Unfriendly Faith
Published in Freethought Radio on 2019-05-16 by
On Freethought Radio, we spoke with author, activist and award-winning journalist Janet Heimlich about her book Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment, and about the horrific abuse at a Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch in North Texas for at-risk children occurring over many decades. (Interview begins at 20:48)
Read moreAbuse Survivors Protest New Boys Ranch Film
Published in KVII-TV (ABC, Channel 7) on 2019-03-02 by Lia Kamana
At the Center for Performing Arts on Saturday, March 2, a feature length film about Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch premiered. The film, Edge of the World, is described as an inspiring family-friendly feature and earned numerous awards in 2018.
Read moreAlleged Abuse Survivors Protest Film About Boys Ranch
Published in MyHighPlains on 2019-03-02 by Kylee Douglass
Boys Ranch is premiering its film, Edge of the World, on March 2. It is a film about a coach that even through the hard times, pushed through to be a leader. This film has brought a lot of controversies though. A group of alleged abuse survivors of Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch protested the premiere of the film ‘Edge of the World’.
Read moreSurvivors Protest Film About Amarillo-Area Boys Ranch, Saying It Ignores History of Abuse
Published in Dallas News on 2019-03-02 by Marc Ramirez
Demonstrators are protesting a film premiering this weekend in Amarillo about Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, saying it glosses over a history of abuse at the facility that prompted one survivor to call the work “a slap in the face.”
Read moreBoys Ranch Survivors to Protest Film Set at Cal Farley’s
Published in Amarillo Globe-News on 2019-02-28 by Jayme Lozano
As Amarillo residents prepare for the premiere of the film “Edge of the World” Saturday, advocates and survivors are speaking out against the movie they say is a cover-up of abuse at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch.
Read moreBoys Ranch Survivors to Protest Film Set at Cal Farley’s
Published in Lubbock Avalanche Journal on 2019-02-28 by Jayme Lozano
As Amarillo residents prepare for the premiere of the film “Edge of the World” Saturday, advocates and survivors are speaking out against the movie they say is a cover-up of abuse at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch.
Read moreIn Wake of Church Sex Abuse, California Bill Seeks to Force Clergy to Break Seal of Confession
Published in The Christian Post on 2019-02-27 by Leonardo Blair
In the wake of multiple clergy sexual abuse scandals, a California lawmaker is seeking to pass legislation in that state that could force Catholic priests and other clergy to violate the seal of confession to report child sex abuse.
Read moreIn Wake of Multiple Church Sex Abuse Scandals, California Bill Could Force Clergy to Break Seal of Confession to Report Child Sex Abuse
Published in Black Christian News Network One on 2019-02-27 by Leonardo Blair
In the wake of multiple clergy sexual abuse scandals, a California lawmaker is seeking to pass legislation in that state that could force Catholic priests and other clergy to violate the seal of confession to report child sex abuse.
Read moreBoys Ranch Survivors Plan to Protest New Film “Edge of the World”
Published in Lonestar 98.7 on 2019-02-26 by Charlie Hardin
Saturday, March 2, the film “Edge of the World” will be shown for one night only in Amarillo. The showing of the film kicks off a celebration of the 80th anniversary of Cal Farley’s. Some, however, are calling this film a propaganda piece and are planning on protesting the film’s showing.
Read moreProposed CA Law Will Force Catholic Priests to Report Child Sex Abuse
Published in World Religion News on 2019-02-24 by Nathan Glover
California Democratic Senator from San Mateo, Jerry Hill, said he will negate all legal protections accorded to the Catholic “seal of confession” if it concerns knowledge of abuse of a child. According to Hill, Senate Bill 360 will be applicable towards individuals who are suspected of harming or have harmed children. They must compulsorily be reported so the concerned law enforcement could undertake a timely investigation.
Read moreCalifornia Bill Would Require Catholic Clergy to Report Suspected Abuse Discovered During Confession
Published in Newsweek on 2019-02-21 by Jenni FInk
If passed, a bill in California would remove the protected status of penitential communication and require clergy members to report suspected child abuse, even if the information is acquired through confession.
Read moreTwo bills in WA and CA would protect children from religious abuse and neglect
Published in TV Local on 2019-02-21 by Janet Heimlich
The Child Health Protection Act (HB 1376/SB 5749) fixes a loophole that currently allows parents and guardians to avoid criminal prosecution if they harm or cause the death of a child by denying them necessary medical care. For many years, parents could avoid penalty in these cases, even if a child dies, simply by claiming that they had applied Christian Science “treatments,” or faith healing, to cure their sick children.
Read moreCatholic Priests Would Have to Report Child Sex Abuse Under Proposed California Law
Published in The Sacramento Bee on 2019-02-20 by Andrew Sheeler
The Catholic seal of confession could lose its legal protection in California, at least as it concerns to knowledge of child abuse.
Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, announced Wednesday that he is introducing a bill that would remove an exemption in the state’s “mandated reporter” law that allows all members of the clergy to withhold knowledge of suspected child abuse from law enforcement if that information is obtained during “a penitential communication,” such as Catholic confession.
Read moreWhen Religion Leads to Trauma
Published in The New York Times on 2019-02-05 by Richard Schiffman
Some churches “weaponize scripture and religion to do very deep damage on the psyche,” one pastor says.
