TULSA, Okla. — Popular documentaries like “Teen Torture, Inc.” and “The Program” are raising awareness of the trauma thousands of kids experienced during their time at various behavioral boarding schools across America.
One of those survivors includes Sapulpa native John Moody, who said he suffered years of abuse from staff at Bethel Boys Academy in Mississippi.
“A child is supposed to have a bad day,” said Moody. “If you had a bad day [at Bethel], you were going to have a really bad day.”
At 12, Moody said he was bullied at Sapulpa Public Schools. He was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, and he said he acted out in class.
So, he left for the school in Mississippi. He said he wanted to go.
“I didn’t know what was wrong with me—everyone said something was wrong with me,” he said. “I wanted to better myself.”
However, Moody’s nightmare began on day one, for bringing the wrong Bible.
“They actually strung me up to a tree, and they whipped me for having a New King James Bible,” said Moody. “I remember it left blood blisters all over my belly, my genitals, and my back. That’s when I realized—the first day—that something was so seriously wrong [and] I messed up making the decision to go.”
For two years and little schooling, Moody’s days consisted of intense exercise (running for eight miles a day) and severe physical abuse, like waterboarding and drownings. He said he was once nearly drowned for going fishing on the property pond.
He said telling his parents about the abuse was not an option because letters and calls were monitored. Moody eventually moved back to Sapulpa. Due to a family tragedy and immense trauma, he stayed silent.
“I would try to tell people, but the stories were so outlandish, people wouldn’t believe it,” he explained.
He stayed silent for 20 years. Until two years ago, he didn’t even Google the school. That’s when he discovered there is a community of survivors. Moody is now sharing his story to increase awareness and push for more oversight.
“There is more oversight in a barber shop than there is in one of these facilities,” he said.
Bethel Boys Academy has since shut down. To this day, there is very little regulation over these types of schools in many states.
For now, it is up to parents to do their own research.
2 News contacted Oklahoma Human Services and the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
A DHS spokesperson said the agency licenses some facilities, but state statutes allow for many exemptions. Mainly, OK DHS licenses facilities with foster children or children under DHS supervision.
An OSDE spokesperson said accreditation for these types of schools is optional, and they do not oversee them.
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