The Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC) in Canton, MA, uses cruel "aversive therapy" on children with autism, depression, and mental retardation. It's the only school in the US that allows painful shocks of children, sometimes tying them down for long sessions of shocks. "Hot-saucing", extreme food deprivation, and other corporal punishments are routine and frequent. None of these "aversive therapies" have ever been proven to work with the mentally ill children who are forced into the JRC.

This "school" was recently investigated. To read the entire, chilling report of extensive abuse and law-breaking, see "Observations and Findings of Out-of-State Program Visitation; Judge Rotenberg Educational Center" at www.nospank.net/jrc.pdf (If this PDF page fails to open due to a pop-up blocker on your system, hold down the "Ctrl" button and click the link again.)

More articles on JRC:

• www.townonline.com/canton/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=509408&format=
• www.mass.gov/mhlac/aversives_poly.htm
• www.news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=136811
• www.normemma.com/lcorneli.htm

Most JRC "clients" come from New York, where "aversive therapy" is illegal. On Monday, June 19, the New York State Education Dept. will decide whether to stop sending children to JRC! Please urge them to stop sending children there: OAS@mail.nysed.gov or call (518) 474-5889.

The Massachusetts Senate recently voted to ban "aversive therapy" in an amendment to the FY2007 Budget. Now it's up to the House. They will probably vote next week! If you live in MA, please contact your Representative and urge him/her to support amendment #765 to ban "aversive therapy" in MA, at: www.capwiz.com/thearc/issues/alert/?alertid=8846516&type=ST&show_alert=1" target="_blank

Also, please ask these key Representatives to support amendment #765 banning aversive therapy in Massachusetts:

• House Speaker Sal DiMasi: Rep.SalvatoreDiMasi@hou.state.ma.us
  (617)722-2500

• Rep. Robert DeLeo: RDeleo@hwm.state.ma.us
  (617) 722-2990

• Rep. Marie St. Fleur: Rep.MarieSt.Fleur@Hou.State.MA.US
  (617) 722-2380

• Rep. Vinny deMacedo: Rep.VinnydeMacedo@Hou.State.MA.US
  (617) 722-2100

• More info for taking action www.arcmass.org/aversives3.html

Thank you for taking action for these poor children!!

Susan Lawrence
Director, Stop the Rod
Board of Directors, Parents and Teachers Against Violence in Education
Board of Advisors, EPOCH-USA
www.stoptherod.net
www.parentinginjesusfootsteps.org

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Votes To Put Limits on Schools' Behavioral Therapy Like Electric Shocks, By Leon Neyfakh - Special to the Sun, The New York Sun, June 21, 2006

The State Education Department / The University of the State of New York: "Emergency adoption of proposed regulations, including the use of aversive behavioral interventions"

A shocking form of therapy, By Brian A. Joyce, Boston Globe, June 19, 2006

N.Y. report denounces shock use at school; Says students are living in fear
By Scott Allen, Globe Staff, Boston Globe, June 15, 2006

Kids hurt in shock therapy school
By Michael Gormley, Associated Press Writer, Boston Globe, June 14, 2006

A question of 'tough love' vs. torture
By Scott Allen, Globe Staff, The Boston Globe, May 22, 2006