Three teenage boys who recently lived in the Iowa Boys State Training School allege that the school used solitary confinement and restraints in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act for minor issues such as talking while taking a shower. It also states the teens were medicated with powerful drugs that created a “chemical straitjacket” without notifying their next of kin. The teenagers signed consent forms for the medications, but the forms failed to disclose potential side effects and drug risks.
Troubling Report Previously Released by Disability Rights Iowa
A few years back, Disability Rights Iowa produced a report highlighting some troubling issues noticed in Iowa’s Boys State Training School. In addition to claims made in the recent federal lawsuit, other issues reported included the fact that the school wasn’t required to have a license and it had only one full time counselor who was often referred to as a “psychologist.” To be a psychologist, an individual must have a certain degree (at either the Master’s or Doctorate level) and must also be licensed through the state.
