This letter was sent to a Mountain Park student for his birthday from his home Pastor:

  notice staff initials

                                                                                                                          after censoring

Here is a Christmas card sent by the same student’s parent:

In the Mountain Park Parent Handbook on page 8, it tells parents:

“All mail is read by MPBBA staff. The student’s outgoing mail will not be censored in any way. Be prepared to read, “They starve me,” They beat me,” “They work me,” “I hate this place,” “You must come get me,” etc. Incoming student mail should have the student’s full name on the envelope. Incoming mail may be returned if the content is not in the best interest of the child. A note of explanation may accompany the returned mail.”

As a parent, wouldn’t YOU know what was in the best interest of YOUR child? All mail must be sent through the parents before a child can receive it. So how can Mountain Park, as a church or school, possibly know better what is in your child’s best interest? And yet, they return letters or censor them daily when they feel the parents are being “too soft” on their children, babying them when they should be strict and unyielding.

I was told of a mother in Washington who took her daughter out of Mountain Park after a short stay when Sam Gerhardt returned a letter to her. This mother had adopted her teenage daughter later in life, and was seeking a good education for her. The daughter had failed a pace, and the mother was asked to send a letter encouraging her to try harder. When the mother told the daughter she “believed in her, and knew she could do better if she would simply apply herself,” her letter was returned to her. Mr. Gerhardt’s letter of explanation told her that she was coddling her daughter and that she would either re-write the letter, or it would not be delivered.

What was he expecting of this woman? I am asking now as a mother to my own child…..  is berating a child REALLY encouraging?