SAID THAT HE WAS H NEARLY EVERY DAY WH THOMPSON'S BARE HANDS OR A TWO-CH THICK WOOD PLANK WH HOL THEY LLED “THE HILLBILLY HOT SEAT” FOR LYG, OR CURSG, EVEN SGG A SECULAR SONG THE SHOWER.“IT WAS HELL,” HE SAID. “THEY FORCED UNWANTED RELIGN ON , MA DO LABOR THAT WE HATED, AND MA N UP AND DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. THEY ED A BOARD TO H IF WE DIDN'T DO WHAT WE WERE ASKED,” HE SAID.AT LEAST TWO OF THE BOYS THERE WERE THE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABE. AS TAILED ON AN TAKE FORM OM THE DIVISN OF CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVIC, OBTAED BY A FOIA REQUT OM THE DAILY BEAST, A 17-YEAR-OLD BOY—WHO WAS SENT TO BLUE CREEK OM ANOTHER TEEN REFORM SCHOOL WISNS WHERE HE HAD BEEN ORIGALLY PLACED AND SUBSEQUENTLY BOOTED FOR MOLTG BOYS—WAS SEXUALLY ABG TWO OF THE YOUNGER STUNTS 2012. THOMPSON—WHOM TWO FORMER BLUE CREEK FAI FLT WH FAILG TO SUPERVISE A KNOWN ABER—DID REPORT THE OLR BOY TO POLICE. WHEN QUTNED, THE OLR BOY ADMTED TO THOMPSON AND POLICE THAT HE HAD RAPED ONE BOY AND MOLTED ANOTHER; HE WAS ARRTED AND SENT TO A JUVENILE TENTN CENTER, WHERE HE WAS CHARGED WH FOUR UNTS OF 3RD GREE SEXUAL ASSLT AND THREE UNTS OF 1ST GREE SEXUAL ABE.A SEPARATE ALLEGATN OF SEXUAL ASSLT BY A DIFFERENT BOY AT BLUE CREEK AMY IS STILL CURRENTLY UNR VTIGATN, ACRDG TO SGT. BRIAN HUMPHREYS, THE PUBLIC RMATN OFFICER FOR THE KANAWHA SHERIFF'S OFFICE.BLUE CREEK ADMISTRATORS HAD THEIR OWN PERSONAL HISTORY WH CPS: ONE HAD BEEN VTIGATED FOR THE ALLEGED SEXUAL ABE OF HIS BLOGIL CHILDREN, WHILE ANOTHER HAD BEEN REPORTED FOR UNSPECIFIED ALLEGATNS AGAST HIS ADOPTED SON. BOTH VTIGATNS WERE CLOSED AS “PLETE.”ON THE TAKE FORM, THE CPS VTIGATOR NOTED THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH SUPERVISN AT THE SCHOOL AND TOOK ISSUE WH THE POLICY OF RPORAL PUNISHMENT, BUT NEHER NCERN WAS ENOUGH TO REMOVE THE CHILDREN. BIS, WHERE WOULD THEY GO? “THE PARENTS OF ALL THE BOYS DO NOT SEEM TERTED G TO GET ANY OF THEM,” THE WORKER WROTE. BUT JAB WANTED OUT. SO HE WAED UNTIL THE MORNG OF JUNE, 10, 2014 WHEN THOMPSON WOULD BE OFF MP. AS THE OTHER BOYS GATHERED FOR PRAYERS AND SCHOOL, JAB WENT BACK TO HIS B, TELLG THEM HE HAD FOTTEN TO BSH HIS TEETH. THEN HE MA A N FOR . WHEN THE STAFF AT BCA REALIZED JAB HAD N, THEY LLED THOMPSON BACK TO LOOK FOR HIM. AFTER HOURS OF ULS SEARCHG, THOMPSON LLED LOL LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHO HELPED HIM SEARCH THE SURROUNDG WOODS—BUT JAB WAS GONE.THE NEXT EVENG, A MAN FOUND JAB BEGGG FOR CHANGE AT A NEIGHBORG UNTY SUPERMARKET 10 OM BLUE CREEK AND LLED CLAY COUNTY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVIC. JAB SMELLED FOUL AND THE SOL OF HIS SHO HAD BEEN WORN BARE OM NNG. HE WAS HUNGRY, DIRTY, AND SRED, ACRDG TO THE CPS TAKE FORM. JAB BEGGED THE SHERIFF NOT TO SEND HIM BACK.KANAWHA COUNTY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVIC WENT OUT TO VTIGATE JAB’S ABE ALLEGATNS AND TERVIEW THE BOYS AT BLUE CREEK. WHEN THEY GOT PAST THOMPSON, WHO IALLY REFED TO LET THEM THE DOOR, THEY FOUND SEVEN BOYS WHO ALL DISCLOSED ALLEGATNS OF ABE AND NEGLECT BY THOMPSON. THE SEWORKER WROTE THAT, HER TERVIEWS, THE CHILDREN TOLD HER THOMPSON HAD LEFT MARKS OM BEATGS AND HIS POOR SUPERVISN ALLOWED FOR THE MOLTATN OF SEVERAL CHILDREN; GUNS, DGS, AND ALHOL WERE ALSO BEG BROUGHT ON MPGROUNDS. THE OFFICIAL FDG WAS MALTREATMENT.“THERE WAS A LACK OF OVERSIGHT,” SAID TROY GIATRAS, THE ATTORNEY LIGATG A SE FOR JAB’S GUARDIAN AGAST THOMPSON, WALCK, AND BLUE CREEK AMY. “THE RPORAL PUNISHMENT, THE MANUAL LABOR, THE ISOLATN, AND THE ALLEGATNS OF ABE THAT WERE NEVER VTIGATED? OTHER KIDS HAVE REACHED OUT TO , SO I KNOW THIS ISN’T AN ISOLATED CINT.”“YOU HAVE A PLACE THAT IS OPERATG WHOUT A GOOD CHARTER AND NOT WELL SUPERVISED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN ROURC, AND PARENTS WH TROUBLED KIDS WHO ARE EXPECTG A RELIG SCHOOL TO HELP.”NO ONE OM BLUE CREEK CHOSE TO MENT FOR THIS STORY. CALLS TO WACK AND BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH, AND LLS AND EMAILS SENT TO JR THOMPSON, HIS WIFE HANNAH, AND TWO OTHER UPL WHO WORKED AT THE MP DURG THE TIME OF ALLEGED ABE WERE ALSO NOT RETURNED. IN ANSWERS TO A NUMBER OF PENDG LAWSUS, HOWEVER, CLUDG ONE ON BEHALF OF JAB, WALCK AND THOMPSON NY ALL CHARG OF NEGLECT OR MISTREATMENT OF THE BOYS AT BLUE CREEK AMY.AFTER HER TERVIEWS, WH THE HELP OF THE KANAWHA COUNTY SHERIFF, THE CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVIC SEWORKER BROUGHT THE KIDS TO A PIZZA PARLOR WHILE THEY ANIZED A RETURN TO THEIR HOM.WHILE THE CHILDREN ULD BE REMOVED—BEE BLUE CREEK WAS UNLICENSED AS A RINTIAL HOME—THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAI HAD NO POWER TO SHUT THE BOARDG SCHOOL DOWN. LIKE THOANDS OF OTHER RELIG PRIVATE SCHOOLS AROUND THE UNTRY—MANY OF WHICH BEE HAVENS FOR ABE—BLUE CREEK AMY OPERATED UNLICENSED, UNREGULATED, AND WHOLLY UNMONORED BY THE STATE. THE ONLY AVENUE FOR CLOSURE RTED WH THE BOARD OF EDUTN, AN ENTY THAT UNTIL THEN, HAD ALSO HAD MIMAL TERACTN WH THE SCHOOL.AS MANY OTHER STAT, RELIG PRIVATE SCHOOLS WT VIRGIA AREN’T HELD TO THE SAME STANDARDS AS THEIR NONRELIG UNTERPARTS. THOUGH THE WAYS WHICH THEY ARE EXEMPT VARI OM STATE TO STATE, FOR MANY SCHOOLS THAT OPERATE WH A RELIG MISSN—80 PERCENT OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS NATNWI—ACCREDATN OR LICENSG, THE HIRG OF CERTIFIED TEACHERS OR THE APPROVAL OF CURRICULUM, OR EVEN SIMPLY NOTIFYG THE STATE AS TO S EXISTENCE IS PLETELY VOLUNTARY.