Despite a mixed promise by Prairie Bible Institute for appropriate third-party help for abuse survivors who came forward last year, it appears PBI is confused about 3rd party responsibility. The latest confusion comes an announcement of a PBI initiated project The announcement was posted on two PBI alumni Facebook pages last night. One Facebook page, Friends of PBI, which is populated by PBI staff and alumni has been closed to abuse survivors and the other, Prairie Bible College Alumni and Current Students, is an open group for alumni and students. This is the announcement:
Abuse survivors who had been asking for Prairie to hire an independent 3rd party investigative group out of the US (G.R.A.C.E) were not notified by PBI and Jim Crites.
Why not? This failure to communicate has become a sorry habit.
The Survivor Fund Project announcement was not posted at the third-party (Centre Street Church in Calgary) website, twitter feed, or Facebook page, there is no pr from Prairie Bible Institute, nor is this announcement posted at their main website or secondary Facebook pages.
One one hand Prairie Bible Institute is doing exactly what the administration has publicly telegraphed they were going to do since the first day the institution went public about allegations of abuse at the 90-year-old school in Three Hills Alberta. With the first announcement in November, PBI announced that administrators had reported allegations of abuse to the RCMP Three Hills detachment. The RCMP also publicly corrected PBI administration on the use of the term ‘reported’, since PBI merely photocopied Facebook pages from We Were Prairie School kids, the central group of abuse survivors who have been asking for help from PBI for some time. The story that former staff kids and students who were physically, sexually, emotionally, spiritually and mentally abused while in Three Hills was picked up by media globally. PBI made it clear that requests by abuse survivors would not be met. (ie: a clear policy statement and the hiring of G.R.A.C.E.)
Now RCMP have had to communicate again, after the muddled message the Prairie Bible Institute Survivor Fund Project put out last night. Constable Mark McDonald RCMP Calgary General Investigations Section:
To be perfectly clear. The RCMP as an organization along with myself as an investigator have absolutely nothing to do with any attempts by the Prairie Bible Institute, its Alumni or the Centre Street Church to raise funds for victims connected to Prairie Bible Institute. Our message has always been and continues to be that if someone, somewhere has been the victim of a crime or has information relating to a crime whether or not it is directly or indirectly related to the Prairie Bible Institute we want to speak with them, hear their story and investigate the offence to the best of our ability. My personal message to those your represent is exactly the same as it was in my last message to you. I am willing to speak with anyone who has a story to tell. I have not and will not turn anyone who comes forward away.
I would also like to make it perfectly clear that the information we obtain during our investigation has not and will not be shared with other parties involved in this investigation. We are here only to collect information not pass it around.
I hope this clears up the misinterpretation of the information on this post. If you or any of the victim’s you are in contact with have further questions, as always, I am available.
Mark MacDonald
Did Jim Crites and PBI administration intend to convey that any abuse survivor seeking financial assistance would have to go through a three-step process where ‘sharing their stories’ involves among other things, a substantial risk of ongoing abuse by alumni loyal to PBI? Obviously the RCMP weren’t informed they were assumed to be working with the Survivor Fund Project.
Was PBI expecting the RCMP to tell any abuse survivor who has the courage to report that PBI will only disburse funds if the Project criteria are met? That is how the announcement reads whether that was the intent of Jim Crites and PBI or not.
This muddled and incomplete announcement begs the question about the second group named; Centre Street Church and team leader Dr. Mollering. Were church staff consulted about the process abuse survivors are being requested to go through in this Survivor Fund Project? I honestly don’t think any professional would or could ethically condone the conditions Crites and PBI demand. I think last nights announcement publicly shows a lack of respect for the chosen 3rd party by PBI.
We don’t know who was consulted for this project (abuse survivors, mental health professionals, the church, etc) Dr. Miriam Mollering is away the next ten days, just as she was when PBI President Mark Maxwell made the announcement Centre Street Church was chosen as ‘an independent third-party’. The third party announcement was sent out by newsletter to PBI alumni just prior to Christmas. President Mark Maxwell:
2) Independent Third Party: We have been in contact with Centre Street Church in Calgary, a prominent Canadian church with professional counselors on staff. This church is not conflicted by virtue of any relationship with Prairie. Centre Street offers a safe and secure place for injured people to be heard and given professional advice on steps to move forward, including directing individuals to the appropriate authorities, referring them for additional counselling or bringing them to the appropriate parties at Prairie. The contact person at the church is Dr. Miriam Mollering.
