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West Ridge Academy

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West Ridge Academy
Location
West Jordan, Utah, USA
Information
School typeprivate
Denominationnondenominational
DirectorKenneth Allen
Age range9 - 17
Enrollment150
Websitehttp://westridgeacademy.com/

West Ridge Academy (known as the Utah Boys Ranch until 2005), is a youth rehabilitation boarding school (classified as a "therapeutic school" according to Utah statutes) based in West Jordan, Utah, USA. It seeks to provide clinical services, education, and other programs for teens at risk. It is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation under the name Children and Youth Services, Inc. The academy states that it provides "quality clinical services, education, and experiences which promote spiritual awareness, personal accountability and change of heart."

Until 2005, the Utah Boys Ranch was male-only. In early 2005, it opened new, separate facilities for girls and changed its name to West Ridge Academy.

Abuse that is the way the staff treats the kids abuse i am not lying i got thrown around smacked around and even kicked by staff like dave or irish and mitch sorensan and paul keene these are bad people do not send youre kid there i have many scars from that place and my nose will never be the same because when jenny allen smacked me into the wall she told me my parents wont be able to save me now and she punched me in the ribs and i got two fractured ribs please dont send youre kid there


sincerely Kenneth Allen

History and controversy

Utah Boys Ranch navigation sign prior to renaming of the facility to West Ridge Academy in 2005

The Utah Boys Ranch was founded by Lowell L. Bennion and a group of his associates in 1964. Later, leadership changed hands and Utah State Senator Chris Buttars became the executive director and remained so for more than fifteen years before retiring amid controversy.

On May 15, 2008, Tyler Elsey, a former West Ridge Academy resident, filed a lawsuit alleging negligence and sexual abuse against West Ridge Academy in Utah District court. As of June 2009, the case is inactive (the status in the Utah court system is given as "notice of removal").

On January 2, 2009, Eric Norwood published an article alleging abuses and controversial practices at the ranch. On January 9, 2009, Salt Lake City radio station KRCL invited Senator Buttars, West Ridge staff, and Eric Norwood on their talk show RadioActive! to discuss the article, but Buttars and West Ridge Academy declined.

Former students and staff at the academy allege there is a strong connection with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the Mormon Church), although the Academy maintains that it is nondenominational. Although Ken Allen, the academy's director, said the (Latter-Day Saint) missionaries role is pivotal in the reformation of the boys and girls who attend West Ridge Academy.

References

  1. "Admissions". West Ridge Academy web site.
  2. Ball, Fred (October 3, 2007). "Fred Ball Speaking on Business". KSL Radio Small Business Resource Center. KSL. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
  3. "Home page". West Ridge Academy web site.
  4. "Strugglingteens.com review of West Ridge Academy".
  5. Bradford, Mary Lythgoe (1995). Lowell L. Bennion: Teacher, Counselor, Humanitarian. Dialogue Foundation. pp. 214–215. ISBN 1560850817.
  6. Illegal Goings On at the Utah Boys Ranch?, Associated Press, 2004 {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |day= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  7. "Elsey v. West Ridge Academy case #2:2008cv00390". Federal District Court Filings. Retrieved 6/12/2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  8. Norwood, Eric (2009-01-02). "Trapped In A Mormon Gulag". Orato Media Corp. Retrieved 2009-02-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  9. Gena Edvalson (2009-01-13). "RadioActive! Jan 9 The Mormon Gulag". KRCL RadioActive website. Retrieved 6/9/2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  10. Frequently cited examples of this connection with the Mormon church include the following:
  11. http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/curr/accred/reports/TeamReports/WestRidgeAcad.pdf
  12. http://utah.schooltree.org/Salt-Lake-County-Schools.html
  13. http://www.strugglingteens.com/archives/2006/pdf/146-October06.pdf
  14. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20090415/ai_n31538696/

External links

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