“IT’S A LTLE SRY WHEN YOU THK ABOUT ,” BETTY JORDAN, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO WT VIRGIA’S EDUTN SUPERTENNT TOLD THE DAILY BEAST, EXPLAG BLUE CREEK’S “EXEMPTN K STAT,” A TEGORY THAT SIMPLY REQUIR ANY RELIG SCHOOL TO SEND A LETTER TO THE STATE OF S TENT TO OPERATE AND FILE ANNUAL TT SR.“THERE IS VERY VERY LIMED OVERSIGHT. ACTUALLY THERE IS NO OVERSIGHT. SO BASILLY IF I WANTED TO TOMORROW, I ULD WRE A LETTER TO THE STATE SAYG I WANT TO OPEN A SCHOOL AND I ULD OPEN A SCHOOL.”THERE ARE 130 SUCH SCHOOLS WT VIRGIA. JORDAN SAID THE EXEMPTNS ARE “HARDLY EVER” REVOKED.STATE SUPERTENNT MICHAEL MARTIRANO DID IATE BLUE CREEK’S CLOSURE, BY REVOKG BLUE CREEK’S EXEMPTN STAT SHORTLY AFTER THE CHILDREN WERE REMOVED. AND HIS SEPTEMBER 2014 REVOTN LETTER, MARTIRANO OSTENSIBLY PUT AN END TO ANY IAS OF BLUE CREEK REOPENG. HE WROTE: “DUE TO THE EGREG NATURE OF THE NON-PLIANCE, CHILDREN'S HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE, ANY FUTURE ATTEMPTS BY THE SCHOOL TO SEEK RESTATEMENT OF THE EXEMPTN STAT WILL BE NIED BY THIS OFFICE.”NOTABLY, THE SUPERTENNT HAD SHUTTERED ANOTHER SCHOOL 75 SOUTH OF BLUE CREEK AMY THE MONTH BEFORE, AFTER 26 YEARS OF OPERATN. MARTIRANO FORCED MIRACLE MEADOWS, A SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST BOARDG SCHOOL FOR “AT RISK” BOYS AND GIRLS OM 6 TO 17 YEARS OLD, TO CLOSE AFTER A DHHR VTIGATN FOUND THAT SCHOOL OFFICIALS HAD FAILED TO REPORT AN STANCE OF SEXUAL ABE OF ONE STUNT BY ANOTHER AND THAT A SCHOOL JANOR HAD RTRAED STUNTS HANDCUFFS UNTIL THEIR WRISTS BLED AND CHOKED OTHERS WHO MISBEHAVED. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN ROURC HAD RECEIVED 13 FORMAL PLATS ABOUT THE SCHOOL SCE 2009, FOUR OF WHICH ALLEGED SEXUAL MISNDUCT, ACRDG TO AN ASSOCIATED PRS REPORT ON RERDS OBTAED UNR THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATN ACT.MIRACLE MEADOWS’ FORMER DIRECTOR SAN GAYLE CLARK, 69, PLED GUILTY THIS YEAR TO THREE MISMEANORS UNTS OF CHILD NEGLECT CREATG A SUBSTANTIAL RISK OF JURY, FAILURE TO REPORT BY A MANDATED REPORTER, AND OBSTCTG A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. SHE WAS SENTENCED TO SIX MONTHS AND 30 DAYS PRISON. ABE AT RELIG SCHOOLS LIKE BLUE CREEK AMY AND MIRACLE MEADOWS IS UNRREPORTED AND IGHTENGLY PREVALENT, ACRDG TO MARCI HATON, A PROFSOR AT THE CARDOZO SCHOOL OF LAW AT YHIVA UNIVERSY AND THOR OF GOD VS THE GAVEL: THE PERILS OF EXTREME RELIG LIBERTY.“THE SMALL STUTNS N BE VERY DANGERO TO KIDS BEE THEY ARE ISOLATED AND FLY UNR THE RADAR,” HATON TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. BEE SOME FUNDAMENTALIST PARENTS AGREE WH PHYSIL ABE AS DISCIPLE AND SEXUAL ABE IS OFTEN ALT WH TERNALLY OR VERED UP, HATON SAID, N BE “EASY FOR THE GROUPS TO GET AWAY WH FOR QUE A WHILE, WHILE ENDANGERG A SERI OF CHILDREN.”“THIS IS A MON PROBLEM, WHICH LLS FOR A NATNAL COMMISSN ON CHILD SEX ABE AND FOR STAT TO WORK MORE OPERATIVELY ON TRACKG ENTI THAT PERM AND FOMENT CHILD SEX ABE AND NEGLECT.”INED, A LACK OF OPERATN BY STAT IS THE VERY THG THAT ALLOWS ABIVE CHRISTIAN TEEN REFORM HOM CLOSED BY THORI ONE STATE TO BE REOPENED ANOTHER, SOMETIM G THE SAME NAME, AND EQUENTLY N BY THE SAME OPERATORS. AFTER OL KG PLED “NO NTT” TO CHARG SOUTH CAROLA STEMMG OM THE ISOLATN, IMPRISONMENT, AND BEATGS OF CHILDREN HIS RE AT THE NEW BETHANY BAPTIST SCHOOL FOR BOYS 1984, HE PACKED UP AND MOVED, OPENG THE APTLY-NAMED SEND CHANCE RANCH DANBURY, NORTH CAROLA. A STATE BILL THAT WOULD HAVE LICENSED SUCH BOARDG SCHOOLS PROPOSED RPONSE TO NEW BETHANY’S CLOSG WAS PROTTED BY LOL PASTORS WHO LLED AN “TSN TO EEDOM OF THE CHURCH’S RIGHTS.” TODAY SOUTH CAROLA IS ONE OF THE STAT THAT EXEMPTS RELIG SCHOOLS OM LICENSG L THAT ERN OTHER RINTIAL YOUTH HOM.IN 2009, A LTER ROLOFF DISCIPLE, PASTOR JACK PATTERSON, WAS FORCED TO CLOSE HIS TOUGH-LOVE BOARDG SCHOOL, RECLAMATN RANCH ALABAMA, AFTER ALLEGATNS OF TORTURE AND A POLICE RAID THAT TURNED UP GUNS AND SHACKL. AS PART OF A PLEA AL, PATTERSON TRAD A FELONY AGGRAVATED CHILD ABE FOR A VERBAL HARASSMENT MISMEANOR AND A $500 FE. THOUGH HE DID CLOSE RECLAMATN RANCH, PATTERSON OPENED A HOME FOR ADULT MEN S PLACE, MATAED HIS SCHOOL FOR GIRLS NEARBY, AND TOLD A MOTHER JON REPORTER 2011, HE PLANNED TO OPEN MORE HOM OH, FLORIDA, AND MICHIGAN. IN 2012, ALEXANDRA ZAYAS, A PULZER PRIZE FALIST FOR HER REPORTG ON RELIG BOARDG SCHOOLS THE STATE, WROTE THAT FLORIDA PREACHER CLAYTON "BUDDY" MAYNARD WAS HOG FIVE CHILDREN WHEN, JT TWO YEARS EARLIER HIS ISOLATED HERAGE BOYS AMY HAD BEEN CLOSED AFTER A STATE VTIGATN