Sacheen’s Testimony – Teen Challenge Kansas City Girls Academy

I sent my 15-year-old daughter to Kansas City Girls Academy in September of 2019 thinking it was my last hope and an answer to a desperate prayer.

I later came to realize that this is how these programs prey on parents and ultimately make us unwitting partners in their victimization of our children.

My first concern came on day one at drop off. Without warning 3 strangers came out, 2 being “advanced” students and one being staff and told us we’d need to say our goodbyes there in the parking lot. No time to go over medical issues and concerns together, no last moments together in this strange place, just an abrupt and sudden goodbye.

What they didn’t mention is that my daughter would be stripped searched and my right to know what was being said to her on a daily basis would be ripped away. Our correspondence would be 100% monitored as would our biweekly phone calls. I would not be allowed to spend time with my daughter alone for another 4 months, long enough for them to have convinced her that she was dumped there and for them to convince me that any type of negative report by her is manipulation.

This became their theme in any wrongdoing in their part. When they had an outbreak of Covid they sent out an email warning that the girls might try to manipulate the situation, and when they allowed a girl in the program who had not been properly vetted and had violent tendencies they blamed her parents and warned us that our daughters may try to manipulate us with this information.

When my daughter suffered serious breathing issues due to contracting flu while in their care they did not obtain the proper medical equipment that was prescribed (a nebulizer with medication). She had to suffer another day because no one went to get what she needed to treat an ongoing asthma exacerbation. It turned out the staff member who should’ve been responsible for this did not act on it when Walgreens informed her that it would take two weeks to receive the nebulizer. She did nothing and let it slide. Thankfully my daughter’s counselor (not a licensed counselor from my understanding) did reach out to me but she was the ONLY staff that seemed to care about my daughter’s distress. I had to find a medical supply company in the Kansas City area (I’m in Arizona) to purchase the machine my daughter needed to help her breathe. The director and his wife, the program did nothing.

The level of punishment KGGA heaps on these girls is so anti-Jesus. It’s taken me years to realize that they receive no grace when they’ve made a mistake (unless of course they are favored). My girl and another had a full month added to their program for being silly and bumping each other’s shoulders in passing (violating the no touch rule). I agree a consequence is appropriate when rules are broken but another MONTH in the program (and not a free month mind you). They expect absolute perfection and obedience using fear and isolation from each other and the parents. They are frightened into obeying without real changie their hearts and minds, so the old behaviors return once they come home after graduation (but worse because now they’ve been traumatized by Teen Challenge).

My girl is tall and it was always a challenge finding dresses and skirts that she felt comfortable in and met their dress code standards (which varies girl to girl depending on popularity with staff). I found some very conservative dresses at Kohls that hit right at her knee yet the staff member checking the outfits said they were too short. However, on their own social media pages several girls wore shorts that barely covered their butt cheeks. This is just a small example of my experience with one Teen Challenge program.

They get away with their tactics due to lack of regulation or oversight. I will continue to share my bad decision of sending my daughter to Teen Challenge in hopes that they are shut down OR are forced to follow specific guidelines and are closely monitored (including frequent inspections and interviews with students). And parents should never ever not be allowed to visit at any time. They also falsely advertised an equestrian therapy component to the program (my daughter had some experiences with horses). She said they visited the stables once during her 15 month stay, so that was a lie.

The program cost $4085/month yet the girls were fed donated and cheap food. My daughter told me one night they were fed 5 chicken nuggets.

WHERE IS ALL THAT MONEY GOING??