Book: The Discarded Ones: A Novel Based on a True Story

This novel by James Tipper explore the CEDU schools as they are seen through the eyes of the student Charlie Hoff. Boarding schools where you are not free to leave. Endless marathon therapy sessions looking more like psychodrama rather than healing therapy.

A reader named Thomas J. Cray writes the following review:

Nailed it!

James Tipper wrote the book that every student who graduated The C.E.D.U. School would like to write. I was happily surprised that no hidden agenda skewed his honest descriptions of that time and place that we have all tried to share with our family, friends, spouses, children. His memories are spot-on. He dug deep and was able to paint a complete picture that honestly depicted student and staff, for better or for worse. He also showed his exceptional writing skills - "The Discarded Ones" is a page turner!

Source:
The Discarded Ones: A Novel Based on a True Story (Amazon book store)

Book: Dead, Insane or in Jail: A CEDU Memoir

This book by Zack Bonnie tells the story about how to be forced to attend a CEDU bording school.

All the CEDU schools closed around 2005 after a number of lawsuits were issued by parents and former students.

Also several students disappeared never to be found again. Some of the children were most likely murdered by a serial killer James Lee Crummel who had unrestricted accesss to one of the campuses. To this day there are families out there looking for their relatives.

CEDU was founded in 1967 by an owner of a furniture business, who after a brief stint at Synanon created the first school in California where the main tool for transforming the children into the products their parents ordered were attack therapy.

The founder died in 2002. The school were sold but closed only some few years later due to the lawsuits.

The book provides a good insight into how it was to be a student in these special schools. After the original schools closed the concept were transferred into other schools where some are open even today.

Sources:

• Website about the book
• Article on Goodreads

Arkansas stops use of torture device, but across state lines it is another story

The State Juvenile Ombudsman Scott Tanner has ordered stop of the use of the WRAP restraint system in the states juvenile prisons.

However the unregulated youth transport industry can continue to use the system when they move teenagers around other states.

We find that the lack of federal guidelines may endanger the teenagers and urge the politicians to work for introduction of the federal legislation covering this area.

No teenager should travel for hours in restraints without courtorder. The mental results of being forcefully removed from will haunt the teenagers for the rest of their lives.

Please approach your local politicians and urge them to interfere.


Source:
State Urges Arkansas Juvenile Detention to Stop Using WRAP Restraint (Ozarks First)