MotherJones Blog: Rotenberg Center Blasted By Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Media After A Prankster Gets Employees to "Accidentally" Shock Kids 100 Times: Will The "School of Shock" Finally Be Closed Down?

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Rotenberg Center Blasted By Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Media After A Prankster Gets Employees to "Accidentally" Shock Kids 100 Times: Will The "School of Shock" Finally Be Closed Down?

In our September/October issue, we published a 9,000 word story, "School of Shock: Inside the taxpayer-funded program that treats American kids like enemy combatants," the result of a year-long investigation into the Rotenberg Educational Center by Jennifer Gonnerman: "Located in Canton, Massachusetts, the facility, which calls itself a "special needs school," takes in all kinds of troubled kids—severely autistic, mentally retarded, schizophrenic, bipolar, emotionally disturbed—and attempts to change their behavior with a complex system of rewards and punishments, including painful electric shocks to the torso and limbs. Of the 234 current residents, about half are wired to receive shocks, including some as young as nine or ten. Nearly 60 percent come from New York, a quarter from Massachusetts, the rest from six other states and Washington, D.C. The Rotenberg Center, which has 900 employees and annual revenues exceeding $56 million, charges $220,000 a year for each student. States and school districts pick up the tab."

Gonnerman's story, which was accompanied by hundreds of pages of court testimony, a photo essay, and statements by experts decrying the methods of its founder, Dr. Matthew Israel, prompted legislators in Massachusetts to renew their efforts to shut the facility down, assemblymen in New York to reopen an investigation of the facility, and new D.C. School Chancellor Michelle Rhee to investigate why the city's special ed program was sending its kids all the way to Canton. In addition, readers of our story organized themselves through our website's comments boards. One mother went to the Rotenberg Center to see what would befall her autistic child if she enrolled him there; students from Brandeis organized themselves to investigate and protest the Rotenberg Center.

In the last few days, developments on this story have been fast and furious. D.C. School Chancellor Michele Rhee and Mayor Adrian Fenty have promised to have all nine D.C. kids still at Rotenberg pulled from the program—after the local Washington angle on our story was reported out by the D.C. Examiner, the ever incompetent and corrupt D.C. special ed program told Rhee it would remove them, only to, you know, not. Heads supposedly will roll, dear God, please let one be special ed director Marla Oakes.

But the real news is that Massachusetts just released another damning report [PDF] on the Rotenberg Center, this one detailing an incident where a former patient had called into one of the Center's residential facilities and, posing as an administrator, told an orderly to wake two students, restrain and shock them, which they did, delivering 29 (!!) shocks to one student and 77 (!!!) to the other. Via the Patriot Ledger:

According to the report, as the two students protested that they were innocent and howled in pain, other student residents awoke in the night and shouted in protest, the report said. They told staff members the calls were a prank, but were told to go back to bed.

The two students complained they were in pain and asked to see a nurse, to no immediate avail. One, who screamed that his leg was "killing him,'' was found during a hospital examination the next day to have first-degree burn from the skin shocks. The other told staff members his blood pressure was racing and he felt as though he was about to have a stroke.

The report concludes that one employee "was physically abusive toward residents,'' while six others were negligent in their duties.

Here's a WNBC-NY news report of the incident, including a statement from Governor Elliot Spitzer saying that the practices at the Rotenberg Center are "wrong, and should be ended," and promising to pull NY kids from the program if allowed "the capacity to do so." (Right now, New York City is stymied from doing just that by an injunction filed by some parents of kids at the Rotenberg Center.)

