'School destroyed my life'

[Miss-Delectable]

edmontonsun.com - Alberta- 'School destroyed my life'

Margo Pelkey was afraid to say no to the staff at Edmonton’s Alberta School for the Deaf.

“If I ever said no they would abuse me,” Pelkey told Sun Media through an interpreter. “I was not allowed to say no. They made me say yes all the time.”

Pelkey is a plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against the Alberta government, which ran the school from 1955 to 1996.

She claims the “systematic” sexual and physical abuse she suffered while attending the school from 1957 to 1970 resulted in a lifetime of mental and emotional suffering. According to the statement of claim, filed Tuesday in Edmonton Court of Queen’s Bench, it eventually led to her developing schizophrenia.

Pelkey, who now lives in New Westminster, B.C., said that because she was forced to submit to the will of school staff, “even after I left school, I always said yes to people and they would often take advantage of me. I was so messed up. School destroyed my life.”

The Alberta lawsuit is the first part of a class-action suit against eight provincial governments for alleged abuses in 12 special boarding schools for the deaf. In all, the claim covers more than 61,000 children who attended the schools from the 1950s to the mid-1990s.

Lawyer Tony Merchant said the alleged victims were easy prey for their abusers because they were only able to communicate through sign language, which was discouraged in the schools at the time because they were trying to teach the children to talk.

“We believe that the problem of non-speaking students made them perfect targets for sexual abuse and that is why it existed in all of the schools,” Merchant said.

Asked if she wanted to see criminal charges laid against the people who allegedly abused her, Pelkey replied, “of course.”

However, Merchant said he won’t encourage any of his clients to pursue criminal charges.

“That just puts the victim through a further horrible process,” he said.

The criminal justice system, he said, is “ill-suited” for treating sex crime victims with compassion and dignity.

Alberta Education spokesman Kathy Telfer declined comment because government officials were still waiting to be officially served notice of the lawsuit.

A statement of claim contains allegations that have not been proven in court.

Since 1996, the school at 6240 113 St. has been run by Edmonton Public Schools, which has nothing to do with the lawsuit.

 

[Bebonang]

Residential schools like Native boarding schools and Deaf institutions have been abused and sexual abused. They were to force them to be like the hearing people and white people. Beside, it is all abused when we are force to talk in the mainstream schools, too. Today, it is still abusive in trying to make the Deaf and hard of hearing to talk instead of sign language and to have babies getting CI without letting the children know if they want it or not. We need Deaf advocates to help us Deaf people who are abused by the Residential school and Mainstream schools.

 

[deafdyke]

Yes, the abuse problem at the residental schools, wasn't nessarily limited to Deaf residental schools. Lots of other state insistitions had issues too.

 

[shel90]

It seems like the majority of these abuse cases occurred during the 50s to the 70s. In today's times, there is more awareness..do u think?

 

[deafbajagal]

I sure hope so.

 

[Banjo]

It seems like the majority of these abuse cases occurred during the 50s to the 70s. In today's times, there is more awareness..do u think?

I know of several cases that occurred during my years as a student at a school for the deaf and that was from 1996 to 2002.

But yes, it's likely that there are less cases now but it is still happening.

 

[deafdyke]

Banjo, well it depends a lot on what you mean by abuse. Sure there's always going to be asshole sociopath types, but some "abuse" can be seen as sort of a gray area. Also some of the "sex" stuff can be kinda ambigious. NOT that I approve of stuff like that......but I'm just saying that some of those situtions could be avoided by people using common sense.
And yes Shel it does seem like most of the abuse occured in the 50's-70's.
Back then a lot of behavoirs that we now think of as abusive, were the NORM.
I was watching an episode of Good Times, and they had a bit where the dad used his BELT (!) to spank his kids. Now most people would be horrified at that sort of thing. Despite what some people might think (referring to a messageboard I shall not name) those sorts of incidents really aren't all that common nowadays. They have SCREENING, and ways to make sure that stuff like that doesn't happen any more.
Also, I've seen abusive situtions in public schools. Like, my jr high gym teacher serially molested young teen girls.

