PARENTS ARE HEEDING THE WARNING:
The Family Foundation School ABUSES CHILDREN
Family School Student Enrollment: 2008 = ~265 2012 = ~100
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THE FAMILY FOUNDATION SCHOOL
TRUTH CAMPAIGN
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
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TRUTH CAMPAIGN
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
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Morgan Edmiston
FAMILY SCHOOL TRUTH CAMPAIGN NOTE: Some last names were removed for the protection of named parties who were students at the time Morgan was enrolled at the school
Student from: 2001 - 2003
Hello. My name is Morgan Edmiston I was a student at the Family Foundation School.
I entered FFS when I was fourteen and left when I was sixteen. I had many preexisting emotional and mental health issues to begin, such as being diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and possibly schizophrenic. I found myself often paranoid as a child.
I had dealt with issues such as abandonment as a young child. My father was never in my life. (He left my mom before i was born.) I was fortunate to have developed a close and loving relationship with my Grandmother but unfortunately she had passed away when I was ten. I did not know how to handle that death at all. By the time I was twelve I had discovered my adolescence and puberty change, I was highly sexually charged at that age. I acted out at school acted like a fool and complete asshole wherever I went. Yes I did do a lot of things WRONG. I am no saint and I fully understand why I went to the Family School today. Then I did not, I felt like an average child looking for their rightful individuality.
When I entered the Family School I wanted to leave right away I had the worst feeling in my stomach about that place. I was stripped searched and told to take a shower with lice shampoo. Angelo checked me in to the school and gave me orders and told me to listen to what I was told. I thought to myself, "Why not just go to Military School?" I was not allowed to have things such as music or art supplies that i used at the time. I automatically became lost and wondered why my parents were shipping me off to this place. When I knew I wasn't allowed to talk to them for my first month I felt like I was in a fight for control. I felt completely abandoned again this time it was by my Mom, from that day on I have been scarred.
The founder Tony Argiros was there and I remember being told that him being there was a rarity. I found out why when I went to lunch that day where I was placed in family six. He was there and this kid about sixteen to seventeen years old was facing the corner standing and told to come stand in front of the five horse shoe shaped banquet tables for a table talk. I remember being forced to pray before this table talk. When we were done they started talking about this poor kids' family life his father had killed himself, the young kid said he abused his mom and he did drugs and abused alcohol. All I remember that day is that Paul Geer had started yelling at him because he said he did not want to do something. Then all of a sudden Tony was yelling in a rageful voice making him cry and i remember the look in his eyes that I will Never Forget. He looked as if he was in a hell he could not get out or away. His name was Austin D****. When I saw that look I felt as is if I was incarcerated and being there was a survival of the fittest.
Some-days would just drag on forever, I remember having to eat maypo and tuna often and sit in the corner. I had every bit of will to fight that place. I had to prove I was stronger emotionally than they were. I didn't think that I was an alcoholic. I didn't even know what that word specifically entailed or characterized. I had never even been drunk or high on illegal drugs for that matter. I did my best to steal from that place as much as possible I loved work sanctions and they made me run because I was obese. I never had a problem with that today I pride myself on those two things because I felt I knew how to use them. Work sanctions were great no school no problem. I did not have to talk to anybody and that usually always made me happy. I felt there was never a use for me to run away. I was just gonna get arrested and sent back.
There was this sanction called the twin sanction. Where you had to follow somebody around at all times, usually someone you don't like. I was put on this sanction with this kid Chris A********. To be quite honest everybody knew I hated his guts. They wanted to see my boiling point with him they wanted me to hit him I did. When I think about it today they just bullied me into wanting to see me be violent and see where I stood. I am glad I only gave that once to them.
They wanted me to be completely afraid of them. I remember Ted Towsley made Chris, myself and Jim C********* stand outside the family six window and told us we were going to be on the outside looking in the rest of our lives. I am sorry I can not be Mr. alpha male the rest of my life. I didn't go home once in two years until the day I left. I saw my family a total of four times. I intentionally disregarded them fifty percent of the time.