FOUND THAT BOYS HAD BEEN ABED THERE, CLUDG ONE BOY WHO WAS WHIPPED 1,330 TIM. “NONE OF THE STATE AGENCI THAT OVERSEE SUCH FACILI WERE AWARE THE CHURCH WAS RG FOR CHILDREN,” ZAYAS WROTE.AND FLORIDA PASTOR RS COOKSTON’S LIGHTHOE MISTRI SCHOOL WAS CLOSED 2013 AFTER BEG PLAGUED WH ALLEGATNS OF PHYSIL AND SEXUAL ABE AND SOLARY NFEMENT. ACRDG TO HIS FACEBOOK AND LKEDIN PAG, THOUGH, ONE MONTH AFTER HE CLOSED UP HIS SHOP THE SMALL TOWN OF JAY, HE WAS WORKG AS AN ASSOCIATE PASTOR AT A MASTER’S RANCH, A HOME FOR TROUBLED BOYS MISSOURI, A STATE WH NOTORLY LAX CHILD WELFARE LAWS.IN AN TERVIEW WH THE DAILY BEAST, MASTER’S RANCH ADMISTRATOR DAVID BOSLEY NFIRMED COOKSTON’S POSN AS A SENR STAFF MEMBER, PRAISG HIM AS “ALMOST TOO GENTLE FOR THIS JOB,” “EXTREMELY KD,” AND “EXTREMELY PATIENT.”“I DO KNOW WHEN YOU GET THIS BS—AND I'VE BEEN WORKG WH KIDS FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS—THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS BE ACCED OF ABE BY SOMEONE,” BOSLEY SAID. “I FIRMLY BELIEVE EVERY STUNT SHOULD BE HEARD AND EVERY ALLEGATN THOROUGHLY VTIGATED FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL KIDS, BUT YOU'RE ALWAYS GOG TO HAVE ONE OR TWO DISGNTLED KIDS OR PARENTS WHO ARE TRYG TO FD A WAY OUT OF THE PROGRAM OR WHO JT HATE YOU FOR TRYG TO HELP HIM.”THE GOVERNMENT ACUNTABILY OFFICE FOUND THOANDS OF ALLEGATNS OF ABE AT TEEN REFORM HOM AND MPS OM 1990 TO 2007, SOME OF WHICH VOLVED THE ATH OF A YOUNG PERSON. THE 2007 REPORT WAS UNABLE TO PROVI A SPECIFIC NUMBER HOWEVER, AS “ ULD NOT LOTE A SGLE WEB SE, FERAL AGENCY, OR OTHER ENTY THAT LLECTS PREHENSIVE NATNWI DATA.” IN FACT, THE ONLY TRACKG OF THE TYP OF HOM AND THE ABE THAT OFTEN OCCURS THEM, OM BLOGGERS AND ADVOCY GROUPS.ANGELA SMH, 42, NS HEAL, ONE OF THE MOST PROMENT ANIZATNS WORKG TO EXPOSE AND ULTIMATELY CLOSE ABIVE YOUTH FACILI. BLUE CREEK AMY IS ONE OF SOME 500 PAST AND PRENT RINTIAL PROGRAMS THE U.S. THAT CURRENTLY MAKE UP HEAL’S WATCH-LIST OF DULENT AND ABIVE PROGRAMS THE U.S.“ABE IS RAMPANT BEE MANY OF THE FACILI OPERATE WH LTLE OR NO OVERSIGHT AND ACUNTABILY,” SMH SAID. EVEN THE STAT WH LICENSG BOARDS LIKE MONTANA AND UTAH, SHE SAID, ”THE PEOPLE WHO OWN AND OPERATE THE YOUTH PROGRAMS ARE THE ON DOG THE OVERSIGHT.” “THE FOX IS WATCHG THE HEN-HOE SO TO SPEAK.”NOBODY SEEMS TO BE WATCHG JR THOMPSON.BY THE TIME THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUTN MAILED THE REVOTN LETTER TO BLUE CREEK AMY, PRCIPAL THOMPSON HAD MOVED TO MONTANA, TO A THREE-BEDROOM SGLE FAY HOE ON 11 ACR DE BIA, A SIX-E-WI TOWN NEAR THE IDAHO BORR THAT, AS OF THE LAST CENS UNT, WAS HOME TO 78 PEOPLE. WH A YEAR, AND WH THE BLSG OF HIS “SENDG CHURCH” WT VIRGIA, THOMPSON HAD REGISTERED HIS NEW HOME AS CANAAN’S LAND BAPTIST CHURCH WH THE SECRETARY OF STATE. BY AUGT 2015, THE CANAAN’S LAND BOY’S RANCH, A NON-PUBLIC SENDARY SCHOOL, WAS REGISTERED AS A BS.“EVEN THOUGH OUR NAME IS CANAAN’S LAND BOYS RANCH, WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY A RANCH SETTG,” THOMPSON SAYS A VIO ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE $900-A-MONTH BOARDG SCHOOL NNG OUT OF HIS NEW HOME. “WE DO PLAN TO EXPAND AND MOVE TO A LOTN WHERE WE WILL BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE ANIMALS FOR THE BOYS TO WORK WH.”THERE IS SPACE FOR EIGHT CHILDREN, ACRDG THE CANAAN’S LAND BOYS RANCH WEBSE, AND SO FAR, TWO BOYS, AG 14 AND 15, CURRENTLY LIVE, GO TO CHURCH WH, AND ARE TED BY THE THOMPSONS. THE MORS BOTH APPEAR PROMOTNAL VIOS FOR CANAAN’S LAND BOYS RANCH, WHERE THEY CRY THEIR PAST LIV OF “DOG THE WRONG THGS,” AND BEG DISRPECTFUL TO THEIR PARENTS. THEY’RE WEARG BOWTI FACEBOOK PHOTOS AS THEY SG HYMNS WH THE THOMPSONS FOR A CHURCH DIENCE.THE EXISTENCE OF THOMPSON’S NEW ENAVOR ME AS A SURPRISE TO MONTANA SCHOOL OFFICIALS.“THIS IS THE FIRST I’VE HEARD ANYTHG ABOUT CANAAN'S LAND BOYS RANCH,” SAID MERAL COUNTY SUPERTENNT OF SCHOOLS MARY YARNALL, WHO EXPLAED THOMPSON HAS YET TO FILL OUT THE MIMAL PAPERWORK THE STATE REQUIR OM THE OPERATOR OF A BOARDG SCHOOL.“I WILL TRY FIGURE OUT AN ADDRS AND SEND HIM A PACKET. IF HE DON’T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, I N SEND THE SHERIFF TO AT LEAST MAKE HIM SIGN, BUT MONTANA THERE ISN’T A WHOLE LOT OF NSEQUENCE FOR NOT REGISTERG.”MONTANA’S NEGLIGIBLE YET UNENFORCEABLE TN REQUIREMENTS FOR RELIG PRIVATE SCHOOLS NO DOUBT APPEAL TO THOMPSON, WHO ACRDG TO HIS PSDONYMO ACTIVISM ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SEEMS PARTICULARLY KEEN ON SEPARATG HIMSELF AND HIS BOYS’ HOME OM ANY MORE ERNMENT MEDDLG.THOMPSON BLOGS UNR THE THE ALIAS NEHEMIAH FLYNT, “A CHRISTIAN THOR TERMED TO EXPOSE THE EVILS OF CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVIC,” ACRDG TO HIS FACEBOOK PAGE, WHICH HE MA PRIVATE FOLLOWG A REQUT FOR MENT FOR THIS STORY. IN A YOUTUBE VIO READG OM HIS BOOK, “LEGAL DISCRIMATN,” THOMPSON—SPEAKG AS FLYNT, WH HIS FACE BLURRED, BUT WH HIS CHARACTERISTIC SOUTHERN DRAWL TACT—DO SPEAK TO THE NTROVERSY AT BLUE CREEK SAYG, “FLYNT TOOK CHARGE OF A SUCCSFUL