“We think of church as a place of healing and transformation, and it is,” says Michael Walrond Jr., pastor of the First Corinthian Baptist Church in Harlem. But for some, he says, “religion has been more bruising and damaging than healing and transformative.”
Read moreHow Do You Keep Your Faith When You’ve Been Sexually Abused by a Religious Figure?
Published in METRO.co.uk on 2018-12-20 by Faima Bakar
Despite being molested by a priest as a child, I had no contentions with religion or other religious figures – they weren’t the problem.
But for many people abused by a religious figure – a powerful person who represents Godly virtue – it has become, understandably, difficult to keep on following the institution that failed to take care of them and, in many cases, to believe them.
Read moreFast Times at ESD
Published in D Magazine on 2018-12-01 by Jessica Pishko
When the Episcopal School of Dallas hired Meredyth Moredock Cole as its headmistress in 2013, the board of directors must surely have thought it had found the perfect woman to lead the institution beyond the student-teacher sex scandal. The ugly matter that generated headlines had just been settled at great cost a year earlier.
Read moreHave Texas Parents Lost the Right to Sue Faith-Based Schools That Abuse Their Children?
Published in Houston Chronicle on 2018-09-05 by Janet Heimlich
With back-to-school season upon us, many parents are scrambling to buy school supplies, new clothes, and uniforms for their children. But families with children attending private religious schools in Texas have a much more serious thing to worry about — losing their right to protect their children from abuse — as a result of a recent Texas Supreme Court decision.
Read moreNews Roundup: Panhandle Boys Ranch Survivors Tell Stories of Abuse
Published in Texas Standard on 2018-09-04 by Becky Fogel
Survivors of alleged abuse at a Texas Panhandle youth housing facility are trying to draw attention to what they call decades of mistreatment and cover-ups. Allegations against Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch first made headlines late last year. At the end of last week, former students of the institution gathered in Amarillo to tell their stories.
Read moreAbuse Survivors of Cal Farley's Boys Ranch Seeking Demands
Published in abc7amarillo.com on 2018-08-31 by Drew Powell
AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — On the eve of the 74th annual Boys Ranch Rodeo a group of former residents of Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch came forward to share their experiences of abuse they suffered while living on the ranch. The alumni group is represented by Child Friendly Faith Project (CFFP) out of Austin, Texas. Members of the group held a press conference on Friday morning to talk to the media about the physical and mental abuse they say they suffered.
Read moreAccusations of Physical, Mental, and Sexual Abuse from Past Boys Ranch Members
Published in MyHighPlains on 2018-08-31 by Blessing Woksman
AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – From one person last December to half a dozen this morning. The list of people accusing Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch of abuse continues to grow.
An Austin-based non-profit called Child-Friendly Faith Project hosted a press conference allowing the people they’re calling survivors to share the years of negative experience they say they endured while students at Boys Ranch. We first brought you this story in December when we shared Steve Smith’s story but today we share six others.
Read moreFormer Boys Ranch Residents Hold Event In Amarillo, Allege Decades Of Abuse
Published in High Plains Public Radio (HPPR) on 2018-08-31 by Jonathan Baker
Since 1939, Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch has been thought of as a safe space for at-risk youth in the Texas Panhandle. But late last year, allegations of abuse–spanning decades–surfaced. On Friday morning, former Boys Ranch residents gathered in Amarillo to bring attention to what they say happened to them at the faith-based facility.
Read moreMore Allegations Surface from Survivors of Boys Ranch Abuse
Published in voiceofamarillo.com on 2018-08-31 by Charlie Hardin
This morning, a news conference was held with survivors of alleged abuse at the hands of staff at Boys Ranch. What follows is a summary of the information shared over an hour with the former students and family members. Over the course of an hour, we heard from several former residents of Boys Ranch, or family members of former residents. The dates they attended ranged from the 1950’s all the way up to the end of the 1980’s.
Read more'I don't believe ... Catholics can trust the bishops to protect their children,' expert says
Published in York Daily Record on 2018-08-27 by Teresa Boeckel
As the Roman Catholic Church grapples with the recent Pennsylvania grand jury report detailing widespread clergy sexual abuse, it faces a critical question: What can be done to protect children?
Read moreTexas Supreme Court Is Sending a Dangerous Message
Published in Galveston County Daily News on 2018-08-23 by Janet Heimlich
Many parents are scrambling to buy school supplies, new clothes and uniforms for their children. But, families with children attending private religious schools in Texas have a much more serious thing to worry about.
Because of a June 22 Texas Supreme Court decision, parents throughout Texas may have lost the right to sue private schools claiming a religious affiliation — even in cases in which children have been abused. It’s a case that should make parents think seriously about whether to enroll their children in private, religious institutions.
Read moreStark Revelations: For Catholics, an Excruciating New Test of Faith
Published in Christian Science Monitor on 2018-08-16 by Harry Bruinius
For Catholics, the past two decades have forced the faithful to grapple with wide-spread sexual abuse among clergy. Now, as other traditions discover similar predators among their ranks, a new report still has the power to shock the nation, as well as those still seeking solace in the church.
Read moreCourt Won’t Hear ESD Marijuana Case
Published in Preston Hollow People on 2018-07-19 by Timothy Glaze
The Texas Supreme Court has acted – or refused to act – on an issue concerning a former Episcopal School of Dallas student.