Erika M**** and Emily V******** had screaming matches with Paul Geer. He completely degraded them for all they were worth. He indirectly called these really nice girls Karyn S**** and Kate O******* sluts on more than one occasion. Terry McCarthy is one of the more respectable people there. He at least tried to help me he showed me how to be motivated. He did use force (even Terry himself admitted it) on a student and grab him out of his bed one morning his name was Nick. I am sorry I do not remember his last name. It started with a B and his sister was in family three.
I had to lie in order to get out of trouble. As far as I am concerned they were easy to manipulate as long as I sounded some what rational and sane they would believe me. They took what they wanted to hear as well. I was outside of an AA meeting one day a couple of years ago because I chose to be there and seek help for myself and this guy said that Alcoholics and addicts of all sort strived to be manipulated. These people are not suited to be helping others they are still living unhealthy emotional lives.
I have screaming dreams on the occasion. I remember when I left that place I saw the movie Sleepers. I have never cried so much. All I could think of was the Family Foundation School. I am not a completely changed person today. I still have problems like we all do. They can not change youth. Our bodies were not made to be treated with that kind of neglect. Our parents actions said they didnt want us and took us to another family. One that was no better as far as I am concerned. Today I know and trust my family had well intentions. They wasted our parents money on trying to help us but instead treated us poorly and delayed our maturing process.
Thank you for letting the world know what kind of place this is. I would not expect for this place to change or be different. You cant have expectations of an alcoholic they are selfish people. They are addicted to this unhealthy work place and lifestyle. I hope I exposed them for what they were worth. They are nothing to me today. I want everyone to know I love my family with all my heart they are all I have and my mother and step father are people I will give my life to.
I remember having religion shoved down my throat such as Catholicism and Christianity. I was told I was an impure pervert and needed to pray to the Virgin Mary. I don't believe in Jesus or Allah for that matter. I am an Agnostic and I hope all of you find your spiritual journeys. You deserve it just as the people at the Family School do.
Student from: 2001 - 2003
Hello. My name is Morgan Edmiston I was a student at the Family Foundation School.
I entered FFS when I was fourteen and left when I was sixteen. I had many preexisting emotional and mental health issues to begin, such as being diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and possibly schizophrenic. I found myself often paranoid as a child.
I had dealt with issues such as abandonment as a young child. My father was never in my life. (He left my mom before i was born.) I was fortunate to have developed a close and loving relationship with my Grandmother but unfortunately she had passed away when I was ten. I did not know how to handle that death at all. By the time I was twelve I had discovered my adolescence and puberty change, I was highly sexually charged at that age. I acted out at school acted like a fool and complete asshole wherever I went. Yes I did do a lot of things WRONG. I am no saint and I fully understand why I went to the Family School today. Then I did not, I felt like an average child looking for their rightful individuality.
When I entered the Family School I wanted to leave right away I had the worst feeling in my stomach about that place. I was stripped searched and told to take a shower with lice shampoo. Angelo checked me in to the school and gave me orders and told me to listen to what I was told. I thought to myself, "Why not just go to Military School?" I was not allowed to have things such as music or art supplies that i used at the time. I automatically became lost and wondered why my parents were shipping me off to this place. When I knew I wasn't allowed to talk to them for my first month I felt like I was in a fight for control. I felt completely abandoned again this time it was by my Mom, from that day on I have been scarred.
The founder Tony Argiros was there and I remember being told that him being there was a rarity. I found out why when I went to lunch that day where I was placed in family six. He was there and this kid about sixteen to seventeen years old was facing the corner standing and told to come stand in front of the five horse shoe shaped banquet tables for a table talk. I remember being forced to pray before this table talk. When we were done they started talking about this poor kids' family life his father had killed himself, the young kid said he abused his mom and he did drugs and abused alcohol. All I remember that day is that Paul Geer had started yelling at him because he said he did not want to do something. Then all of a sudden Tony was yelling in a rageful voice making him cry and i remember the look in his eyes that I will Never Forget. He looked as if he was in a hell he could not get out or away. His name was Austin D****. When I saw that look I felt as is if I was incarcerated and being there was a survival of the fittest.
