The documentary details the traumatic events a group of school kids experienced.
“This story does not have a happy ending, and the story is far from over,” director Katherine Kubler can be heard telling viewers at the end of new Netflix documentary series The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping.
The chilling three-part series highlights serial abuse at a troubled youth programme, Academy at Ivy Ridge, which subjected to solitary confinement, physical restraint and a points system that determined how long they would stay at the academy, according to former students.
Netflix’s new documentary features interviews from such former students, who are prepared to expose what really happened.
But what did happen at Academy at Ivy Ridge? Read on for the true story of The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping.
The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping true story
While it was advertised as a boarding school designed to rehabilitate troubled teens, Academy at Ivy Ridge was much different.
The boarding school, which was functional from 2001 to 2009, would enrol teenagers in a bid to address their behaviour issues, but things far more sinister took place.
When Katherine Kubler and her classmates joined the school, they were reportedly not allowed to talk, smile, communicate with the outside world or go outside.
The school itself was operated on a merit system that saw how long the students would stay there.
In an interview with The Sun, Kubler said of the point system: “Level three was a big deal, because you were finally allowed to have a 15 minute phone call, once a month, with your parents.
“But staff listened in and if you said anything bad about the Program, they would disconnect the call. You can’t leave the Program until you get to level six, but it’s impossible to get points. They make it so you’re just stuck here forever.”
Those who attended the school claim in the documentary that they were deprived of sleep and food, all while being forced to take part in endurance exercises.
The former classmates said that they had their possessions taken away from them, were given no privacy and were made to have certain haircuts.
Students were reportedly assigned Hope Buddies while at the school. A buddy would teach the other about the rules at the academy, down to their facial expressions being monitored at all times.
In 2009, it was announced that the school would close and would not reopen.
The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping is available to stream on Netflix now. Sign up for Netflix from £6.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
Looking for something else to watch? Check out more of our Documentaries coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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