Posted on 01/06/2023 4:44:05 PM PST by Morgana
W hen Andrew Breshears arrived at the Agapé Boarding School in 2018, he was a sandy-haired 12-year-old who weighed less than 100 pounds. He enjoyed watching movies, listening to Elvis, and playing soccer with his friends. “I was sheltered,” Breshears says. But he struggled at home. When he was told he couldn’t live with his mother after her stint in rehab, he threatened to kill himself, and another person from the household. His grandparents sent him to a mental hospital, then to Agapé.
At first glance, the facility for “at-risk and unmotivated boys” — a Baptist institution in Stockton, Missouri — wasn’t so terrible. Passing under the majestic cross affixed to its towering arched entryway, Breshears gazed over a beautiful campus. The foothills of the Ozarks sat in the distance. There were horses, a swimming pool, and a football team. It appeared to be a vast improvement over his previous digs.
But Breshears got a rude welcome. Right away, staff shaved his head, handed him an orange shirt and a pair of Wranglers, moved him into a dorm that looked like Marine barracks, and introduced him to a dizzying litany of rules. Chapel was daily. Church was on Wednesday and three times on Sunday. Hymns blared in the classrooms.
To keep order, Agapé instituted a military-like hierarchy, indicated by colored shirts that denoted ranks. The fastest way for a student to attain a coveted burgundy or red shirt, Breshears soon learned, was to embrace the Lord and help Brother Bryan — Bryan Clemensen, the school’s co-founder and eventual director and principal — enforce the rules. That meant calling out and even disciplining classmates for infractions like cursing, talking in line, refusing to pledge allegiance to the Christian flag, or talking about their pasts.
(Excerpt) Read more at rollingstone.com ...
As far as I know the school might be actually awful, but “Rolling Stone” has a history of fake stories, so not going to be convinced until I a more reputable sources vets it.
Maybe its true
Maybe It wasn’t that bad
but its Rolling Stone so the have reason to lie or make it seem worse.
Most likely the FIRST TIME the kids ever had to behave, or else. Other than 4,950 of the past 5,000 years of recorded history, this approach is TOTALLY OUTDATED.
Except I know some of the boys who went there. It’s true right down to the “Jurassic Elbow”
“Former students say Clemensen, a paunchy middle-aged man with a buzz cut, a soft chin, and a stern manner, had a technique that he called “Jurassic Elbow” —”
I’ve heard from former students who told me Clemensen used to go around and do that on boys and they didn’t even know it was coming.
Your gut is wrong. The majority of these kids were adopted and the parents are re-homing them.
That is why these troubled teen homes are so upsetting me. Over 50% of these kids were adopted.
You all know me. You know how I’m pro life and pushed for adoption now I’m hearing this from the troubled teen survivors. I have kids (now adults) who had been adopted and their parents up and didn’t want them any more. I actually had some say they now support abortion and wish they had been aborted. Do you know how much that hurts me? I’m at a loss of what to think. Here I supported adoption all these years and not this.
What a nasty place, run by an apparently wicked man. These are troubled boys- may God help them.
It’s worse than you think. At lot of these boys when they leave this school and schools like this? They won’t attend church or have anything to do with religion at all. In fact some of them go as far as to join the other team and practice witchcraft. They are so hurt by what goes on at these schools. I’m posting these stories as a warning to other Chrsitian parents not as a hit piece.
Thank you for posting. I get real sick at how abuse gets blown over by some. This story breaks my heart but spiritual abuse it so common these days. I hope these kids get some justice and peace.
I have no problem believing this is accurate. I see Agspe was influenced by Lester Roloff, a religious zealot, sadist, and general purpose nut.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again “boot camps” are not for all kids because even the military does not take everyone. Not all kids are well enough to do “boot camps”. Even the ones that are? Basic training is only what, 6 weeks? So send the kids who can do it to actual basic training with a real Sgt Carter. Not these make believe, fly by night schools that abuse kids.
For real why pussy foot around? Send them to actual boot camp and when they come back they will be all grown up.
I believe it. It crosses denominations - Protestant or Catholic, Morman fundamentalists and even some Amish groups and ones I’m unaware of. They take sound ideas and twist them to suit their own distortrd ideas and delusions..and the children suffer mightily. Look at the sick Duggar clan.
Children do need discipline, AND love. Without both, they’re adrift and confused.
I am coming from an anecdotal experience.
Where do they get sent today ?
I know where some get sent.
and a cousin died because of or in spite of it..@ 26 years old with a needle in his arm, found by his 8 year old son.
I along with my sister, was raised in a German Roman Catholic Orphanage from 58-67.(Sister 58-69) It was run by mostly nuns and 5 priests.
Place was run quasi-military style. Discipline based on silence and corporal and other punishments.
2 years later, 1969, i was drafted into the United States Marine Corps - I was ready for boot camp which was 13 weeks.
(On the plane going to boot camp, guy next to me was in the Marines because he judge gave him an option of that or penitentary)
The Orphan Asylum made this place look like club-med. We were natured ok but not nurtured.
They took kids from baby thru H.S. graduation.
There were no “can't” make it kids regardless of physical or mental handicap.
The incorrigibles were sent to juvie. I never knew what happened to them.
I have very little hard bark about the place anymore, as i came to realize, that it saved my life.
Again where else do you send the “at-risk and unmotivated boys” that can't make it ?
To keep order, Agapé instituted a military-like hierarchy, indicated by colored shirts that denoted ranks. The fastest way for a student to attain a coveted burgundy or red shirt, Breshears soon learned, was to embrace the Lord and help Brother Bryan — Bryan Clemensen, the school’s co-founder and eventual director and principal — enforce the rules. That meant calling out and even disciplining classmates for infractions like cursing, talking in line, refusing to pledge allegiance to the Christian flag, or talking about their pasts.Most likely the FIRST TIME the kids ever had to behave, or else. Other than 4,950 of the past 5,000 years of recorded history, this approach is TOTALLY OUTDATED.
And even disciplining classmates for infractions like cursing, talking in line, refusing to pledge allegiance to the Christian flag, or talking about their pasts." Surely the Rolling Stone thinks that at least cursing is fine, though it accompanies disrespect. And the context indeed is not being considered. It is not easy to deal with such youth.
The Agape story has been in the Missouri news for over a year.
It’s curious that no legal effort has been made to close the place.
Job Corps?
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