Some-days would just drag on forever, I remember having to eat maypo and tuna often and sit in the corner. I had every bit of will to fight that place. I had to prove I was stronger emotionally than they were. I didn't think that I was an alcoholic. I didn't even know what that word specifically entailed or characterized. I had never even been drunk or high on illegal drugs for that matter. I did my best to steal from that place as much as possible I loved work sanctions and they made me run because I was obese. I never had a problem with that today I pride myself on those two things because I felt I knew how to use them. Work sanctions were great no school no problem. I did not have to talk to anybody and that usually always made me happy. I felt there was never a use for me to run away. I was just gonna get arrested and sent back.
There was this sanction called the twin sanction. Where you had to follow somebody around at all times, usually someone you don't like. I was put on this sanction with this kid Chris A********. To be quite honest everybody knew I hated his guts. They wanted to see my boiling point with him they wanted me to hit him I did. When I think about it today they just bullied me into wanting to see me be violent and see where I stood. I am glad I only gave that once to them.
They wanted me to be completely afraid of them. I remember Ted Towsley made Chris, myself and Jim C********* stand outside the family six window and told us we were going to be on the outside looking in the rest of our lives. I am sorry I can not be Mr. alpha male the rest of my life. I didn't go home once in two years until the day I left. I saw my family a total of four times. I intentionally disregarded them fifty percent of the time.
Erika M**** and Emily V******** had screaming matches with Paul Geer. He completely degraded them for all they were worth. He indirectly called these really nice girls Karyn S**** and Kate O******* sluts on more than one occasion. Terry McCarthy is one of the more respectable people there. He at least tried to help me he showed me how to be motivated. He did use force (even Terry himself admitted it) on a student and grab him out of his bed one morning his name was Nick. I am sorry I do not remember his last name. It started with a B and his sister was in family three.
I had to lie in order to get out of trouble. As far as I am concerned they were easy to manipulate as long as I sounded some what rational and sane they would believe me. They took what they wanted to hear as well. I was outside of an AA meeting one day a couple of years ago because I chose to be there and seek help for myself and this guy said that Alcoholics and addicts of all sort strived to be manipulated. These people are not suited to be helping others they are still living unhealthy emotional lives.
I have screaming dreams on the occasion. I remember when I left that place I saw the movie Sleepers. I have never cried so much. All I could think of was the Family Foundation School. I am not a completely changed person today. I still have problems like we all do. They can not change youth. Our bodies were not made to be treated with that kind of neglect. Our parents actions said they didnt want us and took us to another family. One that was no better as far as I am concerned. Today I know and trust my family had well intentions. They wasted our parents money on trying to help us but instead treated us poorly and delayed our maturing process.
Thank you for letting the world know what kind of place this is. I would not expect for this place to change or be different. You cant have expectations of an alcoholic they are selfish people. They are addicted to this unhealthy work place and lifestyle. I hope I exposed them for what they were worth. They are nothing to me today. I want everyone to know I love my family with all my heart they are all I have and my mother and step father are people I will give my life to.
I remember having religion shoved down my throat such as Catholicism and Christianity. I was told I was an impure pervert and needed to pray to the Virgin Mary. I don't believe in Jesus or Allah for that matter. I am an Agnostic and I hope all of you find your spiritual journeys. You deserve it just as the people at the Family School do.
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Founded in 2009, this campaign is a volunteer organization dedicated to exposing child abuse at an Upstate New York Boarding School
Founded in 2009, this campaign is a volunteer organization dedicated to exposing child abuse at an Upstate New York Boarding School