By refusing to consider the case of John Doe vs. ESD, the high court lets stand the decision of the lower court, which ruled in favor of the private school against a student who was expelled after being accused of leaving campus without permission and smoking marijuana.
Read moreCommentary: Why Texans Can’t Sue Faith-Based Schools That Hurt Kids
Published in Austin American-Statesman on 2018-07-03 by Janet Heimlich
The Texas Supreme Court recently made a decision that could adversely affect the lives of thousands of children across the state. In the case of John Doe v. Episcopal School of Dallas, the justices refused to consider a harmful ruling issued by a lower appellate court. The ruling allows a faith-based school to avoid civil liability for harming a child in its care. In other words, Texas parents may have just lost their right to sue a faith-based school their children are enrolled in, even if there are claims of abuse or neglect.
Read moreHeimlich: Texas Parents May Have Lost Right to Sue Religious Schools
Published in Longview News Journal on 2018-06-30 by Janet Heimlich
The Texas Supreme Court made a decision this past week that could adversely affect the lives of thousands of children across the state. In the John Doe vs. Episcopal School of Dallas case, the justices refused to consider a harmful ruling issued by a lower appellate court. The ruling allows a faith-based school to avoid civil liability for harming a child in its care. In other words, Texas parents may have just lost their right to sue a faith-based school their children are enrolled in, even if there are claims of abuse or neglect.
Parents May Have Lost Right to Sue Religious Schools
Published in Galveston County Daily News on 2018-06-27 by Janet Heimlich
The Texas Supreme Court made a decision last week that could adversely affect the lives of thousands of children. In John Doe vs. Episcopal School of Dallas, the justices refused to consider a harmful ruling issued by an appellate court. The ruling allows a faith-based school to avoid civil liability for harming a child in its care. Texas parents may have lost their right to sue a faith-based school, even if there are claims of abuse or neglect.
Read moreJanet Heimlich, Guest Columnist: Think Twice About Faith-Based Schools After Texas Supreme Court Failure
Published in Waco Tribune-Herald on 2018-06-26 by Janet Heimlich
The Texas Supreme Court made a decision this month that could adversely affect the lives of thousands of children across the state. In the John Doe vs. Episcopal School of Dallas case, the justices refused to consider a harmful ruling issued by a lower appellate court. The ruling allows a faith-based school to avoid civil liability for harming a child in its care. In other words, Texas parents may have just lost their right to sue a faith-based school their children are enrolled in, even if there are claims of abuse or neglect.
Read moreDallas Prep School Wins Legal Battle Over Student's Expulsion
Published in FOX4News.com on 2018-06-25 by
The attorney for a Dallas family says a legal victory for the Episcopal School of Dallas set a dangerous precedent. The family sued the school after their son was expelled. They lost and now worry about what it means for other families who try to hold a religious institution accountable. The case hinges on the school’s religious affiliation and how much protection it and other institutions like it will have moving forward.
Read moreTexas Parents May Have Just Lost the Right to Sue Faith-Based Schools
Published in Corpus Christi Caller-Times on 2018-06-25 by Janet Heimlich
The Texas Supreme Court made a decision this past week that could adversely affect the lives of thousands of children across the state. In the John Doe vs. Episcopal School of Dallas case, the justices refused to consider a harmful ruling issued by a lower appellate court. The ruling allows a faith-based school to avoid civil liability for harming a child in its care. In other words, Texas parents may have just lost their right to sue a faith-based school their children are enrolled in, even if there are claims of abuse or neglect.
Read moreSchool Dispute Gives Texas Court Something to Pray Over
Published in Jacksonville Progress on 2018-06-02 by John Austin
AUSTIN — After The Episcopal School of Dallas gave a student a choice of withdrawing or expulsion for claimed policy violations, he sued, but a state court said it would not act.
The conflict ended up at the Supreme Court of Texas, where lawyers for the former pupil and his father argue that the school can’t shield itself from liability over the child’s emotional trauma, saying the judicial system should treat the dispute as it would any other civil lawsuit.
The school stands behind a First Amendment claim of protection for faith-based organizations’ right to make rules without judicial interference.
Read moreChristian School Dispute Gives Texas Court Something to Pray Over
Published in Weatherford Democrat on 2018-06-01 by John Austin
AUSTIN — After The Episcopal School of Dallas gave a student a choice of withdrawing or expulsion for claimed policy violations, he sued, but a state court said it would not act.
The conflict ended up at the Supreme Court of Texas, where lawyers for the former pupil and his father argue that the school can’t shield itself from liability over the child’s emotional trauma, saying the judicial system should treat the dispute as it would any other civil lawsuit.
The school stands behind a First Amendment claim of protection for faith-based organizations’ right to make rules without judicial interference.
Read moreSchool Dispute Gives Texas Court Something to Pray Over
Published in Athens Daily Review on 2018-05-31 by John Austin
AUSTIN — After The Episcopal School of Dallas gave a student a choice of withdrawing or expulsion for claimed policy violations, he sued, but a state court said it would not act.
The conflict ended up at the Supreme Court of Texas, where lawyers for the former pupil and his father argue that the school can’t shield itself from liability over the child’s emotional trauma, saying the judicial system should treat the dispute as it would any other civil lawsuit.