CHRISTIAN-BASED FACILY FOR AT-RISK YOUTHS. HE SOON, LEARNED, HOWEVER, THAT THE ERNMENT OF THE UNED STAT IS SO NARROW-MD THAT THEY WOULD STOP AT NOTHG TO CLOSE ANY FACILY OPERATG UNR MORAL OR RELIG PRCIPL DIFFERG OM THEIR OWN VILISH AGENDAS. ”“ONE ALLEGATN OM A NON-CREDIBLE SOURCE CHANGED EVERYTHG," HE SAYS THE VIO.NOW, ATTORNEY TROY GIATRAS SAYS HE’S REPRENTG AT LEAST THREE FORMER STUNTS AND THEIR PARENTS, WHO ARE HOPG SOMEONE AT THOMPSON’S FORMER BOARDG SCHOOL WILL HAVE TO ANSWER FOR WHAT WENT ON THERE.SCE BEG RNED WH HER SON AFTER THE RAID AT BLUE CREEK, ONE OF GIATRAS’ CLIENTS, CAROLYN*, 32, OM EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, HAS WRTEN AND LLED EVERY LOL, STATE, AND FERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICE AND LAWMAKER THAT SHE KNOWS, LOOKG FOR SOMEONE WHO WILL HOLD THE OPERATORS OF BLUE CREEK AMY ACUNTABLE FOR THE ABE SHE SAYS HER SON WHSTOOD THERE FOR 17 MONTHS, AND TO MAKE SURE DON’T HAPPEN TO OTHER CHILDREN.“THEY DODGED MY LLS,” SHE SAID. “THEY TOLD ME THAT ME AND MY SON SHOULD BE LUCKY, THAT I GOT HIM BACK AND THEY DON’T HAVE TIME TO DO ANYTHG ELSE, THAT THEIR WORK IS FOR ACTIVE S.”AS FOR HER SON’S WELL-BEG, SHE SAID, “IT’S A PROCS. THE DAMAGE IS OVERWHELMG. HE’S BEEN UNSELG EVER SCE HE LEFT.”MEANWHILE, THOMPSON IS BEG REFUL WH HIS NEW SCHOOL. THE WEBSE FOR CANAAN'S LAND BOYS RANCH ED TO HAVE HIS AND HIS WIFE’S NAM ON , BUT THEY’VE SCE BEEN SCBBED CLEAN AND A WARNG FOR PROSPECTIVE PARENTS HAS BEEN ADD: “OUR RANCH ISN'T FOR EVERYONE!” SAYS, ALONG WH THE VEAT THAT BOYS WH A HISTORY OF “SEXUAL ACTG OUT (MOLTATNS, RAP, ETC)” AND “STUNTS WHO E OM FAI WHO WOULD NOT BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE DAY TO DAY OPERATNS OF CANAAN'S LAND BOYS RANCH” WILL NOT BE ADMTED.*NAM OF CHILDREN AND PARENTS HAVE BEEN OMTED OR CHANGED TO PROTECT CHILD VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABE. BRANDY ZADROZNY
RAPE OF GAY HIGH SCHOOL STUNT WAS IGNORED, ACRDG TO LAWSU
* gay school rape *
A lawsu by the mother of a Wt Virgia boy suggts that homophobia may be a factor failg to prevent the boy's rape, and later ignorg high school stunt, who is gay, was allegedly bullied, asslted and raped by a fellow stunt 2017.
DeSantis quickly found himself on the fensive when crics labeled this the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. You see I would never be typg this had not been for my olr brother – a man that happens to be gay. And I’d be a total liar if I didn’t adm to g words like that too – even though at the time I knew full well my own brother was gay.
THIS GAY TEEN WAS RAPED
The Manhattan Instute’s Christopher Rufo, who has publicized cril-race-theory” trag, is strikg back at crics of Ron DeSantis’s “Don’t Say Gay” law by pictg public schools as s of mass sexual asslt. * gay school rape *
Related: Gay man group raped at a bathhoe.
FEATURED FICTN
Browse through and read gay rape fictn stori and books * gay school rape *
The two s illtrate a large, hidn, growg problem the Uned gay teens fd refuge stunt theater clubsWhen I was a teen, my school’s drama club felt like a safe haven. Many gay men report siar experienc growg up.
RAP, DAILY BEATGS, AND NO ESPE: CHRISTIAN SCHOOL WAS HELL FOR THE BOYSUNGODLYBLUE CREEK AMY WAS AN ABIVE HELL ON EARTH, FORMER STUNTS SAY—AND THE PRCIPAL WHO RAN IS NOW HEADG UP A NEW BIBLE SCHOOL ANOTHER STATE.BRANDY ZADROZNYUPDATED JUL. 12, 2017 7:42PM EDT / PUBLISHED JUN. 12, 2016 12:01AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEASTJAB* DRSED HIMSELF A MOUFLAGE JACKET AND A MATCHG BEANIE ON THE SUMMER MORNG HE RAN AWAY TO THE WT VIRGIA HILLS. AT 14 YEARS OLD, HE WAS ONE OF THE YOUNGT, SMALLT, AND LONGT-ATTENDG STUNTS AT BLUE CREEK AMY, A RELIG REFORM SCHOOL FOR BOYS OM WHICH HE WAS SPERATE TO PE.BLUE CREEK AMY WAS MA UP OF AN OLD SCHOOLHOE AND SEVERAL BS SUATED ON A REMOTE MPGROUND CENTRAL WT VIRGIA. A MISSN OF THE NEARBY INPENNT FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST CHURCH, PASTOR JAM WALCK ADVERTISED BLUE CREEK AS AN “ALTERNATIVE TO TODAY'S GENERATE, SECULAR CULTURE AND TN METHODS,” AND TOOK BOYS WHO HAD BEEN TROUBLE AT HOME—BOTH LOLLY AND OM AS FAR AWAY AS TEXAS—TO BE REFORMED. ITS PRCIPAL, 35-YEAR-OLD JR THOMPSON, HAD REOPENED THE CHURCH’S MPGROUNDS 2010, RENAMED BLUE CREEK AMY, AND MARKETED THE BOARDG SCHOOL, WHICH HE RAN WH HIS WIFE, HANNAH, AS A GODLY ANSWER FOR “AT-RISK” TEENS WH EMOTNAL AND BEHAVRAL DISABILI AND CHRISTIAN PARENTS WH $1,000 A MONTH TO SPEND ON THEIR SALVATN.