The school and its founder Dr. Israel, of course, claim that this was "an isolated, unprecedented" incident. Just as it claimed back in 1981 when it was reported that "Israel had pinched the feet of Christopher Hirsch, an autistic 12-year-old, at least 24 times in 30 minutes, while the boy screamed and cried. This was a punishment for soiling his pants." Or when another student, 14-year-old Danny Aswad, died while strapped facedown to his bed. " Or when "Vincent Milletich, an autistic 22-year-old, suffered a seizure and died after he was put in restraints and forced to wear a white-noise helmet." Or when 19-year-old Linda Cornelison, who had the mental capacity of a toddler, refused to eat and was punished by staffers: "Between 3:52 p.m. and 8 p.m., staffers punished her with 13 spatula spankings, 29 finger pinches, 14 muscle squeezes, and 5 forced inhalings of ammonia. It turned out that Linda had a perforated stomach. She died on the operating table at 1:45 a.m." You can read about these tragic incidents and many, many, many others in Gonnerman's story.

My point is this. Not only has the particular strand of behaviorism that Dr. Israel peddles been completely debunked by other behaviorists again and again and again—"He's a very smart man, but he's an embarrassment to his profession," one says. "I've never been able to figure out if Matt is a little off-kilter and actually believes all this stuff, or whether he's just a clever businessman"—but even if there were any medical or scientific justification to such extreme aversive punishment, the way that it is carried out at the Rotenberg Center would undermine any potential therapeutic application.

As Gonnerman noted: "Behaviorism would seem to dictate that staff shock students immediately after they break the rules. But if employees learn about a misbehavior after it has occurred—by, say, reviewing surveillance footage—they may still administer punishment." And: "Employees are encouraged to use the element of surprise. 'Attempt to be as discreet as possible and hold the transmitter out of view of the student,' states the employee manual." "Employees shock students for a wide range of behaviors, from violent actions to less serious offenses, like getting out of their seats without permission. In 2006, the New York State Education Department sent a team of investigators, including three psychologists, to the Rotenberg Center, then issued a scathing report. Among its many criticisms was that the staff shocked kids for "nagging, swearing, and failing to maintain a neat appearance." Israel only disputes the latter. As for nagging and swearing? "Sometimes a behavior looks innocuous," he says, "but if it's an antecedent for aggression, it may have to be treated with an aversive."

And Gonnerman's story ends when she discovers that a malfunctioning device had been randomly shocking Luigi, a mentally retarded resident who'd done nothing wrong. Just another "unprecedented, isolated" incident.

But perhaps the most chilling episode in Gonnerman's story is this one: "One afternoon, when I walk into a classroom of teenagers, a 15-year-old girl catches my eye, smiles, and holds up a sheet of paper with a message written in pink marker: HELP US. She puts it back down and shuffles it into her stack of papers before anyone else sees."

The question is now before legislators in Massachusetts and elsewhere: Will anyone help these kids?

Update: Having all but ignored the Rotenberg controversy for years, it seems that the New York Times is finally working on a story about it. Welcome, paper of record!

Comments

we can dream... that one day, someone will shut down that House of Horrors & maybe... parents will learn to actually parent & teach social interaction.

gee, parents who don't parent but will cough up the $$ to 'fix' their kids with a few zaps, intimidation, humiliation & loneliness... what more could a good kid want to become a strong, well-adjusted citizen?

That's some LOVE. almost as much LOVE as you'd get from 'Jesus Camp' training...

If you've ever watched Ceasar Millan... you might have noticed... we've even lost the ability to communicate with our DOGS. one can only wonder... why doesn't the Republican party just start handing out ZAP collars for their kids? ...keeps them damned dogs from barking when you keep 'em chained outside alone for weeks at a time...

come on... they put leashes on 'em, keep 'em in front of TVs & strap them into strollers for years ... ever watched one of these kids try to *run*?

