WARNING: This story references suicide and contains allegations of abuse.
About two dozen former Robert Land Academy students gathered at Queen’s Park in Toronto on Thursday to demand better regulation of Ontario’s private schools as the closed military-style school faces allegations of abuse.
Their calls for change came after a CBC News investigation into allegations of historic physical and emotional abuse, and in some cases sexual exploitation, at the Wellandport private school.
Through their research and CBC’s reporting, it was learned that some instructors had criminal convictions while they were working at Robert Land in the 1990s and early 2000s.
“We cannot allow this kind of institutional abuse to take place under the name of education,” Chandra Pasma, member of provincial parliament and the NDP’s education critic, told a news conference.
“There are actions we need to take immediately to prevent it from happening.”
NDP MPP Chandra Pasma joins former Robert Land students demanding more private school oversight
Former students say their experiences exemplify why Ontario needs to be more involved in how private schools are run.
Unlike in public schools, for example, staff aren’t required to pass rigorous vulnerable-sector background checks that would flag past criminal charges.
Robert Land closed in June and has declared bankruptcy, while 120 former students have initiated legal proceedings to address abuse they say they endured from primarily the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, but also into the 2010s.
The allegations haven’t been tested in court.
Among them is Jarett Holmes, who along with his brother, Evan, attended Robert Land in 1999 when they were 14 years old. They previously told CBC they weren’t allowed to communicate with one another, were beaten and forced to do hard labour, and then were punished for trying to write home to tell their parents about their treatment.
Jarett said former students have attempted to meet with Education Minister Paul Calandra, but haven’t heard back. Calandra’s office did not provide a comment to CBC before publication.
“We have to impose limits on those who work with children, especially at-risk youth,” Jarett said. “This never should’ve happened. So NDPs, Liberals, Progressive Conservatives, please hear this. This is not a political issue. We are talking about child safety.”
Jon Krys, who did a teaching placement at Robert Land for a few months in 1992, said he witnessed students facing consistent abuse by staff. He said the experience stayed with him throughout his decades-long teaching career.
He stood alongside former students at Queen’s Park and announced the legislative changes they want for private schools, including that teaching staff be required to register with the regulatory body, the Ontario College of Teachers, and that the province establish an independent ombudsman’s office to handle complaints.
Pasma wants the province to start making changes now, but she’s also prepared to table a private member’s bill this fall.
CBC News previously reached out to over 40 Ontario private schools and most did not respond.
The eight that did said they conduct criminal background checks on staff, despite not being mandated to do so.
This military-style school promised discipline — some former students allege it was abuse
Robert Land was founded in the late 1970s, with corporate documents saying the intention was to help boys with learning disabilities through Grades 6 to 12. Staff held ranks, and students were called “cadets” and required to follow a strict military routine.
When he was 10 years old in 1979, Andrew English was one of the first students to attend the academy.
He told the news conference Thursday that he was “consistently beaten” by staff and would be hit with a paddle until he was bleeding.
At 11 years old, he attempted suicide, which he was punished for, he said. He also said he was made to eat laundry detergent, was beaten until he could “barely walk” and forced to run around a soccer field with a 45-pound pack.
“I can talk about food deprivation, stress positions — a million things I”ve been through,” English said. “It was anxiety, terror, fear and pain, and needs to end.”
Robert Land Academy has not responded to CBC’s requests for comment.
In a statement of defence filed in response to one former student’s lawsuit, Robert Land denied all of the abuse allegations. The academy says if any abuse, assaults or exploitation did happen, it was not the school’s fault.
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