“WE N’T WA TO WATCH GOD MOVE AS HE HELPS SNATCH TROUBLED SOULS OUT OF SATAN’S HAND,” THOMPSON WROTE ON THE SCHOOL’S NOW-FUNCT WEBSE.WHAT THE BOYS FOUND WHEN THEY GOT TO BLUE CREEK AMY WAS SOMETHG ELSE ENTIRELY—AN ALL-TOO-MON STORY FOR VICTIMS OF LTER ROLOFF-SPIRED HOM, WHICH THRIVE AS PART OF THE UNREGULATED RELIG TEEN REFORM DTRY. ALONG WH A STRICT BIBLE-BASED CURRICULUM, BOYS AT BLUE CREEK AMY WERE ALLEGEDLY SUBJECT TO ISOLATN, PHYSIL BEATGS AND MISTREATMENT, AND AT LEAST TWO STUNTS REPORTED SEXUAL ABE BY ANOTHER STUNT, ACRDG TO URT DOCUMENTS OM A PENDG CIVIL SE BROUGHT AGAST THE SCHOOL BY ONE BOY’S GUARDIAN; PLATS AND REPORTS OM WT VIRGIA'S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN ROURC OBTAED THROUGH A FREEDOM OF INFORMATN ACT REQUT BY THE DAILY BEAST; AND TERVIEWS—WH A LAWYER REPRENTG THREE BLUE CREEK AMY STUNTS, THREE OTHER FORMER STUNTS, ONE PARENT, AND THE KANAWHA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.ONCE AT BLUE CREEK, THE BOYS WERE CUT OFF PLETELY OM THE OUTSI WORLD, FORMER STUNTS AND THEIR REPRENTATIV CLAIM. BUNKERED DILAPIDATED QUARTERS THAT WERE FTED WH RATS AND MICE, THE BOYS WEREN’T PERMTED TO SPEAK PUBLIC UNLS WAS TO SG HYMNS FOR LOL CHURCH AND THE ELRLY. THEY WEREN’T TAKEN TO THE DOCTOR, AND THEIR LLS HOME WERE MONORED TO TERCEPT ANY UNHAPPY TIDGS. WHEN THE BOYS WEREN’T GOG TO CHURCH, DOG MANUAL LABOR, OR MEMORIZG BIBLE VERS, THEY WERE A KD OF SCHOOL—SEATED SKS FACG THE WALL, PLETG BIBLE-BASED AMIC WORKBOOKS FOR HOURS.STAFF AT BLUE CREEK AMY TED CHILDREN G THE ACCELERATED CHRISTIAN EDUTN (A.C.E.) CURRICULUM, OM A HOMCHOOLG SUPPLY PANY WHOSE WORKBOOKS PROMOTE THE BIBLE AS A LERAL HISTORY BOOK AND STRS CREATNISM AS SCIENCE. (AT ONE TIME THE PANY EVEN ED THE LOCH NS MONSTER TO “DISPROVE” DARW’S THEORY OF EVOLUTN.) FOLLOWG A.C.E. GUIL, SKS FACED THE WALL, AND WERE UALLY SURROUND BY DIVIRS TO BLOCK OUT ANY DISTRACTNS.“THEY BASILLY HAND YOU A BOOK AND SAID, ‘LEARN,’” ONE FORMER STUNT, WHO ASKED NOT TO BE NAMED, TOLD THE DAILY BEAST.IN LI OF TEACHERS, ACE ONLY REQUIR “FACILATORS” TO CHECK STUNTS WORK AND RERD GRAS, BUT EVEN THAT WAS NEGLECTED AT BLUE CREEK, ACRDG TO SEVERAL STUNTS WHO TOLD THE DAILY BEAST THEIR TIME AT THOMPSON’S SCHOOL HAD TO BE MA UP ONCE THEY RETURNED TO PUBLIC SCHOOL BEE NONE OF THEIR WORK “UNTED.” EVEN THE DIRECTOR’S ADOPTED SON, 19-YEAR-OLD JT THOMPSON, WHO LIVED AT BLUE CREEK STARTG 2010, TOLD THE DAILY BEAST OVER FACEBOOK CHAT, “I PASSED HIGH SCHOOL BUT [JR THOMPSON] NEVER KEPT A LOT ON RERD, SO I HAVE NO PROOF.” BUT THE TNAL NEGLECT WAS NOTHG PARED TO THE PUNISHMENTS GIVEN BY THOMPSON, FORMER STUNTS ALLEGE.BOYS WHO ACTED OUT, OR REFED TO OBEY, MIGHT HAVE THEIR HEADS SHAVED LIKE JAB. ATTEMPTS TO N AWAY WERE ALLEGEDLY PENALIZED WH FOOD: AN ALL-BEAN OR ASPARAG DIET OR BEG MA TO CHUG WATER THEN NIED E OF THE BATHROOM. THEY WERE ALL ALLEGEDLY BEATEN—WH BARE HANDS, PADDL, AND BOARDS. JAB—WHOSE NEW GUARDIAN IS NOW SUG THOMPSON AND WALCK FOR THE MALTREATMENT THE BOY ALLEGEDLY ENDURED THERE— SAID HE WAS THROWN TO A WALL WHEN HE WOULDN’T NFS TO BREAKG A BENCH.“MR. THOMPSON WAS VERY AGGRSIVE WHEN ME TO PADDLGS,” SAID ONE FORMER STUNT, REACHED THROUGH FACEBOOK, WHO SAYS HE WAS SENT TO BLUE CREEK AMY FOR DRKG AND SMOKG POT. THE BOY, WHO ASKED NOT TO BE NAMED BEE OF HIS REMAG TI TO BLUE CREEK STAFF, SAID THAT HE WAS H NEARLY EVERY DAY WH THOMPSON'S BARE HANDS OR A TWO-CH THICK WOOD PLANK WH HOL THEY LLED “THE HILLBILLY HOT SEAT” FOR LYG, OR CURSG, EVEN SGG A SECULAR SONG THE SHOWER.“IT WAS HELL,” HE SAID. “THEY FORCED UNWANTED RELIGN ON , MA DO LABOR THAT WE HATED, AND MA N UP AND DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. THEY ED A BOARD TO H IF WE DIDN'T DO WHAT WE WERE ASKED,” HE SAID.AT LEAST TWO OF THE BOYS THERE WERE THE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABE. AS TAILED ON AN TAKE FORM OM THE DIVISN OF CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVIC, OBTAED BY A FOIA REQUT OM THE DAILY BEAST, A 17-YEAR-OLD BOY—WHO WAS SENT TO BLUE CREEK OM ANOTHER TEEN REFORM SCHOOL WISNS WHERE HE HAD BEEN ORIGALLY PLACED AND SUBSEQUENTLY BOOTED FOR MOLTG BOYS—WAS SEXUALLY ABG TWO OF THE YOUNGER STUNTS 2012. THOMPSON—WHOM TWO FORMER BLUE CREEK FAI FLT WH FAILG TO SUPERVISE A KNOWN ABER—DID REPORT THE OLR BOY TO POLICE. WHEN QUTNED, THE OLR BOY ADMTED TO THOMPSON AND POLICE THAT HE HAD RAPED ONE BOY AND MOLTED ANOTHER; HE WAS ARRTED AND SENT TO A JUVENILE TENTN CENTER, WHERE HE WAS CHARGED WH FOUR UNTS OF 3RD GREE SEXUAL ASSLT AND THREE UNTS OF 1ST GREE SEXUAL ABE.A SEPARATE ALLEGATN OF SEXUAL ASSLT BY A DIFFERENT BOY AT BLUE CREEK AMY IS STILL CURRENTLY UNR VTIGATN, ACRDG TO SGT. BRIAN HUMPHREYS, THE PUBLIC RMATN OFFICER FOR THE KANAWHA SHERIFF'S OFFICE.BLUE CREEK ADMISTRATORS HAD THEIR OWN PERSONAL HISTORY WH CPS: ONE HAD BEEN VTIGATED FOR THE ALLEGED SEXUAL ABE OF HIS BLOGIL CHILDREN, WHILE ANOTHER HAD BEEN REPORTED FOR UNSPECIFIED ALLEGATNS AGAST HIS ADOPTED SON. BOTH VTIGATNS WERE CLOSED AS “PLETE.”ON THE TAKE FORM, THE CPS VTIGATOR NOTED THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH SUPERVISN AT THE SCHOOL AND TOOK ISSUE WH THE POLICY OF RPORAL PUNISHMENT, BUT NEHER NCERN WAS ENOUGH TO REMOVE THE CHILDREN. BIS, WHERE WOULD THEY GO? “THE PARENTS OF ALL THE BOYS DO NOT SEEM TERTED G TO GET ANY OF THEM,” THE WORKER WROTE. BUT JAB WANTED OUT. SO HE WAED UNTIL THE MORNG OF JUNE, 10, 2014 WHEN THOMPSON WOULD BE OFF MP. AS THE OTHER BOYS GATHERED FOR PRAYERS AND SCHOOL, JAB WENT BACK TO HIS B, TELLG THEM HE HAD FOTTEN TO BSH