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by PBMom from The Woodlands

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Summer Camp Horror
Jun 16, 2008 | 1:27 PM
Category: News
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Coppell ISD already is known about their unacceptable treatment of special education kids, but now Coppell, the city itself, has become famous for something else:  A city-run camp where at least 20 regular kids have been abused.

Out from the Dallas News on Thursday, the article by Rachel Slade stated that two counselors were fired after they were accused of punishing children at a Coppell-run day camp by forcing them to crawl on hot asphalt. 

At least 20 children were involved in the incident.  The children told the police that their hands were burned when the counselors forced them to "crabwalk or crawl on a hot track to punish them for being loud during a movie" according to Brad Reid, the city'd director of parks and recreation.  The children left the camp on Wednesday with discolored, burned or blistered hands.  Their ages ranged from 12-14. 

Deputy Chief Gary Nix of Coppell Police Department stated, "When we looked at the children's hands, we could see black asphalt on their hands and some had blistering on their hands." 

The counselors involved are recent college graduates in their mid-20's. 

Do you have children in summer camp?  Do you worry about abuse?  Do you believe this punishment fit the crime (being loud)? 

16 Comments |  Add a Comment

Member Comments Total Comments: 16
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Foehammer read my blog view my photos
Jun 16, 2008 | 4:57 PM

Wow...this is just horrible to think about. This is why my wife and I have never trusted day care with our children. We have always worked schedules opposite one another so that one of us is always home and available for the kids.

My youngest daughter went to camp for a week and I was worried sick. I was so glad when she came back and even happier to hear her say there were no incidents.
Wonderful-World read my blog view my photos
Jun 16, 2008 | 5:20 PM

The only summer camps Buddy is going to are day camps. I don't even like the fact that he changes clothes in a locker room for karate lessons, or going inside the baseball park's men's room during baseball season; we keep an eye on him like hawks.

This was abuse, in my opinion. Keeping kids of any age quiet during a movie is near impossible, even at home. I hope the police and parents pursue charges.
Gottaluvit read my blog view my photos
Jun 16, 2008 | 9:31 PM

I can't even imagine camping here in this heat.
Just the two words "Summer" and "Camp" freak me out. Summer camp is for people UP NOUTH where it only get's in the 80's in June. That's why they invented A/C. I hope they go after those animals.
PBMom read my blog view my photos
Jun 17, 2008 | 1:31 AM

This was an indoor camp for daytime hours. It wasn't an overnight camp. It was a regular old day camp.

Right now they are facing child injury charges. I hope each parent files individually, thus giving them 20 counts of injury to a child...each.

I hope these "college-grad counselors" weren't majoring in teaching. Do you know that at least one parent said she had "confidence" in the day camp and planned to continue sending her child there? That boggled my mind even more.

Foe: I hear ya. Remember at the blogger picnic I told you we shared that in common? I work nights and my husband works days so we can take care of Patrick. You saw Patrick. He is nonverbal. What easy prey he would make for some sick person who knew he would never be able to name the person who hurt him. I only hope to outlive him because at the rate the state facilities are going with their horrendous abuses of special needs kids and adults, he will never be there unless God forbid we die first.
kagua2 read my blog
Jun 17, 2008 | 8:29 AM

My daughter attended a day camp when she was younger and I did not have problems. Those counselors should be made to crawl on that asphalt! That is horrific and abusive!
mik1of3 read my blog view my photos
Jun 17, 2008 | 11:03 AM

Scotti went to daycamps when she was in preschool, with no problems. My only complaint was this camp that promoted themselves as activity filled and hours of fun was double speak for art projects and candy.
She's going to UT for swim camp on Sunday. She'll be gone until Friday. She's nervous but excited. I'm terrified. The camp has a reputation for being tough, which on one hand, I know Scotti really needs, (she tends to be a bit of a drama queen ala the Princess and the Pea) but on the other hand, it worries me not to be there to cushion (not NULLIFY) the "brutal" reinforcement.
PBMom read my blog view my photos
Jun 17, 2008 | 12:30 PM

Mik1of3: However, she would call you immediately if something happen(s) that is inappropriate so that should give you a small degree of comfort. It's almost like you have to attach digital voice recorders to your kids nowadays.
mik1of3 read my blog view my photos
Jun 17, 2008 | 2:06 PM

Yes...she has a cell phone and they ask that the kids leave those behind--evidently they say it only encourages homesickness but I DONT THINK SO..that cell phone is GOING!!

The camp is tough..the kids I've spoke to who've been say that they work you so hard that some of the girl say they've cried while they were swimming cause they were so sore. That worries me a little...but since she got through scuba training and certification, and she was in a class with ADULTS then (one of our family was there EVERY DAY since there's a lot of 'touching' involved in scuba with wetsuits, weight belts, bcds, etc.) The teachers had to get very firm with her then, too. She survived.
Skyder read my blog view my photos
Jun 17, 2008 | 3:43 PM

"A city-run camp where at least 20 regular kids have been abused."

I have to ask... What exactly is a "regular kid"?
PBMom read my blog view my photos
Jun 17, 2008 | 4:01 PM

Skyder: Regular kid means not a special education child, as I made reference to Coppell ISD hurting their special education kids and a few people on this blog believe that special education kids don't belong in school; I wanted to make the distinction, since I blog so much about special education issues, that this was just a bunch of regular kids that were abused since in some people's eyes, there are still biases between special ed kids and regular ed kids.
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PBMom

Mother of a 12-year-old child with autism, mild hypotonic CP, dyspraxia, MR and a seizure disorder. Married for 15 years. Have worked full-time as a telecommuter for the last 19 years. I've been the special needs minister at our church, but time demands haven't allowed me to go back. Published before in "Catholic Digest", and different poems in several books of poetry. I love 24, American Idol, Lost, Jericho and Sci-Fi (Stargate Atlantis, SG-1, Farscape, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica). My husband and I are huge movie buffs. I love to swim. I love golden retrievers. They are awesome dogs. I used to sing/take formal vocal lessons and had a formal vocal recital at Hamman Hall at Rice University in the mid 1980's. Although my friends have encouraged me that I need to write about my life story, I've made several attempts and it isn't going too well. I love blogging. It's my new creative outlet. I am a member of Texas School Watch, an advocacy group bent on exposing misuse of your tax dollars within school districts. Join the fight at: http://texasschoolwatch10
1.virtualnsn.com/modules/
wfchannel/ I am also going to be part of a womens' panel on Fox 26 called Your Family Matters that will air during the 5:00-5:30 segment, not every week, but as the subject matter applies to me.

Member Since: 4/16/2007


 

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