The ongoing request by abuse survivors for an investigation is not going to happen.
Centre Street Church is not equipped to make recommendations on policy, nor will they. The Church as a governing body which entered into a contract with PBI has been stone cold silent, and it is astonishing that a church which claims to have professional counselors on site would permit PBI to make this or any other announcement on their behalf with no transparency and high demands toward those who have been harmed. Centre Street Church has been unwilling to be publicly clear about their role, acquiescing to the legal and administration team at PBI.
Silence is not always golden.
Now unnamed, unqualified, unknown volunteer alumni are working directly with the PBI and stating they will work with abuse survivors. I can fully understand why any abuse survivor would be hesitant to step forward and ask Dr. Mollering and her team for help. Centre Street Church permitting PBI to do their talking has cast a shadow of doubt over their role. I have empathy for Dr. Mollering and her team, I am not prepared to accept a professional would condone the demands of PBI toward those who have been harmed. I think there has been an ongoing lack of respect for abuse survivors and qualified professionals who are willing to help.
To be fair, this Survivor Fund Project announcement is addressed to several groups. First and foremost the announcement is directed at alumni who are willing to donate financially and who want their tax receipt. It is addressed to abuse survivors President Mark Maxwell claims came to him to share their stories. We don’t know how many people have approached him, what type of contact they had with him, or what they have said their needs are, let alone what PBI thinks their needs are. The next group is abuse survivors who have told their pastor or another trusted person, what happened to them during their time at PBI. To date, I’ve found one minister who has been willing to publicly acknowledge survivors have confided in him. I think he runs a risk of being shut out and shunned by PBI, but that is a risk he has publicly been willing to take. The final group is the group of about 150 communicating with each other on the Facebook group We Were Prairie School Kids. Most abuse survivors are hanging back, having been part of the PBI environment, they are understandably unwilling to trust ‘volunteer alumni’ with their stories. What checks and balances are in place? Who reads these stories and make decisions? I’ve written Mr. Crites and asked the basic questions any abuse survivor needs to ask. If he choses to respond I’ll am more than willing to make his response public. I find this Survivor Fund announcement well intentioned, poorly executed, communicated badly, and frankly an indication of evangelical ignorance of what abuse survivors have been through and are going through. Hopefully answers will be forthcoming.
I fail to understand why PBI alumni and administration are not being transparent about their project, process, agenda and their qualifications around trust and safety. What staff sees these pre-requisite stories? What alumni? Who is supposedly willing to provide transportation and to where? Why are survivors being told they are expected to show up at PBI for ‘reconciliation?’
In rejecting G.R.A.C.E. as an investigative group, PBI is following a model which is not only proven to be seriously flawed for abuse cases, but is taught at the Institute.
CH 625 Interpersonal Com. and ConflictManagementTextbook: Ken Sande The Peacemaker A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict 3rd edition
This post is turning into a rant. Google Ken Sande and Peacemaker Ministries. Ministers have gone public acknowledging that his model does not serve members of their congregations who have been abused. Yet PBI clings to Sandes methods.
I’m going to end with an email to PBI by an administrator of We Were Prairie School kids. I personally think Linda is spitting into the wind, PBI has willfully chosen not to communicate and I openly admire the willingness of the group to keep trying to open channels. I hope I’m proven wrong. I think one reason PBI has clammed up is the feeling of threat that exists at Three Hills. The process which abuse survivors go through in disclosure and reporting is a rocky and emotional one involving grief, relief, hope, anger, depression despair and other untidy ‘un-Christian’ emotions which sheltered bible school administrators students, staff and alumni recoil and react to. When, despite protestations, loyalty to an institution takes priority, it is all to easy to dismiss the wounded as ‘other.’ As has been the case of other institutions dealing with reports of abuse, marginalizing, defensiveness and withdrawal are the default response to those tasked with protecting ‘their’ institution. This polarizing is a strange and sad thing to witness. Those who have been abused and those who administer an environment where abuse took place, are products of the same environment, culture and teachings. The refusal and inability to communicate seems to be merely a confirmation of how dysfunctional the culture at PBI has been, and continues to be. Linda Fossen:
I would like to share my story with PBI as would about 90+ other abuse survivors that have been completely ignored by the announcement that was made by Jim Crites on the Friends of PBI Facebook group.
Until this announcement was brought to my attention, I did not even know that this email address existed or which alumni we were to contact. The reason being that once again the survivors I represent were not included. I am not sure if we are supposed to wait to find out in the media or through word of mouth. The lack of communication can be very confusing sometimes.