HIS TEETH. THEN HE MA A N FOR . WHEN THE STAFF AT BCA REALIZED JAB HAD N, THEY LLED THOMPSON BACK TO LOOK FOR HIM. AFTER HOURS OF ULS SEARCHG, THOMPSON LLED LOL LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHO HELPED HIM SEARCH THE SURROUNDG WOODS—BUT JAB WAS GONE.THE NEXT EVENG, A MAN FOUND JAB BEGGG FOR CHANGE AT A NEIGHBORG UNTY SUPERMARKET 10 OM BLUE CREEK AND LLED CLAY COUNTY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVIC. JAB SMELLED FOUL AND THE SOL OF HIS SHO HAD BEEN WORN BARE OM NNG. HE WAS HUNGRY, DIRTY, AND SRED, ACRDG TO THE CPS TAKE FORM. JAB BEGGED THE SHERIFF NOT TO SEND HIM BACK.KANAWHA COUNTY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVIC WENT OUT TO VTIGATE JAB’S ABE ALLEGATNS AND TERVIEW THE BOYS AT BLUE CREEK. WHEN THEY GOT PAST THOMPSON, WHO IALLY REFED TO LET THEM THE DOOR, THEY FOUND SEVEN BOYS WHO ALL DISCLOSED ALLEGATNS OF ABE AND NEGLECT BY THOMPSON. THE SEWORKER WROTE THAT, HER TERVIEWS, THE CHILDREN TOLD HER THOMPSON HAD LEFT MARKS OM BEATGS AND HIS POOR SUPERVISN ALLOWED FOR THE MOLTATN OF SEVERAL CHILDREN; GUNS, DGS, AND ALHOL WERE ALSO BEG BROUGHT ON MPGROUNDS. THE OFFICIAL FDG WAS MALTREATMENT.“THERE WAS A LACK OF OVERSIGHT,” SAID TROY GIATRAS, THE ATTORNEY LIGATG A SE FOR JAB’S GUARDIAN AGAST THOMPSON, WALCK, AND BLUE CREEK AMY. “THE RPORAL PUNISHMENT, THE MANUAL LABOR, THE ISOLATN, AND THE ALLEGATNS OF ABE THAT WERE NEVER VTIGATED? OTHER KIDS HAVE REACHED OUT TO , SO I KNOW THIS ISN’T AN ISOLATED CINT.”“YOU HAVE A PLACE THAT IS OPERATG WHOUT A GOOD CHARTER AND NOT WELL SUPERVISED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN ROURC, AND PARENTS WH TROUBLED KIDS WHO ARE EXPECTG A RELIG SCHOOL TO HELP.”NO ONE OM BLUE CREEK CHOSE TO MENT FOR THIS STORY. CALLS TO WACK AND BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH, AND LLS AND EMAILS SENT TO JR THOMPSON, HIS WIFE HANNAH, AND TWO OTHER UPL WHO WORKED AT THE MP DURG THE TIME OF ALLEGED ABE WERE ALSO NOT RETURNED. IN ANSWERS TO A NUMBER OF PENDG LAWSUS, HOWEVER, CLUDG ONE ON BEHALF OF JAB, WALCK AND THOMPSON NY ALL CHARG OF NEGLECT OR MISTREATMENT OF THE BOYS AT BLUE CREEK AMY.AFTER HER TERVIEWS, WH THE HELP OF THE KANAWHA COUNTY SHERIFF, THE CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVIC SEWORKER BROUGHT THE KIDS TO A PIZZA PARLOR WHILE THEY ANIZED A RETURN TO THEIR HOM.WHILE THE CHILDREN ULD BE REMOVED—BEE BLUE CREEK WAS UNLICENSED AS A RINTIAL HOME—THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAI HAD NO POWER TO SHUT THE BOARDG SCHOOL DOWN. LIKE THOANDS OF OTHER RELIG PRIVATE SCHOOLS AROUND THE UNTRY—MANY OF WHICH BEE HAVENS FOR ABE—BLUE CREEK AMY OPERATED UNLICENSED, UNREGULATED, AND WHOLLY UNMONORED BY THE STATE. THE ONLY AVENUE FOR CLOSURE RTED WH THE BOARD OF EDUTN, AN ENTY THAT UNTIL THEN, HAD ALSO HAD MIMAL TERACTN WH THE SCHOOL.AS MANY OTHER STAT, RELIG PRIVATE SCHOOLS WT VIRGIA AREN’T HELD TO THE SAME STANDARDS AS THEIR NONRELIG UNTERPARTS. THOUGH THE WAYS WHICH THEY ARE EXEMPT VARI OM STATE TO STATE, FOR MANY SCHOOLS THAT OPERATE WH A RELIG MISSN—80 PERCENT OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS NATNWI—ACCREDATN OR LICENSG, THE HIRG OF CERTIFIED TEACHERS OR THE APPROVAL OF CURRICULUM, OR EVEN SIMPLY NOTIFYG THE STATE AS TO S EXISTENCE IS PLETELY VOLUNTARY.“IT’S A LTLE SRY WHEN YOU THK ABOUT ,” BETTY JORDAN, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO WT VIRGIA’S EDUTN SUPERTENNT TOLD THE DAILY BEAST, EXPLAG BLUE CREEK’S “EXEMPTN K STAT,” A TEGORY THAT SIMPLY REQUIR ANY RELIG SCHOOL TO SEND A LETTER TO THE STATE OF S TENT TO OPERATE AND FILE ANNUAL TT SR.“THERE IS VERY VERY LIMED OVERSIGHT. ACTUALLY THERE IS NO OVERSIGHT. SO BASILLY IF I WANTED TO TOMORROW, I ULD WRE A LETTER TO THE STATE SAYG I WANT TO OPEN A SCHOOL AND I ULD OPEN A SCHOOL.”THERE ARE 130 SUCH SCHOOLS WT VIRGIA. JORDAN SAID THE EXEMPTNS ARE “HARDLY EVER” REVOKED.STATE SUPERTENNT MICHAEL MARTIRANO DID IATE BLUE CREEK’S CLOSURE, BY REVOKG BLUE CREEK’S EXEMPTN STAT SHORTLY AFTER THE CHILDREN WERE REMOVED. AND HIS SEPTEMBER 2014 REVOTN LETTER, MARTIRANO OSTENSIBLY PUT AN END TO ANY IAS OF BLUE CREEK REOPENG. HE WROTE: “DUE TO THE EGREG NATURE OF THE NON-PLIANCE, CHILDREN'S HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE, ANY FUTURE ATTEMPTS BY THE SCHOOL TO SEEK RESTATEMENT OF THE EXEMPTN STAT WILL BE NIED BY THIS OFFICE.”NOTABLY, THE SUPERTENNT HAD SHUTTERED ANOTHER SCHOOL 75 SOUTH OF BLUE CREEK AMY THE MONTH BEFORE, AFTER 26 YEARS OF OPERATN. MARTIRANO FORCED MIRACLE MEADOWS, A SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST BOARDG SCHOOL FOR “AT RISK” BOYS AND GIRLS OM 6 TO 17 YEARS OLD, TO CLOSE AFTER A DHHR VTIGATN FOUND THAT SCHOOL OFFICIALS HAD FAILED TO REPORT AN STANCE OF SEXUAL ABE OF ONE STUNT BY ANOTHER AND THAT A SCHOOL JANOR HAD RTRAED STUNTS HANDCUFFS UNTIL THEIR WRISTS BLED AND CHOKED OTHERS WHO MISBEHAVED. