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Did Theresa seriously compare an NTM boarding school experience with elite boarding schools?

To be fair, the British system was mentioned, but not really in a favorable way (although as with other things in the report, it could sound like rationalization, or justification).

From Theresa's report:

Pg 14. "Understanding of Child Abuse in a Historical Context
In the decades before the 1990s, child abuse was poorly understood by government institutions, mission agencies, and others. Society as a whole, including mission organizations, failed previous generations of children by not understanding the prevalence of child abuse or its damaging
effects. NTM, like other organizations, had a limited understanding of child abuse at that time.
Other additional issues for NTM were high staff turnover, lack of adequate training and
supervision, an attitude of putting ministry first, poor management of difficult people, and
childcare modeled on a system of elite boarding schools that originally developed in the UK."

Pgs 24-25 "Boarding schools evolved out of the British tradition, which dated back to medieval times. During the colonial period of the British Empire, children were sent home from India and other countries to boarding schools for health and educational reasons. In addition, the British upper class commonly sent children to elite boarding schools, a tradition that continues today. Boarding school was thus seen as a high-end option, the educational choice of privileged classes.

As time went by, mission and colonial agencies founded boarding schools in host countries, so
that the children could be closer to parents. Instead of seeing parents once in several years,
children would see their parents several times a year. This was seen as an educational and personal advancement. During the early twentieth century, it was believed that children got a good education and did well in these settings.

However, there were drawbacks for boarding schools that were not on the radar for missions at
the time. Many children felt abandoned by parents. Some never were able to establish close
family relationships. Families could not know what was happening in boarding schools in a day-
to-day basis, and a harsh or even abusive environment sometimes prevailed."

Theresa acknowledges some of the same residual issues as the ones pointed out in the Guardian article.

In my opinion, the IHART report falls far short of what should have been its reasonable conclusion, which is to publicly name those who Theresa acknowledges hurt the children and young people at EHM. The re-injuring of the abuse survivors just floors me. Theresa edges toward showing some compassion, and then backs away and protects her client: NTM.

It makes me sick.

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Thoughts from my dear KLG:

"I am sitting here trying to deal with the NTM findings. No, that does not mean that I have read the personal findings word for word. I skimmed thru it all when it came in a similar way to how I read the official report.

Now I have things going thru my mind. Details. I can tell you what was going through my head in some instances, how my line of thought was headed. In the midst of all of this chaos in the world I want to have a form of balance in my own private world.

Yesterday was the 30th anniversary of the day when I ended up in a hospital in Panamá and was put into the clutches of a pedophile 3 x my age. I have such vivid memories. I have such clear details about certain things. The view out the windows from the ward, a ward where 20 or so women shared a single room and had no privacy whatsoever. I remember the first time I could have a shower – a shared shower. I was 15. I wanted my privacy. And I had to share with so many others. I remember wanting to get out of this horrible place more than anything. I also have clear memories of not being permitted to leave the hospital for the annual conference that NTM had every year in the first week of December. I also remember the joy at being allowed to spend Christmas with my parents and siblings simply because one of my parents' co-workers in the tribe had a 4x4 and was willing to drive me to the small country town in the mountains where my parents were stationed... and of course drive me back a few days later. I remember the front seat of his car being down so I could have my leg on it. I remember the bumpy ride. And more so I remember getting to Tolé where my family was and realizing that the one person that I needed to see would not come to visit me as I had my leg held together with a titanium bar connected to two long titanium screws that were screwed into my upper and lower leg. All this to keep my knee in place.

See I REMEMBER. Images etched into my mind and they will not go away. And yet, reading my personal findings I realize that what I remember does not count. What I remember is not valid. NO matter how much I remember, no matter how clear the images are. My memories are not real. At least not in the internal investigation that NTM has done.

I do not want to read the report word for word. The official statement made it very clear that my testimony was not acceptable. The blame was put on me. I almost died in that hospital. I was told that I was not expected to turn 16. No wonder my16th birthday was so important. No wonder – for the first and only time in my life – I was truly celebrated. I got to dress up in a Panamanian folk dress. I had photos taken and my parents invited all my friends over for a birthday party – which I was able to spend in Tolé again. This is something that did not happen from the time that I was sent off to boarding school at age eight. My birthday is in the middle of the spring semester so having a birthday in my parents home just did not happen.

I remember that week at home in Tolé. That was the week that I ”got pregnant”. You see a couple of days after my birthday party a male friend of the family came over when my parents were out. They were at church. I asked to stay at home. I could not walk far, I was physically handicapped, disabled! I chose to stay at home and our male friend came by to drop off car parts for another co-worker. He came. He said we could down and take a look at the car in the dark. I did not really think much of it. But in an instant I understood what he wanted. And my instant thought, it was one of survival in some way. You see, I was being sexually used by the doctor at that hospital. He was making up appointments even just so he could have sex with me. And I was between a rock and a hard place. So, my choices... either I continue to let that happen or I let this male friend do what he wanted and risk pregnancy. A pregnancy would get me out of the clutches of the pedophile. A pregnancy would force my parents to take action, they would be forced to leave Panamá and maybe just maybe I would have a chance. A very slim chance of some day finding my foothold. Be honest, what 16 year old should have to make that sort of choice???

~ I did not die yesterday; instead I live to fight another day."

"The investigative team did not reach a finding by a preponderance of the evidence that [MK]'s allegations against a dorm parent rose to the level of physical abuse...

....other witnesses also testify to extreme physical discipline by this couple, and [MK] states that they received spankings that left marks and pain that prevented them from sitting down."

iHart Statement of Findings


DID NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF PHYSICAL ABUSE?!!!

"In some ways, the dorm parents worked against good relationships between children and parents, perhaps inadvertently, with action like censoring letters or by reporting to the parents all the children’s “sins” at the time of their reunion with their parents, such as at the end of a school term."

IHART Summary Report on Panama, pg 21

Perhaps inadvertently??

Inadvertently, my foot!!!

Dearest KLG---
If I shake reading your briefer account of what you experienced
What is it like for you to remember?
I also remember your longer account
I validate your story
You have been victorious in your grown up life
What a tragedy that the adults in your child life did not protect and stand up for you!
This report is rubbish!

I shake with anger
And drown in sadness
What is wrong with ntm's world?