The school stands behind a First Amendment claim of protection for faith-based organizations’ right to make rules without judicial interference.
Read moreSchool Dispute Gives Texas Court Something to Pray Over
Published in The Huntsville Item on 2018-05-30 by John Austin
AUSTIN — After The Episcopal School of Dallas gave a student a choice of withdrawing or expulsion for claimed policy violations, he sued, but a state court said it would not act.
The conflict ended up at the Supreme Court of Texas, where lawyers for the former pupil and his father argue the school can’t shield itself from liability over the child’s emotional trauma, saying the judicial system should treat the dispute as it would any other civil lawsuit.
The school stands behind a First Amendment claim of protection for faith-based organizations’ right to make rules without judicial interference.
Read moreChurches Struggle with Their #MeToo Moment
Published in Christian Science Monitor on 2018-04-20 by Harry Bruinius
The #MeToo movement has forced Hollywood, Washington, and Wall Street to grapple honestly with patterns of sexual harassment and abuse. Many churches are still struggling to embrace such introspection and the disruption it brings.
Read moreDad Still Challenging Son’s Withdrawal from ESD
Published in Preston Hollow People on 2018-04-19 by Timothy Glaze
A father whose son was forced to withdraw from Episcopal School of Dallas after accusations of smoking marijuana is hoping the Texas Supreme Court will clear the way for his lawsuit against the school to go forward.
A decision on whether the state’s highest civil court will take up the case could come soon, attorneys said.
Read moreConcerns About Teachers, Students, Parents, Education Spending, Betsy DeVos
Published in Dallas Morning News on 2018-04-14 by Janet Heimlich
The Texas Supreme Court is considering a case that could affect thousands of children enrolled in faith-based private schools. It involves a lawsuit filed by a father who alleges his child was emotionally harmed by the Episcopal School of Dallas. The school claims no court has the right to intervene because it is faith-based.
Read moreReligious Schools Should Not Be Shielded from Judicial Review
Published in Laredo Morning Times on 2018-04-01 by Janet Heimlich
As parents, when we enroll our children in a school, we entrust it to care for our kids and keep them safe. That’s certainly true for private K-12 schools that can cost upward of $15,000 to $25,000 a year. Some parents believe that religiously affiliated schools are particularly trustworthy because of their spiritual teachings.
But, of course, all schools — be they religious or secular — can leave children vulnerable to psychological harm, as well as physical and sexual abuse. Now there is a case before the Texas Supreme Court in which the Episcopal School of Dallas, or ESD, is alleged to have caused a child emotional trauma. The school claims that no court has the right to intervene because it is faith-based.
Read moreReligious Schools Should Not Be Shielded from Judicial Review
Published in Express-News on 2018-04-01 by Janet Heimlich
As parents, when we enroll our children in a school, we entrust it to care for our kids and keep them safe. That’s certainly true for private K-12 schools that can cost upward of $15,000 to $25,000 a year. Some parents believe that religiously affiliated schools are particularly trustworthy because of their spiritual teachings.
But, of course, all schools — be they religious or secular — can leave children vulnerable to psychological harm, as well as physical and sexual abuse. Now there is a case before the Texas Supreme Court in which the Episcopal School of Dallas, or ESD, is alleged to have caused a child emotional trauma. The school claims that no court has the right to intervene because it is faith-based.
Read moreIs Court Ruling in Religious School’s Favor a Slippery Slope?
Published in Austin American-Statesman on 2018-03-30 by Chuck Lindell
Texas judges have long avoided legal fights over religious doctrine and practice, reasoning that their secular authority should rarely extend into matters of worship.
But the father of a boy expelled from the exclusive Episcopal School of Dallas believes a state appeals court got it wrong when it dismissed his lawsuit against the school, ruling that enrollment and disciplinary decisions were related to its religious practice and therefore protected by the First Amendment.
Read moreTexas Students' Rights at Stake vs. Faith-Based Schools
Published in Corpus Christi Caller-Times on 2018-03-27 by Janet Heimlich
As parents, when we enroll our children in a school, we entrust it to care for our kids and keep them safe. That’s certainly true for private K-12 schools which can cost upward of $15,000 to $25,000 a year. Some parents believe that religiously affiliated schools are particularly trustworthy because of their spiritual teachings.
But, of course, all schools—be they religious or secular—can leave children vulnerable to psychological harm, as well as physical and sexual abuse. Now there is a case before the Texas Supreme Court in which the Episcopal School of Dallas (ESD) has been alleged to have caused a child emotional trauma, while the school claims that no court has the right to intervene because it is faith-based.
Read moreCOMMENTARY: Why Texans Could Lose Right to Sue Faith-Based Schools
Published in The Monitor on 2018-03-26 by Janet Heimlich
As parents, when we enroll our children in a school, we entrust it to care for our kids and keep them safe. That’s certainly true for private K-12 schools which can cost upwards of $15,000 to $25,000 per year. Some parents believe that religiously affiliated schools are particularly trustworthy because of their spiritual teachings.
But, of course, all schools — whether religious or secular — can leave children vulnerable to psychological harm, as well as physical and sexual abuse. Now there is a case before the Texas Supreme Court in which the Episcopal School of Dallas (ESD) has been alleged to have caused a child emotional trauma, while the school claims that no court has the right to intervene because it is faith-based.