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN ROURC HAD RECEIVED 13 FORMAL PLATS ABOUT THE SCHOOL SCE 2009, FOUR OF WHICH ALLEGED SEXUAL MISNDUCT, ACRDG TO AN ASSOCIATED PRS REPORT ON RERDS OBTAED UNR THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATN ACT.MIRACLE MEADOWS’ FORMER DIRECTOR SAN GAYLE CLARK, 69, PLED GUILTY THIS YEAR TO THREE MISMEANORS UNTS OF CHILD NEGLECT CREATG A SUBSTANTIAL RISK OF JURY, FAILURE TO REPORT BY A MANDATED REPORTER, AND OBSTCTG A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. SHE WAS SENTENCED TO SIX MONTHS AND 30 DAYS PRISON. ABE AT RELIG SCHOOLS LIKE BLUE CREEK AMY AND MIRACLE MEADOWS IS UNRREPORTED AND IGHTENGLY PREVALENT, ACRDG TO MARCI HATON, A PROFSOR AT THE CARDOZO SCHOOL OF LAW AT YHIVA UNIVERSY AND THOR OF GOD VS THE GAVEL: THE PERILS OF EXTREME RELIG LIBERTY.“THE SMALL STUTNS N BE VERY DANGERO TO KIDS BEE THEY ARE ISOLATED AND FLY UNR THE RADAR,” HATON TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. BEE SOME FUNDAMENTALIST PARENTS AGREE WH PHYSIL ABE AS DISCIPLE AND SEXUAL ABE IS OFTEN ALT WH TERNALLY OR VERED UP, HATON SAID, N BE “EASY FOR THE GROUPS TO GET AWAY WH FOR QUE A WHILE, WHILE ENDANGERG A SERI OF CHILDREN.”“THIS IS A MON PROBLEM, WHICH LLS FOR A NATNAL COMMISSN ON CHILD SEX ABE AND FOR STAT TO WORK MORE OPERATIVELY ON TRACKG ENTI THAT PERM AND FOMENT CHILD SEX ABE AND NEGLECT.”INED, A LACK OF OPERATN BY STAT IS THE VERY THG THAT ALLOWS ABIVE CHRISTIAN TEEN REFORM HOM CLOSED BY THORI ONE STATE TO BE REOPENED ANOTHER, SOMETIM G THE SAME NAME, AND EQUENTLY N BY THE SAME OPERATORS. AFTER OL KG PLED “NO NTT” TO CHARG SOUTH CAROLA STEMMG OM THE ISOLATN, IMPRISONMENT, AND BEATGS OF CHILDREN HIS RE AT THE NEW BETHANY BAPTIST SCHOOL FOR BOYS 1984, HE PACKED UP AND MOVED, OPENG THE APTLY-NAMED SEND CHANCE RANCH DANBURY, NORTH CAROLA. A STATE BILL THAT WOULD HAVE LICENSED SUCH BOARDG SCHOOLS PROPOSED RPONSE TO NEW BETHANY’S CLOSG WAS PROTTED BY LOL PASTORS WHO LLED AN “TSN TO EEDOM OF THE CHURCH’S RIGHTS.” TODAY SOUTH CAROLA IS ONE OF THE STAT THAT EXEMPTS RELIG SCHOOLS OM LICENSG L THAT ERN OTHER RINTIAL YOUTH HOM.IN 2009, A LTER ROLOFF DISCIPLE, PASTOR JACK PATTERSON, WAS FORCED TO CLOSE HIS TOUGH-LOVE BOARDG SCHOOL, RECLAMATN RANCH ALABAMA, AFTER ALLEGATNS OF TORTURE AND A POLICE RAID THAT TURNED UP GUNS AND SHACKL. AS PART OF A PLEA AL, PATTERSON TRAD A FELONY AGGRAVATED CHILD ABE FOR A VERBAL HARASSMENT MISMEANOR AND A $500 FE. THOUGH HE DID CLOSE RECLAMATN RANCH, PATTERSON OPENED A HOME FOR ADULT MEN S PLACE, MATAED HIS SCHOOL FOR GIRLS NEARBY, AND TOLD A MOTHER JON REPORTER 2011, HE PLANNED TO OPEN MORE HOM OH, FLORIDA, AND MICHIGAN. IN 2012, ALEXANDRA ZAYAS, A PULZER PRIZE FALIST FOR HER REPORTG ON RELIG BOARDG SCHOOLS THE STATE, WROTE THAT FLORIDA PREACHER CLAYTON "BUDDY" MAYNARD WAS HOG FIVE CHILDREN WHEN, JT TWO YEARS EARLIER HIS ISOLATED HERAGE BOYS AMY HAD BEEN CLOSED AFTER A STATE VTIGATN FOUND THAT BOYS HAD BEEN ABED THERE, CLUDG ONE BOY WHO WAS WHIPPED 1,330 TIM. “NONE OF THE STATE AGENCI THAT OVERSEE SUCH FACILI WERE AWARE THE CHURCH WAS RG FOR CHILDREN,” ZAYAS WROTE.AND FLORIDA PASTOR RS COOKSTON’S LIGHTHOE MISTRI SCHOOL WAS CLOSED 2013 AFTER BEG PLAGUED WH ALLEGATNS OF PHYSIL AND SEXUAL ABE AND SOLARY NFEMENT. ACRDG TO HIS FACEBOOK AND LKEDIN PAG, THOUGH, ONE MONTH AFTER HE CLOSED UP HIS SHOP THE SMALL TOWN OF JAY, HE WAS WORKG AS AN ASSOCIATE PASTOR AT A MASTER’S RANCH, A HOME FOR TROUBLED BOYS MISSOURI, A STATE WH NOTORLY LAX CHILD WELFARE LAWS.IN AN TERVIEW WH THE DAILY BEAST, MASTER’S RANCH ADMISTRATOR DAVID BOSLEY NFIRMED COOKSTON’S POSN AS A SENR STAFF MEMBER, PRAISG HIM AS “ALMOST TOO GENTLE FOR THIS JOB,” “EXTREMELY KD,” AND “EXTREMELY PATIENT.”“I DO KNOW WHEN YOU GET THIS BS—AND I'VE BEEN WORKG WH KIDS FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS—THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS BE ACCED OF ABE BY SOMEONE,” BOSLEY SAID. “I FIRMLY BELIEVE EVERY STUNT SHOULD BE HEARD AND EVERY ALLEGATN THOROUGHLY VTIGATED FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL KIDS, BUT YOU'RE ALWAYS GOG TO HAVE ONE OR TWO DISGNTLED KIDS OR PARENTS WHO ARE TRYG TO FD A WAY OUT OF THE PROGRAM OR WHO JT HATE YOU FOR TRYG TO HELP HIM.”THE GOVERNMENT ACUNTABILY OFFICE FOUND THOANDS OF ALLEGATNS OF ABE AT TEEN REFORM HOM AND MPS OM 1990 TO 2007, SOME OF WHICH VOLVED THE ATH OF A YOUNG PERSON. THE 2007 REPORT WAS UNABLE TO PROVI A SPECIFIC NUMBER HOWEVER, AS “ ULD NOT LOTE A SGLE WEB SE, FERAL AGENCY, OR OTHER ENTY THAT LLECTS PREHENSIVE NATNWI DATA.” IN FACT, THE ONLY TRACKG OF THE TYP OF HOM AND THE ABE THAT OFTEN OCCURS THEM, OM BLOGGERS AND ADVOCY GROUPS.ANGELA SMH, 42, NS HEAL, ONE OF THE MOST PROMENT ANIZATNS WORKG TO EXPOSE AND ULTIMATELY CLOSE ABIVE YOUTH FACILI. BLUE CREEK AMY IS ONE OF SOME 500 PAST AND PRENT RINTIAL PROGRAMS THE U.S. THAT CURRENTLY MAKE UP HEAL’S WATCH-LIST OF DULENT AND ABIVE PROGRAMS THE U.S.