 

[deafdyke]

it eventually led to her developing schizophrenia.

I'm sorry, but schizophernia is NOT caused by tramatic events. PSTD, depression, MAYBE bipolar (ie if someone is predisposed to it, it could act as a trigger to set off bipolar behavoirs) BUT NOT schiezophernia!

 

[VamPyroX]

I'm sorry, but schizophernia is NOT caused by tramatic events. PSTD, depression, MAYBE bipolar (ie if someone is predisposed to it, it could act as a trigger to set off bipolar behavoirs) BUT NOT schiezophernia!

Check this out...

Schizophrenia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

She was forced to say "yes" all the time leading her to fear what people would ask her in the future.

 

[Banjo]

Banjo, well it depends a lot on what you mean by abuse. Sure there's always going to be asshole sociopath types, but some "abuse" can be seen as sort of a gray area. Also some of the "sex" stuff can be kinda ambigious. NOT that I approve of stuff like that......but I'm just saying that some of those situtions could be avoided by people using common sense..

Being hit with a hockey stick was never the norm. Having your head shoved down with resistance to suck off a penis is certainly not ambiguous. A houseparent spitting into a child's face is not acceptable... ever.

In fact, it was not just within the residence. Certain people within the faculty did abuse the students too as well. Some of them engaged in sexual activities with students either if it was against their will or not. It's still against the policy and is morally wrong. Heck, even some tried to get their own boy toys by inviting them over to their places or buying them gifts so they can get sexual favours and such.

Houseparents, teachers and authority figures are supposed to be trustworthy and looked up to. Students naturally would trust them. The trust can be abused and they are often lured into doing something they will end up hating themselves and blaming themselves for years to come.

Abuse is abuse.

One thing about child molesters people should know, it's that they are able to overcome the young minds' ability to use its common sense. They know how to manipulate people's emotions and such. Once the common sense is penetrated through, it is no longer a problem for the perpetrators to make their moves.

 

[deafskeptic]

Banjo, well it depends a lot on what you mean by abuse. Sure there's always going to be asshole sociopath types, but some "abuse" can be seen as sort of a gray area. Also some of the "sex" stuff can be kinda ambigious. NOT that I approve of stuff like that......but I'm just saying that some of those situtions could be avoided by people using common sense.
And yes Shel it does seem like most of the abuse occured in the 50's-70's.
Back then a lot of behavoirs that we now think of as abusive, were the NORM.
I was watching an episode of Good Times, and they had a bit where the dad used his BELT (!) to spank his kids. Now most people would be horrified at that sort of thing. Despite what some people might think (referring to a messageboard I shall not name) those sorts of incidents really aren't all that common nowadays. They have SCREENING, and ways to make sure that stuff like that doesn't happen any more.
Also, I've seen abusive situtions in public schools. Like, my jr high gym teacher serially molested young teen girls.

Some people still think spanking people with a belt is acceptable. I don't think it's acceptable and I've been spanked with a belt.

 

[deafdyke]

Banjo, the first two situtions YES, are abuse. I mean GOD, even Focus on (Your Own Damn) Family wouldn't approve of using a hockey stick.(they approve of using an instrument to spank their kids) And forced oral sex.................EWWWW EWWW EWWW..........the person instigating that needs to be put in a school for sexually disordered people.
The last one..............well maybe the houseparent was very frustrated with the kid. Again, I don't condone that sort of stuff, BUT with some behavorially disordered kids (like kids with severe issues such as Fetal Alchohol syndrome) sometimes people can very easily reach the end of their tether.
You went to a high school for dhh teens right? Let me guess........the kids who were preyed on were the ones who didn't have great home lives(ie nonsigning parents) or who didn't feel like they fit in. Typical VERY typical of predators to do something like that. They don't really get healthy relationships, so when a predator comes along, they think they have to go along with the abuse.....after all (sarcasm) they've found someone who likes them!(/sarcasm) I really think that in ALL schools for the Deaf, that have a residental componet, there should be a trained FULL TIME psychologist (who is very familiar with dhh issues) on staff. There should also be a formal way of identifying those kids, and maybe even a formal program to teach them stuff like that.

