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Parents to Sue Association
By Tim Rogers
Tico Times Staff
trogers@ticotimes.net

After months of planning and organizing, an underground parents' network opposed to the behavior-modification practices employed by the Utah-based World-Wide Association of Specialty Programs (WWASP) is now prepared to surface and slap the umbrella organization with a massive class-action lawsuit, The Tico Times has learned.

Two high-profile California-based law firms, Huron Law Group LLP and Masry & Vititoe - the latter made famous by the movie "Erin Brockovich" - are planning to enter the class-action suit in a Northern District Federal Court of California today, attorney Ed Masry told The Tico Times yesterday.

The lawsuit is expected to name all nine WWASP affiliates in the U.S., Mexico, Jamaica, and Costa Rica's recently closed Dundee Ranch Academy, a facility on the grounds of a former resort hotel in the central Pacific town of Orotina.

Dundee, home to 200 troubled teens mostly from the U.S., was forced to close last month following two government interventions to investigate allegations of abuse, including reports of physical restraint and sentencing youths to hours of solitary confinement, and allegations of drugging the students.

The interventions spun out of control when Prosecutor Fernando Vargas explained to the students their rights under Costa Rican law, sparking rebellion, violent rioting and 35 students running away (TT, May 23).

Since the program closed, all the youths have been relocated to their homes in the U.S., or to WWASP's sister programs in Montana and Jamaica (TT, May 30; June 6, 13).

MANY Dundee parents adamantly defend the facility, insisting that the program's "tough-love" tactics helped their sons or daughters through severe discipline and drug problems. Several parents have told The Tico Times in past months that their children were on a potentially fatal crash course and that Dundee provided a life-saving emergency brake.

Dundee owner and Utah native Narvin Lichfield, 42, was jailed for 24 hours May 23 on allegations of abuse, coercion and rights violations. He is currently under court order to remain in the country while the Prosecutor's Office continues to investigate what went on during Dundee's 20-month existence here.

The recent problems at Dundee have also prompted authorities in Jamaica and Utah to take new interest in the WWASP programs there, and this week impelled the Greenwood County Sheriff's Office in South Carolina to open an investigation of Lichfield's other behavior-modification program, Carolina Springs.

According to Masry, the class-action lawsuit will accuse WWASP of deceptive trade practices, violation of the 1983 Civil Rights Act, civil racketeering, false advertising and assault and battery.

The lawyers also will ask the judge to slap all WWASP facilities with temporary cease-and-desist orders, Masry said.

California father Chris Goodwin is expected to be a key plaintiff in the case, but it is not yet clear how many other victims will be involved.

Goodwin, who led the charge to close a WWASP-associated program in Mexico, claims his son was severely abused at the now-defunct "High Impact" program. According to Goodwin, at the Mexican facility his son was locked in a dog cage for a week at a time, hog-tied for three days, had his thumb twisted back and broken by a staffer, and had his teeth knocked through his lips by an employee who smashed his face in the ground repeatedly (TT, March 14).

WWASP earns more than $80 million worldwide each year, according to some estimates. It is not clear how much the class-action suit will request in damages.

WWASP president Ken Kay told The Tico Times this week he was unaware of the class-action suit, but doesn't think the organization will be held liable for any wrongdoing. He said WWASP is a non-profit membership organization that doesn't own or operate any schools.

Meanwhile, in Costa Rica, separate legal proceedings against Dundee moved ahead this week following last Friday's deposition by Robin Crawford, mother of former Dundee student Cody. Crawford told the judge Dundee falsely advertised itself and its staff physically and emotionally abused her son (TT, June 13).

Lichfield, who estimated he lost $20 million because of his program's closure, has not returned repeated Tico Times phone calls over the last two weeks.