4,537 Comments for Pennhurst State School

I'm continually amused at the discussions about whether or not people were abused and mistreated in these facilities. Want to see abused? Read the paper. Watch the news. It's everywhere you look and there is no guesswork involved.
If you want to look at pictures of abandoned buildings and surmise about the abuse, cruelty and crimes against humanity, check out any abandoned jail or prison. I assure you there were all forms of degradation taking place daily in those types of structures.
... and men do well to hide their hell; for in it things are done, that son of man nor Son of God ever should look upon.

Standing ovation here Lynnie!

Once again well said, Lynn!!!

It documents SOME activities that happened at Pennhurst. When an audit or survey occurs, the auditor's job is NOT to look for the good things that happen; only the violations or failures that can be seen. I know this because I myself do surveys at a state residential facility plus I have been under many surveys personally (in many different states) and I know how they work. Remember too, when lawyers are making a case to close a facility, they do not go out and take pix of the good things that they see. They also don't discuss what happens to a percentage of the children who had to stay at home because the waiting lists were too long and their parents became frustrated and, as the child grew older and exhibited more behavioral challenges, abuse understandably occurred. Marcia is saying that not every person who lived at Pennhurst (or any other state school) was abused and not every person who worked at Pennhurst (or any other state school) was an abuser.

"Parent" is tarring everyone with the same brush because of what s/he heard from a friend and read on a website that describes the bad things that happened at Pennhurst, not the good things that happened - of which there were many.

Most of us are just plain tired of hearing the accusing and blaming of people who didn't do anything to make things better for people who lived in institutional settings at the time (or even today, for that matter, because - believe it or not - there are still a bunch of institutions out there, and I am guessing that those of you who are complaining haven't been to one recently to see just what is or isn't happening there); they just want to blame those few of us who had the courage (stupidity, it appears now) to work in the field because at least that way there's someone else to put the blame on. We were the people who took care of these folks when no one else would/could. And sometimes we did a pretty terrible job when there was minimal pay, minimal training, triple overtime, and horrendously bad staffing ratios.

"Parent" doesn't want to look in the mirror and see whether or not s/he has called all local and state reps to push for more funding, nor has "Parent" stated whether s/he has done much in the way of supporting people with disabilities instead of just his/her own child. Rather than talking about how to make things better or empathizing with the staff who actually kept these very difficult and fragile folks alive, "Parent" is just lobbing stones. And after awhile we get a little unhappy having stones lobbed at us when we did a heck of a service to a group of people that few of y'all even look at today, much less help.

If you haven't walked the walk, don't pretend to talk the talk, and certainly get your dang hands off the pile of stones many of you seem to have at your fingertips that you are just itching to lob because - guess what? Most of y'all live in glass houses. :-)

Perhaps Parent is venting instead of ranting and raving.The Pennhurst website has some of the documents detailing what went on there.

So your neighbor was insane then since no sane person worked at Pennhurst?

what are these stories/history? it sounds really interesting.

Its amazing isn't it? How you have to repeat yourself time and time again and people still do not get it.

ANYONE. when you enter through the admin. building go straight.. and you end up @ the dietary. theres a room filled with a bunch of medicine bottles. go through that.. and you find a door that wont budge. we have tried getting in. i mean we really havent used force but every way in is completly bolted shut. one door is even bricked up. does anyone have ANY idea what could be in there? im so curious.. i love going up there i think im there at least once a week & its killing me not knowing what is behind those doors

wheres this at too?

which building is this in??

Parent, are you planning on contributing in some way or are you just looking for a place to rant and rave about something you know little about and insult people (like those who did work in a professionally capacity) in the process?

No sain person can defend this terrable place ! My neighbor worked at Pennhurst, she agrees NO SANE PERSON CAN DEFEND WHAT TOOK PLACE AT PENNHURST. SHE SERVED IN A PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY.

First off let's get the terminology correct. The particular group of buildings this simulator is located in is part of the National Guard Armory (not a barracks). The item in question is referred to as a BAT, Ballistic Aerial Target. It is a simulator that when launched produces a heat signature mimicking an aircraft. It is used to train Stinger Anti-aircraft missile gunners. Yes the Guard does drill here and so do local police department K9 teams. So you may want to be careful sneaking around. Unless of course you have one of those nice padded suits the trainers wear.

"A human being chained to a bed. NO SANE PERSON CAN DEFEND THIS PLACE!"

Chains? Who said anything about chains. Sorry the last time I looked I'm a sane person who defends the place. Can't help it, just do.