Read moreCommentary: Why Texas Should Let Parents Sue Faith-Based Schools
Published in Austin American-Statesman on 2018-03-24 by Janet Heimlich
As parents, when we enroll our children in a school, we entrust it to care for our kids and keep them safe. That’s certainly true for private K-12 schools, which can cost $15,000 to $25,000 a year. Some parents believe that religiously affiliated schools are particularly trustworthy because of their spiritual teachings.
But, of course, all schools — be they religious or secular — can leave children vulnerable to psychological harm, as well as physical and sexual abuse. Now, there is a case before the Texas Supreme Court in which the Episcopal School of Dallas (ESD) has been alleged to have caused a child emotional trauma, while the school claims that no court has the right to intervene because it is faith-based.
Read moreEpiscopal School of Dallas Case Pits Religious Freedom Against Student's Right to Sue
Published in Dallas Observer on 2018-03-23 by Patrick Williams
For those who attended public school before the age of intolerance, a little lunchtime toking might seem like a minor thing, but the outcome in the case Doe Jr. and his dad filed against ESD could have huge implications for students, school discipline, religion and the law. So far, ESD is winning — the 5th Texas District Court of Appeals in Dallas threw the Does’ case out of court last October. The Does have an appeal pending before the Texas Supreme Court, which is expected to decide soon whether to take it up.
Read moreShould Texas Parents Be Able to Sue Faith-Based Schools?
Published in Fort Worth Star-Telegram on 2018-03-19 by Janet Heimlich
As parents, when we enroll our children in a school, we entrust it to care for our kids and keep them safe. That’s certainly true for private K-12 schools which can cost upwards of $15,000 to $25,000 a year. Some parents believe that religiously affiliated schools are particularly trustworthy because of their spiritual teachings.
But, of course, all schools—be they religious or secular—can leave children vulnerable to psychological harm, as well as physical and sexual abuse.
Read moreSurvivors Reveal Rampant Child Abuse at Amarillo Ranch for At-Risk Boys
Published in Texas Standard on 2017-12-28 by Laura Rice
There’s a city of sorts in the Texas Panhandle that really isn’t a regular city at all. It has a post office, a museum, and a church – but other than that, it’s mostly just homes, dorms, and school buildings. Boys Ranch, Texas is home to Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, a residential community for at-risk children. It’s been serving this purpose for close to 80 years. But now, some former residents say it’s Boys Ranch itself that really put them at risk.
Read moreAGN EXCLUSIVE: Former Congressman Bill Sarpalius details suffering abuse at Boys Ranch
Published in Amarillo Globe-News on 2017-12-23 by Robert Stein
When Bill Sarpalius was a teen, he lived at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch with 35 others in a dormitory overseen by two house parents. Also at the home for troubled or parentless youths was a dairy barn. That’s at least one of the places where the former U.S. congressman said he was abused when he was a resident there from 1960 to 1967.
Read moreFormer Texas Boys Ranch Residents Say They Suffered Abuse
Published in NBCDFW.com on 2017-12-22 by The Associated Press
The head of a ranch that houses at-risk children in the Texas Panhandle has issued an apology after several former residents say they were abused by staffers there from the 1950s until at least the 1990s.
Read moreRanch for ‘Vulnerable Boys’ Leaves Children Beaten, Raped, Run Over by Horses: Report
Published in Crimeonline.com on 2017-12-22 by Leigh Egan
Former residents of a Texas ranch for “vulnerable boys” stepped forward with allegations of severe abuse that reportedly span back to the 1950s and lasted until the 1990s.
Read more'A Paradise for Adult Abusers': Shocking Accounts of How Children Were ‘Raped, Beaten and Run Over by HORSES’ at a Texas Ranch for Vulnerable Boys
Published in The Daily Mail on 2017-12-21 by Gareth Davies
A Texas boys ranch residents has been called into questions as claims emerged vulnerable boys were raped, beaten and run over by horses under the noses of the staff. Former residents have come forward to say they and hundreds of others were systematically abused at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch near Amarillo.
Read moreFormer Texas Boys Ranch Residents Say They Suffered Abuse
Published in Seattle Times on 2017-12-21 by The Associated Press
AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — The head of a ranch that houses at-risk children in the Texas Panhandle issued an apology after several former residents said they were abused by staffers there from the 1950s until at least the 1990s.
Read moreFormer Texas Boys Ranch Residents Say They Suffered Abuse
Published in US News & World Report on 2017-12-21 by The Associated Press
The head of a ranch that houses at-risk children in the Texas Panhandle has issued an apology after several former residents say they were abused by staffers there from the 1950s until at least the 1990s.
Read moreFormer Texas boys ranch residents say they suffered abuse
Published in WATE.com on 2017-12-21 by The Associated Press
AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — The head of a ranch that houses at-risk children in the Texas Panhandle has issued an apology after several former residents say they were abused by staffers there from the 1950s until at least the 1990s.
Read moreAbuse Allegations Against Cal Farley's Boys Ranch
Published in MyHighPlains on 2017-12-20 by Meredith Avery
AMARILLO, TX – An article from “The Guardian” released earlier today reveals allegations of physical and sexual abuse surrounding Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch. Some of those allegations are more than 50 years old; made by men who lived at Boy’s Ranch in from the late 50’s to the 90’s.