I am not sure why Mark Maxwell would tell the media that he is being open and honest about the abuse scandal when he has not even told us about this email address, how to reach the alumni team or the fund that is in place to bring survivors to PBI. Is this because we don’t count or because he doesn’t care about us? I would really like to know the answer.
A response would be greatly appreciated but also very shocking as well as I have found that my correspondence tends to go into a black hole somewhere. I am going to copy Mark Maxwell on this so that I can assured that if my email is not responded to that it was because he deliberately made sure of it. The media would appreciate that information as well so that the true picture can be reported in the news and not just the one that Mark Maxwell wants to portray.
Until every voice is heard,
Linda M. Fossen
The money should be used to hire the survivors a lawyer so the legal process necessary (class action suit) will be served. Do they want justice or don’t they?
PBI isn’t the least bit interested in justice for the survivors, any more than the Vatican is.
They’re interested in not having to pay out of their own pocket, just like the Vatican is.
Good question. PBI has very publicly told abuse survivors ‘our way or the highway’. It’s about power and control, not justice or healing. PBI admin will continue to talk at survivors instead of with them. PBI is very clear they will not have an investigation, or revise the school policy.
The public message PBI is sending is that their idea of justice is survivors accepting their idea of reconciliation, (a la Ken Sandes) getting some therapy, and going away.
While RCMP will do their job, the probability of prosecution is slim to none.
I strongly advise any PBI survivor not to accept money from this Survivor Project Fund no matter who is well intentioned within this group. To ask survivors to go back to PBI for ‘reconciliation’ is not only unprofessional, it beggars belief. The project group have chosen not to communicate transparently and honour safety.
To word this announcement so poorly, to blatantly speak for others and to not know how to use public communication channels is becoming a dreary norm.
Grammatical errors aside, the operative word is not ‘or’. The sentence carries 3 criteria. The operative words are ‘need to.’ Injured parties need to contact PBI, need to contact Dr. Mollering or may contact RCMP directly. Huh?
I guess PBI perceives the RCMP as the ones who pass things on to the crown to dispense justice.
A class action suit costs way too much and it isn’t necessary if PBI stopped digging in it’s heels and paid attention to sane and knowledgeable people instead of just lawyers.
I would hate to see any abuse survivor reach the point where a courtroom is their only option, they are being buried already.
The only people who win are the lawyers cricket, you can bet that Mark Maxwell probably has a draw full of offers from alumni quite willing to fork out lawyer fees for PBI. Many alumni genuinely believe the survivors are agents of Satan, sent by the devil to destroy PBI.
And exactly who needs therapy?
I have been with the survivors since early November last year. I have seen the highs and lows during the struggle to have their stories told. I have seen people, alumni of the school written and spewing poisons to the survivors and told them that this is the only medicine available to them. They were trying to silence anyone who disagreed with them. Some of them can be seen at the Open File with the Calgary Herald. Sadly, most of these alumni opposing to the Survivors are basically anonymous and very very cruel. I see no reason why this group would come to the aid of any survivors. Frankly they just wish every survivor would go away, shut up and be gone.
There is one problem, actual abuses did occur and some of the perpetrators are still alive and perhaps in the school. Those who did the cover up are still alive and they can be found. I can see why they want to put up this CSC as smoke screen, because as long as no one seems to know what is going on, perhaps more documents are shredded and more evidences smothered in the mean time.
The difference between religious sexual abuses and plain regular abuses, is that religious abusers act as if God is on their side and the abuse event was condoned by God, or almost so. And when confronted, they become angry because they are in fact a god. The regular folks who are irreligious, cannot act like that, because they are accountable to the law. When confronted, they humbly and righteous…..go to jail. I hope there is a god somewhere so all these perpetrators can be held accountable.
Dear Jim Crites, get off your high horse, if you sincerely believe you want to help, crawl on your knees and apologize for all the bad information you have written on the survivor site. Be humble enough to say you are wrong, and humble enough to stop posting things that no one can read. That is the first thing you should do. Thanks.
“I guess PBI perceives the RCMP as the ones who pass things on to the crown to dispense justice.”
In that they are half correct. The queen’s cowboys, an organization as morally suspect as PBI, decide whether or not there is enough information/evidence to pass the case along to the Crown, the Crown decides on the likelihood of conviction and then advances charges or doesn’t. Justice is dispensed by the courts. In all their infinite fucking wisdom.
