71 Comments Posted by bsmarcia

Thanks Christina O. You have restored my faith that there really are people out there that get it. I think that there is a high percentage of people that are victims of whisper down the lane . Somewhere someone relates an experience or observation and as the story gets retold it changes , sometimes just a bit other times drastically. Of course they are convinced of the validity of their story and refuse to believe anyone with true experience. Suddenly we are delusional and covering up the "real facts". It just gets frustrating after awhile.

Mentally retarded was an accepted term for many years. I'm sorry you find it offensive. Mentally challenged will probably be unacceptable in the future also. Mentally ill does not necessarily mean you are mentally retarded. Why do you not consider that to be offensive as well?

flushed I'm not angry at all. I'm truely sorry you had a horrible experience when you were young. I am only trying to imform people that the picture that everyone comments on was not made by retarded children but by the aides that took care of them. It gets old when people refuse to believe it and try and paint some story that is simply not true. I also understand that during a period of time people were admitted to Pennhurst who didn't belong there. Unfortunately you can't go back and change that. However during the time I worked there that wasn't happening. Change did occur and it was for the better. It was not a house of horrors that so many want to believe and cling to that belief no matter what anyone says. I think for myself and alot of other former aides that worked there it's a real insult to be constantly told that we don't know what we're talking about. Anyway I hope you have a better life now and can get on with it . I left Pennhurst behind many, many years ago. It was a unique experience but one that I was glad to be done with.

Flushed I find it hard to believe you were in an institution for the mentally retarded. I worked among all levels...from mild to profound and never came across anyone with your level of intelligience. Mentally ill and mentally retarded are 2 different things as I'm sure you are aware. I'm not sure what the heck you are trying to say here. I can assure you that there were caring aides that bonded with many of the clients. Took them home, out for day trips. shopping, etc. I feel like you're trying to paint this picture of a bunch of Nurse Rachettes running around and if the aides were more caring and nurturing everyone would miraculously be normal. Or are you saying that all the aides were deprived of proper nurturing and that's why they were abusive? You are also assuming that many of these clients were in better situations in their homes and you couldn't be more wrong. I read the case studies of the clients on every ward I worked. Believe me many had it better at Pennhurst. Love and affection will not make a severly or profoundly person grow more brain cells and become more normal. Maybe that will help out someone who is mentally ill but can't see that making much difference to a profoundly retarded person.

and flushed as I have said before I am not arguing the fact that some bad things happened. I am only trying to say that conditions had vastly improved during the 11 years I worked there. Was it perfect...no...but it also was not the hell hole that Bill Baldini depicted in his report. What people choose to not accept is that there were good things that also took place there. And just because group homes were established doesn't mean they are also without problems. You can be abused in those type of settings just as easily because they aren't monitored nearly as stringently as was Pennhurst . ( During the final 10 years anyway) What people also don't understand either is that what started out as a lawsuit to get better conditions , more staff, etc. turned into a whole other animal. Most of the parents I was in contact with did not support closing Pennhurst. That's not what THEY wanted. But a certain lawyer who wanted to make a name for himself took it one step further. Not all agreed with him but there was little they could do. They were pawns in a very nasty game.

Firstly TA did not stand for Theraputic Activities. That would be something that was offered to the clients. This was a mandatory class that staff attended to supposedly help us with all the negativity that was being directed at staff. Because staff morale was so low..because not all the staff was barbaric like you want to believe. It was a futile attempt to bolster morale and it was pretty lame. Warm fuzzies are lame.

And secondly in the 11 years I worked there I did not witness the atrocities that you believe took place on a daily basis. Things had improved and most likely if we would have remained open would have continued to improve. I NEVER said things were less than ideal throughout the history of Pennhurst. What I said was when I worked there it wasn't that bad. And that's great that your friend has done extensive research but has she ever worked there? I think not. Has she ever worked in an institutional setting? Probably not. Sometimes first hand knowlege can be believed. It's ok.

The simple fact is, as I explained before, that this was made by staff, after completing a mandatory class, to supposedly help US cope with the bad press, lawsuits, planted undercover aides, etc, etc, etc. Morale was pretty low. However the majority of us hated the BS they were trying to shove down our throats and retaliated with a not so warm and fuzzy window shade. Our way of saying FU. Why people continue to make up their own scenerios is beyond me.

Dropped in to see what crazy theories people are coming up with. Always good for a laugh now and them. Just one thing Urbanlegend, I never called anyone a "retard" ...Moron yes and if the shoe fits......and I was never a nurse, just a lowly aide.

Sigh....rolling eyes for the hundreth time...

And you know this because your aunts best friends mothers sister worked there and she said so.

There would be a little bit more to it than the "good folks at Pennhurst just sending them away" I guess as a camp counselor you only wanted the good ones. And mentally challenged people also have sex among themselves if you are implying something else was going on.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.......

; )

I normally wouldn't do this but this link will hopefully show people another shade painting from another class that apparently had a very positive experience judging from their painting. #10
http://www.elpeecho.co.../viewtopic.php?t=412

Oh Lynne...I think I love that guy. Sadly,I'm afraid, that may be too deep for some people to comprehend though.