Read moreAmarillo-Area Boys Ranch Apologizes for Decades of Physical, Sexual Abuse of At-Risk Youths
Published in Dallas Morning News on 2017-12-20 by Marc Ramirez
Leaders of a Texas institution for at-risk kids have acknowledged and apologized for decades of physical and sexual abuse, the Amarillo Globe-News reported.
The abuse at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, northwest of Amarillo, endured through the early 1990s, made public Wednesday in a report published by The Guardian. The newspaper interviewed eight men who accused former Boys Ranch staff members of propagating systemic abuse that affected hundreds of children.
Read moreBoys Ranch Acknowledges, Apologizes for Decades of Physical, Sexual Abuse from ’50s to ’90s
Published in Amarillo Globe-News on 2017-12-20 by Robert Stein
Officials at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch acknowledged and apologized Wednesday for decades of alleged abuse at its facility northwest of Amarillo.
Read moreCal Farley’s Boys Ranch Acknowledges, Apologizes for Decades of Physical, Sexual Abuse
Published in Lubbock Avalanche Journal on 2017-12-20 by Robert Stein
AMARILLO – Officials at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch acknowledged and apologized Wednesday for decades of alleged abuse at its facility northwest of Amarillo.
Read moreFormer Cal Farley's Boys Ranch Resident Speaks Out on Alleged Abuse
Published in abc7amarillo.com on 2017-12-20 by Abby Aldrich
AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — Steve Smith, a former Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch resident, spoke out today on his experiences of being physically and emotionally abused during his time at the Boys Ranch.
Read moreThe Texas Boys Were Beaten, Abused, Raped. Now All They Want is an Apology
Published in The Guardian on 2017-12-20 by Jason Wilson
The youngsters at Cal Farley’s Ranch in Texas were subjected to years of abuse. But the institution’s feeble response has been a slap in the face to survivors. Steve Smith was just eight when his mother left him in the care of Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, a Texas institution for at-risk children. From the moment he got there in 1959, the place didn’t sit right with him.
Read moreJanet Heimlich, Founder of the Child-Friendly Faith Project
Published in The Friendly Atheist Podcast on 2016-10-09 by The Friendly Atheist Podcast
Janet Heimlich is the founder of the Child-Friendly Faith Project and author of Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment, both of which examine child abuse and neglect that is enabled by religious belief in the United States. The Friendly Atheist Podcast spoke with her about the way children suffer at the hands of religion, whether teaching kids about Hell constitutes abuse, and what atheists can do to help.
Read moreHelping End "Faith-based" Child Abuse
Published in Texas Freedom Network (tfn.org) on 2015-10-28 by Dan Quinn
A boy is beaten because he fidgets during a sermon. A girl is made to feel shameful about her “unclean” sexuality. A teenager is denied medical care because her community only believes in faith healing. When a religious leader molests a child, no one reports it.
Religion is a powerful and positive influence in the lives of many people. But we know that religion can sometimes be used to harm children. Fortunately, the Child-Friendly Faith Project is announcing a new program designed specially for faith communities that aims to end child abuse and neglect perpetrated in the name of faith. What’s more, all faith communities can benefit from it.
Read moreFaith Project Educates on Child Maltreatment
Published in Plainsman Press on October 26, 2015 by Chesanie Brantley
Children throughout the world are suffering from abuse related to religious and cultural ideologies. The Child-Friendly Faith Project (CFFP) is a national nonprofit public charity that protects children from this type of abuse through education. Read more
Interview with Marci A. Hamilton, JD
Published on childfriendlyfaith.org on October 10, 2015 by Zanna Haney
Professor Marci A. Hamilton holds the Paul R. Verkuil Chair in Public Law at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University. One of the country’s leading scholars in church/state law, she represented the City of Boerne, Texas, in a successful challenge to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a case that resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Boerne v. Flores. Professor Hamilton is the author of the newly revised God vs. the Gavel: The Perils of Extreme Religious Liberty and Justice Denied: what American Must Do to Protect Its Children.
We asked Professor Hamilton about her significant work as a child advocate and her keynote address at this year’s Child-Friendly Faith Project Conference. Read more
What Is It About Religion That Fosters Abuse?
Published in vice.com on August 5, 2015 by James Nolan
Abuse is still rife in religion. Earlier this year, the Methodist Church of Britain released an “unreserved apology” for failing to protect children and adults, following a report that uncovered 1,885 alleged incidents of abuse in the Church dating back to the 1950s. Ministers and lay employees are said to have been involved in 25 percent of cases, with over half of those involving ministers being of a sexual nature. There are six ongoing police investigations. Read more
Janet Heimlich, “Parents rights” advocates have scored a victory now that Idaho has passed House Bill 113. But what does it mean for Idaho’s children?, Child Friendly Faith
Published in rfraperils.com on April 23, 2015
On April 2, Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter signed into law House Bill 113 known as the “parents rights” bill. It will become law on July 1 of this year.