 

[Reba]

Sad, awful situation.

 

[jillio]

Check this out...

Schizophrenia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

She was forced to say "yes" all the time leading her to fear what people would ask her in the future.

Actually, a person with a predisposition to schizophrenia can, and quite often does, experience a taumatic trigger that causes the disease to manifest. You can have a predisposition to schizophrenia, and never experience symptoms of the disease because you have not encountered the environmental triggers that put the disease process into motion. It is not biology alone. It is a combination of biology and environment that triggers the disease process.

 

[jillio]

It seems like the majority of these abuse cases occurred during the 50s to the 70s. In today's times, there is more awareness..do u think?

Not only more awareness, but more safeguards in place. That's not to say that a few are not still slipping through the system, but by and large, there have been improvements.

 

[Banjo]

You went to a high school for dhh teens right? Let me guess........the kids who were preyed on were the ones who didn't have great home lives(ie nonsigning parents) or who didn't feel like they fit in. Typical VERY typical of predators to do something like that. They don't really get healthy relationships, so when a predator comes along, they think they have to go along with the abuse.....after all (sarcasm) they've found someone who likes them!(/sarcasm) I really think that in ALL schools for the Deaf, that have a residental componet, there should be a trained FULL TIME psychologist (who is very familiar with dhh issues) on staff. There should also be a formal way of identifying those kids, and maybe even a formal program to teach them stuff like that.

Nope. They even went after deaf students who came from multi-generation deaf families. A lot of the houseparents easily lose their tempers over nothing. Really. A lot of them aren't even trained to deal with children and teenagers.

 

[Banjo]

Not only more awareness, but more safeguards in place. That's not to say that a few are not still slipping through the system, but by and large, there have been improvements.

Kind of difficult to say as many schools now put severe restrictions on the internet access including instant messaging. Not many deaf people use TTY machines nowadays.

 

[jillio]

Kind of difficult to say as many schools now put severe restrictions on the internet access including instant messaging. Not many deaf people use TTY machines nowadays.

I'm sorry. I'm not sure what you are tellling me. When I referrred to safeguards, I meant in hiring practices...background checks for employees, etc.

 

[Banjo]

I'm sorry. I'm not sure what you are tellling me. When I referrred to safeguards, I meant in hiring practices...background checks for employees, etc.

It means deaf students are being restricted from making contact with the outside world. They wouldn't be able to call the police if a houseparent is abusing them or not.

Every call you want to make will have to be approved by the houseparent. You can't just go up to the TTY machine and call whoever you want to.

Background checks are no good because most houseparents don't carry a criminal record for molestation and such.

 

[jillio]

It means deaf students are being restricted from making contact with the outside world. They wouldn't be able to call the police if a houseparent is abusing them or not.

Every call you want to make will have to be approved by the houseparent. You can't just go up to the TTY machine and call whoever you want to.

Background checks are no good because most houseparents don't carry a criminal record for molestation and such.

Okay, gotcha.

They may have phone restrictions, but they also have the option of turning to a teacher or adminsitrator. Likewise, there are times they are off campus. While I agree that the very fact of being in that situation makes a kid more vunerable to abuse, I do believe that things are improving. That doesn't mean that it doesn't still happen, but simply that it is not as wide spread as it once was. Nor am I in any way saying that a child that has been intimidated into not telling is responsible for keeping silent.

Background checks prevent the hiring of anyone with a criminal history. That is an improvement over the days when background checks were not done. Granted, there will still be those few with the tendency to abuse that have yet to be caught, and will still slip through the system. That is evidenced not just in the deaf schools, but the public school system as well. We hear of sexual relationships between students and teachers on an almost daily basis. But background checks are better than nothing as precaution.

I also think it would be tremendously helpful if classroom teachers received more training on recognizing the subtle signs of sexual abuse. The signs too often go unrecognized.