The Program On Netflix – Shocking Documentary With A South Carolina Connection
On Saturday, I was looking for something to watch while I ran on the treadmill. Watching a show while pounding out a run is about the only way I can tolerate the treadmill for extended periods. And while perusing various titles, I came across The Program on Netflix. The full title is The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping. I was immediately intrigued since I’m a big fan of documentaries and true crime. The first episode was just over an hour, and I was immediately hooked.
The Program – Synopsis
On Netflix, the single line excerpt simply says: “Years after being sent to a disciplinary school, a woman still haunted by her experiences exposes the corruption and abuse of the troubled teen industry.” But that’s just scratching the surface. The docuseries actually includes many young adults who were sent to the same disciplinary school. And they all share their experiences while uncovering shocking evidence of corruption.
The series is directed by Katherine Kubler, who was actually a student at Academy at Ivy Ridge.
This is a limited series on Netflix, with just three episodes. Each episode is about an hour long and full of horrific details these students experienced. The students were often ripped from their homes with little to no explanation while their parents looked on. Once arriving at the school, they weren’t allowed to leave and initially had no contact with their family aside from writing letters.
Upon arrival at the school, students were paired with another student to learn the rules. But the rules were almost impossible to remember since the list was so long. The students would have to “earn points” to level up. Various levels would allow for different privileges, but you could quickly start back at level one for simple rule violations. The idea is the students had to work “the program” in order to graduate.
The school, if it can even be called that, featured in this documentary is the Academy at Ivy Ridge in New York. But watching the show, you’ll learn that this was just one of a vast network of these types of schools. The schools are all part of the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs (WWASP).
In the show, the former students visit the Academy at Ivy Ridge, which has been shut down for quite some time. But it’s shocking to see what remains inside the walls of the school. There were files and records left behind, and the students dug through them to find their own and learn about other incidents that happened. The walls have also been graffitied by what you can only assume were former students.
South Carolina Disciplinary Schools
Throughout watching the show, there are various “players” or “leaders” associated with WWASP. It can get a bit confusing to know who is who. But there are a few names that do come up frequently. And one of those names is Narvin Lichfield. And I was shocked to learn he and his family moved to South Carolina to start a school.
The school mentioned in the documentary is Carolina Springs Academy. It was located in Due West, South Carolina, and was started in 1998. Within a year, the school already faced issues with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. But that was just the beginning. Various claims were brought against the school. In 2008, one of the dorms burned down. A few months after that, a boy ran away from the facility.
By 2009, the school had its license revoked, and the school closed. It was soon reopened under a different name, “Magnolia Hills Christian School.” The name change didn’t seem to help the school, which continued to have issues. And again, the school changed its name to “Seneca Ranch” in 2013. From what I could find, it’s still in operation and owned by Lichfield.
Thoughts On The Program On Netflix
This docuseries made me feel all the emotions. I was so angry at parents who would willingly send their children to a school like this. Did they not do any research? Most of the people associated with these schools didn’t hold any certification or education to be “teaching” in a school. And the fact that the children couldn’t even contact their parents bothered me. It left the children feeling unwanted. Did that not raise any red flags with parents?
I know there are troubled teens. And I know it can be tough for parents to know how to handle it. My mind is blown that not only did these kids stay at these schools for years, but these types of schools continue to be in operation today. In the docuseries, there are signed records that they stumble on that are essentially confessions of abuse. How has no one been able to put a stop to this?
The Program on Netflix is currently the number 3 most popular show right now. And I hope that’s a good thing. Not just because we are fascinated with stories like this. My hope is that this sheds light on issues and will lead to true change. I hope people will open their eyes to the corruption and speak up.
And I pray for those who have been traumatized by their experience in a situation like this. I can’t even imagine what that was like for them. Especially when you hear them talk about why they were sent to these schools. Some of their “offenses” were so minor. I just feel like there are so many options out there to help these kids before it gets so bad that a parent would ship them off to a disciplinary school.
Should I Watch The Program?
I will warn you… there are parts of the docuseries that are heartbreaking and gruesome. There’s a lot of talk about abuse, some that was sexual in nature. And there’s a lot of strong language. It’s not something I recommend watching with kids around. But I do highly recommend you watch it. It’s eye-opening. And a bit scary to know that stuff like this is going on in our own backyards…
This docuseries has sent me down the rabbit hole to learn more about WWASP and other programs like it. If you want some more information on WWASP, its history, and stories from survivors, I recommend checking out the WWASP Survivors website.
