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By Julie Goodman
jgoodman@clarionledger.com
Clarion Ledger
February 10, 2005
Ann Kloostra of Sevierville, Tenn., has been concerned about her friend's son, a teenager who had recently begun having problems with drugs and truancy.
Her worries were somewhat allayed after the boy's father flew in from California and made an arrangement with a Youth Court judge to have the boy sent to Lucedale's Eagle Point Christian Academy, a reform school for troubled youths.
The school offered the same services as the Bethel Boys Academy, also in Lucedale, a facility facing lawsuits from families alleging child abuse.
Complaints surfaced that students had been beaten, denied proper medical treatment and shocked with a cattle prod, and authorities had been investigating the boot-camp program.
But on a recent trip to Mississippi, when Kloostra drove through Lucedale, she was struck by how small the city was and thought, "What's the chance of two schools like that being in the same town?"
After combing the Internet, calling state and city offices, and looking up court documents - Kloostra put two and two together: Eagle Point Christian Academy and Bethel Boys Academy are one and the same.
Academy director John Fountain said the recent name change is an effort to disassociate the school from the allegations, and mark a new chapter in the academy's effort to help struggling teenagers.
It is part of a move to improve relations with reporters, the community and state officials. "I'm just trying to put a new face on our school," he said.
But Kloostra, who was surprised at how quickly the old name vanished - along with the allegations - is now helping her friend work with the juvenile court to remove the teenager from the home.
"My initial reaction was, 'My god, we have to get him out of there quickly,' " she said.
The father had offered before a judge to pay for his son's stay at the school, whose monthly costs usually run about $2,000. The judge agreed, insisting on periodic reports.
Fountain said he does not tolerate abuse at the school, and is instituting changes to steer away from a rigid "boot-camp" approach, offer opportunities for vocational and technical training, and enter in sports competitions with other schools.
"We're just trying to do something positive. Along the way we might fail, we might not do everything exactly by the book, but we'll sure try," he said.
The name change is not unprecedented with the academy, which was founded by Fountain's father, Herman.
It was called the Bethel Home for Children in 1988 when it was raided by state welfare officials who removed 72 abused and neglected children.
A judge shut it down in 1990 and Herman Fountain reopened it as the Bethel Boys Academy four years later.
"Life's a learning experience, I've learned a lot from the mistakes my father has made and still learning everyday and wanting to make a change," said John Fountain, who said he was not aware of the first name change.
Fountain called the abuse allegations "hog wash." "Some of them are so far fetched, it's almost funny."
George County authorities cleared the academy of abuse allegations last year, but parents continued to complain of visible signs of injury to their children.
The office of Fort Smith, Ark. attorney Oscar Stilley, who is representing parents of former cadets suing the academy in federal court, said the case is heading to trial and at least two similar lawsuits are to come.
Fountain's attorney Trey Bobinger said even though the abuse allegations - which are two years old - are still the subject of a lawsuit, there are no pending legal issues with the state.
The school admits about 100 students, ages 11 to 17, whose stays range from eight to 12 months. They come with a range of behavioral problems and sometimes criminal charges.