The bill was one of many similar pieces of legislation being lobbied around the country by the Home School Legal Defense Association, whose mission is to “preserve and advance the fundamental, God-given, constitutional right of parents and others legally responsible for their children to direct their education.” Read more
Janet Heimlich, In the Wake of Idaho Granting Parents “Fundamental Rights”
Published in rfraperils.com on April 14, 2015
Last month, I testified in front of an Idaho Senate panel against House bill 113, known as the “parents’ rights” bill. I was there representing my nonprofit organization, theChild-Friendly Faith Project and believe that we, along with other child advocates, convinced lawmakers to improve that bill. But now that Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter has signed the parents’ rights bill into law, we wonder, have we lost the fight to save the lives of Idaho’s children who suffer every day due to four religious exemptions that allow parents to “treat” their sick children with only prayer and other religious rituals? Read more
Ending Religious Child Maltreatment
Published in cultureandyouth.org on January 2015
If we hope to end religious child abuse and neglect, people of faith and the nonreligious must put aside their theological differences and learn about this form of maltreatment.
When I tell someone that part of the work of my nonprofit organization, the Child-Friendly Faith Project, involves ending child abuse and neglect that is enabled by religious belief, I often get one of two reactions. Either someone is convinced that religion is in no way responsible for harm done to children, or he or she believes that religious faith is akin to poisons under the kitchen sink and should come with the warning, “keep away from children.” Read more
All In One Accord – CFFP Conference 2014
Published in togetherweheal.com on December 27, 2014
With the hustle and bustle of families and travel during the holiday season, it’s taken me a little longer than normal to write about the conference Linda and I attended in Austin, TX. Because its message and the message of this time of year are so simpatico, I knew now was the right time.
As many of you know by now, last month Linda and I attended The Child-Friendly Faith Project Conference and had the honor of speaking on Day 2. Read more
Coming Together To Fight Child Abuse in Religious Communities
Published in Austin American-Statesman on November 28, 2014 by Carla Cheatham
“You can start a revolution that will flame up and burn out quickly when you rally folks against a problem, but if you want to stoke the fires of long-term transformation, we must first give people something to be for; something to agree upon.”
With those words in April 2013, I joined the board of directors of the Child-Friendly Faith Project, an Austin-based, national nonprofit organization that educates the public about child abuse and neglect that is enabled by religious and cultural ideologies. Read more
The Internet, Religion, Transparency, and Battling Tyranny
Published in verdict.justia.com on November 13, 2014 by Marci. A. Hamilton
Reporter Laurie Goodstein wrote a fascinating New York Times front-page story this week on the admissions by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“LDS Church”) regarding their founder, Joseph Smith, and the fact he had approximately 40 wives, one of whom was age 14, and some others of whom were already married to other men. This came as a surprise to numerous LDS believers, who had been taught that Smith was a paradigm of virtue devoted to his first wife, Emma. Read more
Religious Child Maltreatment – One of the Many Ills of Authoritarian Faith
Published in tfn.org on November 10, 2014 by Dan
This guest post by Janet Heimlich, founder of the Child-Friendly Faith Project (CFFP), explores the tragic connection that sometimes exists between religion and child maltreatment. Sadly, Texas is no stranger to this problem. The cautionary tale of fundamentalist preacher Lester Roloff and his homes for troubled teens is a case in point. TFN lobbied for years for the Texas Legislature to suspend the alternative (and lenient) licensing program the state maintained for faith-based child care providers like Roloff. That program was finally allowed to expire in 2001, and the Roloff Homes moved out of the state. Janet’s CFFP will host a conference on religious and cultural maltreatment on Dec. 4-5 in Austin. Read more
Greg Kelley protests draw more attention, scrutiny
Published in Kxan.com on July 28, 2014 by Angie Beavin
GEORGETOWN, Texas — For the first time, supporters of the victim in the Greg Kelley case in Williamson County are making their voices heard, adding to the growing community outrage.
The 19-year-old was sentenced earlier this month to 25 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 4-year-old child. The sentence came as a punishment agreement between prosecutors and Kelley’s defense. The jury found him guilty of the crime and could have given him anywhere from 25 years to life in prison. The agreement to 25 years also meant he couldn’t appeal. Read more
Austin
Published in Rejuvenate Magazine on April 7, 2014 by Christine Barrett
Known as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” Austin is certainly not bluffing about its bustling music scene. The area has more than 250 live-music venues and is home to some of the most popular festivals in the country, such as Fun Fun Fun Fest, South by Southwest and Austin City Limits. And it’s not only big music festivals that are attracted to the city. Read more
Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light On Religious Child Maltreatment
Published in St. Edward’s University on March 28, 2014 by Casey Burkhart
A spiritual upbringing is not always a nurturing experience for a child. In fact, many children are abused and neglected by those who believe their actions are mandated by their faith. Examples include failing to report sexual abuse to protect the image of a faith leader or community, physical abuse due to beliefs about “biblical chastisement,” denial of medial care due to beliefs about faith healing, and spurning and terrorizing using religious messages. Read more
Child Friendly Faith Project founded to provide solutions to child maltreatment in faith community
Published in foundationbeyondbelief.org on March 10, 2014 by Elizabeth Minutello
As Janet Heimlich was researching her 2011 book Breaking their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment, it became clear that while religious, cultural, and spiritual beliefs can establish a positive moral foundation and structure, these same ideologies may be used to justify harmful childrearing practices. Having exposed such problems, Heimlich then looked at what could be done to end this form of maltreatment and founded the Child-Friendly Faith Project(CFFP). Our current Challenge the Gap beneficiary, the CFFP works to find these solutions. Read more