I guess it makes 'em easier to catch & 'tame' before they become Bedroom Community Gang Wannabees... can't have the neighbours or the other Church Elders whispering that you're all "UNg*dly in that House"

~~~
BlueBerry Pick'n
can be found @
ThisCanadian.com
~~~
"We, two, form a Multitude" ~ Ovid.
~~~
"Silent Freedom is Freedom Silenced"

Posted by: BlueBerry Pick'n on 12/20/07 at 8:29 AM Respond

To be fair, although the Times mostly ignored Rotenberg, it did run my op-ed opposing the state sending children there:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06E5D91430F934A35752C0A9619C8B63&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/E/Education%20and%20Schools

Posted by: Maia Szalavitz on 12/21/07 at 8:49 AM Respond

So while the stuffed shirts ponder what to...oh what to do, American citizens are being tortured by Sadaam-like methods. No politician has the balls to use state police or whomever to give IMMEDIATE relief, right now, today.

Posted by: JDH on 12/21/07 at 2:26 PM Respond

Why should we be surprised? Our president and the conservative right say torture is ok as an end to the means, Right! Skinner proved years ago that if you torture a subject long enough you can get them to say and do anything eventually and the death of a few test subjects is just part of the “test results”. Besides the money handlers of this country look at people of this nature as being a burden on society so if a few die it just lessens the load!

Posted by: Rodney Byrd on 12/21/07 at 4:21 PM Respond

The good thing is you have not let this story die. With continued persistence this place will be closed. Why it is still open makes one wonder, with all the patient rights supposedly in place.

Posted by: Jim Tolbert on 12/22/07 at 2:00 AM Respond

The parents of these children should be brought up on criminal charges. They should be sterilized. And they should be put through a similar regiment as have their children.
Really, I see no difference between child abuse and sending your child to one of these camps. I know children can be frustrating..They are particularly frustrating to me, when they're screaming and what-not. That's why I chose NOT to have children; I enjoy my time with my nieces and nephews, and leave it at that..cause I love children when they are behaving. But I knew I wouldn't make a good parent because when they go crazy, it makes me crazy. So no children. The world is over-populated as it is; if you have doubts about your ability to deal with a troublesome child, try to find them a nice foster family. Better yet, don't get pregnant in the first place. There's a narrow window in which a woman can get pregnant. If she pays attantion, and learns her body, there is no reason to ever have an unwanted pregnancy.

Posted by: Alan on 12/22/07 at 6:07 AM Respond

Hey aren't their rates cheaper than Gitmo. Get the kids out and the "terrorists in. SEND CHANEY AND BUSH FOR A COUPLE OF TERMS. Maybe they will develop an aversion to luing.

Posted by: Roger F. Crawford on 12/22/07 at 9:52 AM Respond

Sorry I didn't use the spell checker---LYING was the word is was groping for. They probably do some "luing" also.

Posted by: Roger F. Crawford on 12/22/07 at 9:59 AM Respond

WHO is paying for this legal murder of these children?. looks like one of the administration training programs to staff the CIA.

Posted by: jbig on 12/22/07 at 10:32 AM Respond

Believe me if this practice ever becomes headline news this government sanctioned torure camp possibly going out of business will be the least of their problems. We Americans do not take kindly to anyone abusing our children!

Posted by: SacrAmerican on 12/22/07 at 12:08 PM Respond

If ever a grand jury was needed this is the case. Ask under oath about "spread electrodes" and see if that 77 button pushes doesn't result in 154 shocks. Ask what the difference is between 12, 18 and 24 Volt GEDs. Ask about shocking toes and finger tips. Ask about instructing staff to hiding things from regulators.

Posted by: J on 12/22/07 at 1:35 PM Respond

I see Dr Isreal was at Harvard when the CIA was funding MKULTRA there.

Posted by: VJ on 12/22/07 at 1:50 PM Respond

Abu Graib for kids... lovely!

Posted by: Mj on 12/23/07 at 6:51 AM Respond

Clara,

Thank you so much for your care and concern about the atrocities of JRC. I am an autistic man, father and self advocate. Amnesty International has ignored this issue, despite requests that they bring their "weight" and influence to this pressing atrocity. It is people like you that give hope to the "biggest minority", the disabled community.