“ABE IS RAMPANT BEE MANY OF THE FACILI OPERATE WH LTLE OR NO OVERSIGHT AND ACUNTABILY,” SMH SAID. EVEN THE STAT WH LICENSG BOARDS LIKE MONTANA AND UTAH, SHE SAID, ”THE PEOPLE WHO OWN AND OPERATE THE YOUTH PROGRAMS ARE THE ON DOG THE OVERSIGHT.” “THE FOX IS WATCHG THE HEN-HOE SO TO SPEAK.”NOBODY SEEMS TO BE WATCHG JR THOMPSON.BY THE TIME THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUTN MAILED THE REVOTN LETTER TO BLUE CREEK AMY, PRCIPAL THOMPSON HAD MOVED TO MONTANA, TO A THREE-BEDROOM SGLE FAY HOE ON 11 ACR DE BIA, A SIX-E-WI TOWN NEAR THE IDAHO BORR THAT, AS OF THE LAST CENS UNT, WAS HOME TO 78 PEOPLE. WH A YEAR, AND WH THE BLSG OF HIS “SENDG CHURCH” WT VIRGIA, THOMPSON HAD REGISTERED HIS NEW HOME AS CANAAN’S LAND BAPTIST CHURCH WH THE SECRETARY OF STATE. BY AUGT 2015, THE CANAAN’S LAND BOY’S RANCH, A NON-PUBLIC SENDARY SCHOOL, WAS REGISTERED AS A BS.“EVEN THOUGH OUR NAME IS CANAAN’S LAND BOYS RANCH, WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY A RANCH SETTG,” THOMPSON SAYS A VIO ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE $900-A-MONTH BOARDG SCHOOL NNG OUT OF HIS NEW HOME. “WE DO PLAN TO EXPAND AND MOVE TO A LOTN WHERE WE WILL BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE ANIMALS FOR THE BOYS TO WORK WH.”THERE IS SPACE FOR EIGHT CHILDREN, ACRDG THE CANAAN’S LAND BOYS RANCH WEBSE, AND SO FAR, TWO BOYS, AG 14 AND 15, CURRENTLY LIVE, GO TO CHURCH WH, AND ARE TED BY THE THOMPSONS. THE MORS BOTH APPEAR PROMOTNAL VIOS FOR CANAAN’S LAND BOYS RANCH, WHERE THEY CRY THEIR PAST LIV OF “DOG THE WRONG THGS,” AND BEG DISRPECTFUL TO THEIR PARENTS. THEY’RE WEARG BOWTI FACEBOOK PHOTOS AS THEY SG HYMNS WH THE THOMPSONS FOR A CHURCH DIENCE.THE EXISTENCE OF THOMPSON’S NEW ENAVOR ME AS A SURPRISE TO MONTANA SCHOOL OFFICIALS.“THIS IS THE FIRST I’VE HEARD ANYTHG ABOUT CANAAN'S LAND BOYS RANCH,” SAID MERAL COUNTY SUPERTENNT OF SCHOOLS MARY YARNALL, WHO EXPLAED THOMPSON HAS YET TO FILL OUT THE MIMAL PAPERWORK THE STATE REQUIR OM THE OPERATOR OF A BOARDG SCHOOL.“I WILL TRY FIGURE OUT AN ADDRS AND SEND HIM A PACKET. IF HE DON’T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, I N SEND THE SHERIFF TO AT LEAST MAKE HIM SIGN, BUT MONTANA THERE ISN’T A WHOLE LOT OF NSEQUENCE FOR NOT REGISTERG.”MONTANA’S NEGLIGIBLE YET UNENFORCEABLE TN REQUIREMENTS FOR RELIG PRIVATE SCHOOLS NO DOUBT APPEAL TO THOMPSON, WHO ACRDG TO HIS PSDONYMO ACTIVISM ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SEEMS PARTICULARLY KEEN ON SEPARATG HIMSELF AND HIS BOYS’ HOME OM ANY MORE ERNMENT MEDDLG.THOMPSON BLOGS UNR THE THE ALIAS NEHEMIAH FLYNT, “A CHRISTIAN THOR TERMED TO EXPOSE THE EVILS OF CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVIC,” ACRDG TO HIS FACEBOOK PAGE, WHICH HE MA PRIVATE FOLLOWG A REQUT FOR MENT FOR THIS STORY. IN A YOUTUBE VIO READG OM HIS BOOK, “LEGAL DISCRIMATN,” THOMPSON—SPEAKG AS FLYNT, WH HIS FACE BLURRED, BUT WH HIS CHARACTERISTIC SOUTHERN DRAWL TACT—DO SPEAK TO THE NTROVERSY AT BLUE CREEK SAYG, “FLYNT TOOK CHARGE OF A SUCCSFUL CHRISTIAN-BASED FACILY FOR AT-RISK YOUTHS. HE SOON, LEARNED, HOWEVER, THAT THE ERNMENT OF THE UNED STAT IS SO NARROW-MD THAT THEY WOULD STOP AT NOTHG TO CLOSE ANY FACILY OPERATG UNR MORAL OR RELIG PRCIPL DIFFERG OM THEIR OWN VILISH AGENDAS. ”“ONE ALLEGATN OM A NON-CREDIBLE SOURCE CHANGED EVERYTHG," HE SAYS THE VIO.NOW, ATTORNEY TROY GIATRAS SAYS HE’S REPRENTG AT LEAST THREE FORMER STUNTS AND THEIR PARENTS, WHO ARE HOPG SOMEONE AT THOMPSON’S FORMER BOARDG SCHOOL WILL HAVE TO ANSWER FOR WHAT WENT ON THERE.SCE BEG RNED WH HER SON AFTER THE RAID AT BLUE CREEK, ONE OF GIATRAS’ CLIENTS, CAROLYN*, 32, OM EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, HAS WRTEN AND LLED EVERY LOL, STATE, AND FERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICE AND LAWMAKER THAT SHE KNOWS, LOOKG FOR SOMEONE WHO WILL HOLD THE OPERATORS OF BLUE CREEK AMY ACUNTABLE FOR THE ABE SHE SAYS HER SON WHSTOOD THERE FOR 17 MONTHS, AND TO MAKE SURE DON’T HAPPEN TO OTHER CHILDREN.“THEY DODGED MY LLS,” SHE SAID. “THEY TOLD ME THAT ME AND MY SON SHOULD BE LUCKY, THAT I GOT HIM BACK AND THEY DON’T HAVE TIME TO DO ANYTHG ELSE, THAT THEIR WORK IS FOR ACTIVE S.”AS FOR HER SON’S WELL-BEG, SHE SAID, “IT’S A PROCS. THE DAMAGE IS OVERWHELMG. HE’S BEEN UNSELG EVER SCE HE LEFT.”MEANWHILE, THOMPSON IS BEG REFUL WH HIS NEW SCHOOL. THE WEBSE FOR CANAAN'S LAND BOYS RANCH ED TO HAVE HIS AND HIS WIFE’S NAM ON , BUT THEY’VE SCE BEEN SCBBED CLEAN AND A WARNG FOR PROSPECTIVE PARENTS HAS BEEN ADD: “OUR RANCH ISN'T FOR EVERYONE!” SAYS, ALONG WH THE VEAT THAT BOYS WH A HISTORY OF “SEXUAL ACTG OUT (MOLTATNS, RAP, ETC)” AND “STUNTS WHO E OM FAI WHO WOULD NOT BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE DAY TO DAY OPERATNS OF CANAAN'S LAND BOYS RANCH” WILL NOT BE ADMTED.*NAM OF CHILDREN AND PARENTS HAVE BEEN OMTED OR CHANGED TO PROTECT CHILD VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABE. BRANDY ZADROZNY
But for one high school stunt Mantown, Wt Virgia, an after-school drama club reportedly turned to a homophobic nightmare.
Moreover, the ways which society both hypersexualiz LGBTQ people and stigmatiz our relatnships n lead to timate partner vlence that stems om ternalized homophobia and shame.