SCNUCC Interview with Janet Heimlich
Published in scnucc.org on February 24, 2014 by Jaime J. Romo, Commissioned Minister for Healing and Healthy Environments
Several months ago, Victor Vieth, director of the National Child Protection Training Center, recommended me for nomination as a board member for Child-Friendly Faith Project, a new non-profit. The more I learned about its mission and leadership team, the more I saw this as an extension of my purpose as Commissioned Minister for Healing and Healthy Environments. I would like to introduce you to the founder of the Child-Friendly Faith Project, Janet Heimlich. Read more
Religion For Life Podcast Interview with Janet Heimlich
Broadcast on Religion For Life on November 28, 2013
Janet Heimlich is an award journalist and former freelance reporter for NPR. She is the president of the Child-Friendly Faith Project and the author of Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment. She speaks with me about how religion has been used to justify and excuse mistreatment of children. From medical neglect to corporal punishment to emotional abuse, religion can serve to harm children. We can make a difference by breaking the silence. Listen Here
Child Abuse among the Faithful
Published in Austin American-Statesman on November 7, 2013 by Juan Castillo
The problems of child sexual abuse in religious organizations remain serious, but more and more, critics are raising awareness about other forms of abuse and neglect occurring in faith communities in the United States. Read more
Spar with Jamila Bey: Ending religious mistreatment of children
Broadcast on voiceofrussia.com on September 27, 2013
WASHINGTON (VOR)— “Spare the rod and spoil the child,” is a saying many parents cite as justification for instilling discipline and obedience into their children through corporal punishment. However, in cases where religious parents take authority and discipline too far, resources to help the abused children may be scarce. Unfortunately, moreover, society has a hard time determining when “discipline” in the name of religion is taken too far. Our guests in this episode are here to help us understand how to identify and stamp out this form of child abuse. One is Janet Heimlich, president of The Child-Friendly Faith Project. (there is additionally a closed Facebook group for survivors called “Child-Friendly Faith.”) Heimlich’s book, Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment was a groundbreaking work on the topic. Also joining our discussion is Dolon Hickmon, himself a survivor of religious child abuse, and author of the forthcoming book “1324: A Story of Faith and Obsession.” Listen here
Advocates decry child abuse in religious settings
Published in Courier-Journal.com on September 27, 2013 by Peter Smith
While the problems of sexual abuse and coverup remain acute in many religious organizations, a related problem is still not getting enough attention: other types of physical abuse and neglect of children. That was a consensus of a group of advocates for child welfare in faith-based settings who spoke at the Religion Newswriters’ Association annual meeting in Austin, Texas, on Thursday. Read more
Breaking Their Will: The Sick Biblical Literalism That Leads to Child Abuse and Even Death
Published in alternet.org on September 25, 2013 by Valerie Tarico
As of late, critics have been raising awareness of the link between certain kinds of religious parenting and abuse. Janet Heimlich, author of Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment, recently founded the Child-Friendly Faith Project, a national nonprofit organization that educates the public about the impact that religious, spiritual, and cultural beliefs and practices have on children. Read more
Introducing the Child-Friendly Faith Project
Published in Patheos.com on June 2, 2013 by Hemant Mehta
I wanted to let you all know I recently accepted a position on the Board of Advisors for a really wonderful organization called the Child-Friendly Faith Project. The group was founded by Janet Heimlich, author of Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment. Read more
Spanking in the Name of the Lord: When Children are Maltreated by Religious Groups
Published in San Diego Free Press on May 20, 2013 by Dave Rice
Child sexual abuse cases in the Catholic Church have repeatedly rocked the nation for more than a decade now, and in 2010 spread locally to reach the San Diego Diocese. The so-called “Satanic Panic” of the 1980s and early ‘90s brought the prospect of harm to children through mysterious and violent rituals to the forefront of the nation’s attention (though such focus turned out to be largely overblown), while periodically stories reach the news involving the tragic death of a child raised by a family of religious separatists. Incidents such as the aforementioned remind us that institutions of faith are capable of inspiring misplaced trust that can bring harm to the most vulnerable amongst us: our children. Read more
Janet Heimlich discusses religious child abuse
Published in Examiner.com on May 20, 2013 by William Hamby
Janet Heimlich is the author of Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment and President of the Child-Friendly Faith Project. The organization is “a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) public charity that educates the public about the impact that religious, spiritual, and cultural beliefs and practices have on children in the United States and around the world.” To put it simply, Janet is confronting the often-ignored abusive aspects of some religious child-rearing practices. Read more
Child-Friendly Faith Project
Published in Away Point on March 3, 2012 by Valerie Tarico
Does religion help children or harm them? Viewpoints range from those who believe that it is impossible to raise loving, moral children without faith to those who see religious immersion as child abuse. Author Janet Heimlich (Breaking their Will) believes this isn’t an either or question, but rather a set of when, where and how questions. Heimlich is launching an initiative, Child-Friendly Faith, that seeks to create productive dialog between those who value and those who criticize the role of religion in the lives of children. Read more
A New Voice for an Old Problem
Published in American Atheist in the 4th quarter of 2011 by Pamela Whissel
Although religiously motivated child abuse and neglect has been around as long as religion has, it didn’t have a name until Janet Heimlich began the research for her book Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment. Hers is one of the very few books to look at this problem in a comprehensive way. Read more