Posted by: Kent on 12/23/07 at 1:41 PM Respond

OMG! This is an UNHOLY situation. Only Satan could be so cruel. And justify it.

Posted by: Nancy on 12/23/07 at 4:29 PM Respond

Nancy, your statement is anti-Semitic. Rotenberg was founded by Jews to help the good people of New York. Give them a break.

Posted by: Ira C. on 12/24/07 at 1:07 PM Respond

The latest news from Dachau West -- er, Canton, Massachusetts -- plays an ironic blues counterpoint to a bill currently before the Massachusetts legislature that would forbid parents to slap or spank their children. Present and former residents/staff of the Rothenberg Center have stated that the school offers electric shockers on loan to parents expecting their kids home for vacations/weekends: so parents can electrocute the young ones but (if the new bill passes) not do anything as horrendous as actually spanking them.

Posted by: KateGladstone on 12/24/07 at 7:13 PM Respond

Burn that motherf&^%$r down!!!!!!! (obviously I don't mean with the kids inside)

Posted by: Nate on 12/24/07 at 7:59 PM Respond

To: Clara

Re: I agree with your main point.

Though behavior modification can help, it can also harm, and in this case, as you said, it is nowhere near therapeutic. Behavior modification done ethically has the power to fix the world. However, basing my agreement with you on the news reports I've seen on this school, I reinforce your argument by saying that as long as our elected representatives continue to allow an institution with a history such as this one to continue to operate, it will be next to impossible to fix it; they will continue harming these children with disabilities.

Organizations move forward in time like steaming locomotives. Even if they tried to steer it right, it would take a hell-of-a-long-time to see any shift in a good direction. It should be shut down, and shut down for good.

Nice blogging, Clara.

I am blogging for Reward and Consent without punishment or commandment for anyone, especially people with disabilities, at http://rewardandconsent.blogspot.com

From: Dave

Posted by: Dave on 12/25/07 at 12:54 AM Respond

MS. Hillary Clinton believes in torture also. Most of the children in the original article were African American? We are killing humanity overseas and here. If this is not stopped we the people will be next. This is so insane.

Posted by: Sheryl Skoglund on 12/25/07 at 6:15 PM Respond

Alan, it's all very well to blame the parents, but many of them may have no choice (in the case of a court order) or little choice. It's vital that parents have good information and good choices for troubled or disabled children.

Posted by: BWrites on 12/26/07 at 1:07 PM Respond

Why is this story NOT on CNN??? How about Anderson 360???

Posted by: Johan V. Tress on 12/27/07 at 6:52 AM Respond

There are many challenging children in this world and no quick fixes. Intimidation, torture and humiliation will not lead to better behaved kids. While these kids are trying to survive, literally the adults paid to protect them are dropping the ball. Massachusetts Department of Mental Health and
Child Protective Services should be ashamed to have a facility operating in 2007 in this country. Do shut that place down.

Posted by: Kim Hughes on 12/28/07 at 4:45 PM Respond

Dear J —

Re your technical info ("spread electrodes" .... "77 button pushes ... result[ing] in 154 shocks." ... "the difference ... between 12, 18 and 24 Volt GEDs" ... shocking toes and finger tips. ... "instructing staff to hiding things from regulators") — I would like to put you in touch with an attorney friend of mine now working to shut down the place *this* *year*. If you want him to put these things on his ever-growing list of questions that NEED asking about JRC, send me an e-mail and I will tell him how to reach you. E-mail me at handwritingrepair@gmail.com

Posted by: J on 12/22/07 at 1:35 PM Respond

Posted by: Kate Gladstone on 12/31/07 at 5:38 PM Respond

For an accurate summary of what the Judge Rotenberg Center is really about, please go to http://www.judgerc.org/responsetoblogs.pdf

Posted by: Matthew L. Israel on 01/08/08 at 8:42 AM Respond

I like how this NY TV station takes credit for breaking the story...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_1DoxKVEPk

Posted by: TakingCredit on 01/31/08 at 2:47 PM Respond