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• Courtney Smith October 25, 2012 4:46 am

  

  I would be very inclined to tell my story of my experience in Straight. in 1986 to the end of 1987. And how I had my arm broken by a graduate/ staff member. And how on a daily basis I would be placed on the boys side and physically thrown over metal chairs and my shirt pulled up for everyone to see on cement floors for sometimes hours at a time. My experience in there still gives me nightmares. I heard the most disturbing guys “raps” imaginable for a 15 year old child, whom was not a drug addict. And due to the fact I refused to believe or allow myself to get brainwashed, and motivate just to stand up and get yelled at and told you were nothing. I understand there are so many great programs out there but this one was not. It was and is always a cult.

  Thank you Mark, for giving us a voice, finally after all this time, I have PTSD so badly, I shut down at times. I also am dealing with neurological and severe degenerate disk disease. Unfortunately, my family was very brain washed and sunk Thousands and Thousands of dollars in this cult whom never knew how I was being treated and starved and kept up and in groups for 12 hours at a time then sent to host homes out of town then back in the early am with little or or no sleep, just to do it all over again. It was a Form of torture, and i was then demanded to motivate the hardest to get called on just to share, anything!!!

  I would honestly love to be a part of something that could help our future children from ever having to experience this and being robbed of tender years!!!

  Thank you again for giving us a voice. We deserve to be heard.

  Gratefully,

  Courtney Smith