No one ought to be under any illusions here. There is no chance whatever that any survivors are going to be treated with anything other than contempt and blame. PBI is operating under divine protection, doing the lord’s work etc etc etc ad infinitum.
I can’t even count the men and women I’ve known over the decades who are capable of justifying and rationalizing hideous acts of cruelty and inhumanity in the name of christianity.
For a phony, derivative, overblown cult the abomination known as christianity has been able to hoodwink a tremendous number of people for a very long time and encourage some of the most heinous acts of barbarism the world has ever known.
The sooner it’s eradicated the better.
The PBI smoke blowing is reprehensible, but whatever bad image we may have formed about the RCMP from media reports let’s remember that it is a very large organization. Our recent PBI rape victim and her mother have nothing but praise for the way the case was handled and how they were treated by the RCMP. I expect explosive information in the near future in the form of arrests and press releases from the RCMP and I am willing to give them time to do their job properly.
Agreed Hank – there are a few good horsemen and from what I’ve seen, Const. McDonald is one of them.
The abuse survivors are the Dalits of Prairie Bible Institute.
It’s only been 24 hours since Mr. Crites posted the project announcement. He has time to make things right, we can pray the Holy Spirit convicts, enlightens and leads. He has the opportunity to publicly provide information and do his part to dispel some of the confusion he has contributed to and reject an us/them mentality.
Hi Benjamin:
How many former abusers do you think remain at PBI? What types of abuses do you believe they engaged in?
Those who were silent or complicit or covered up – how many do you think are alive?
How many would be on campus?
You mention Mr. Crites has written bad information on the survivor site. Could you provide some examples?
I have personally interacted with Constable Mark MacDonald and he is one of the finest the RCMP has to offer. I have heard nothing but high praise for his professionalism, and respect given to the survivors. He is an honorable officer.
We continue to have survivors contact us wanting to share their stories. The list of perpetrators keeps growing and many of these are NOT ancient cases but ones that are very recent and disturbing. We are encouraging these survivors to contact the RCMP and supporting them as they make this very courageous step to come forward. These investigations take time and we do not want to do anything to jeopardize the integrity of these investigations.
The level of abuse, cover-up and collusion that many staff and administrators of Prairie Bible Institute (both past and present) engaged in continues to be uncovered. The scope is much greater than I could have ever imagined; the abuses are much worse than I ever thought. In time all of this will become a matter of public record.
Hi Bene Diction:
I have seen interesting people come onto the survivor site, posting information that questions the actual number of the abuses and grilled Linda Fossen about her claims. No one has yet stayed long enough to make themselves helpful. This Dear Jim Crites, is one of those. I think he (I could look him up at our site) was the one questioning the validity of the 3rd party investigation (as if they actually knew what needs to be investigated, and the harm in the doing of that), and all of them tried to derail the process of asking Prairie to come forward. These information, such as the PEACEMAKERS, is a total no brainer. Pardon me, if you were abused by biblicists, and using the total and holy bible, why would you want to use bible for your healing, especially this time again, from your abuser-school? This is a no brainer. But these Crites forced people to swallow poisons and ask them many questions about the details and offered their Crites brand of solutions: the F word. I mean, there is never a mentioning of a day of justice, of reckoning of the wrongs done. There is always plenty of forgiveness. This is the Crites poison I do no see helpful.
I think, at the end, no one from the alumni will ever help these poor dejected survivors. They will spin a few stories, question those leading the way, and wish and pray that their god will just make them go away. I see no point in accepting any poison anymore. We have plenty of it, of those who were literally and physically abused, forced to drink the Koolaid of a loving Christ, and then abused them. That is too much for me.
As for your question about actual abuser(s) still present in the school. Please simply check out the Carmen Wesley story. She was sexually abused 5 years ago at the PBI campus, by a PBI staff member, and there is a tremendous cover up since, by both the PBI /PCA leadership. Those who assisted in the cover-up are both perpetrators by extension, and those who made it possible to perpetrate on others, are also abusers in my book. Please check the Global News. If you have trouble locating it, I will post it. Thanks.
Hi Benjamin:
I suspect interesting people will show up here too. ;^) I’m quite okay with that as long as the site policy is honoured and people are respected. Difference of opinion is not a crime here.
I’m confused about Jim Crites.
There is a Linkin listing for a Jim Crites in Calgary. He is listed as a consultant, education management.
You said in a prior comment he is a therapist. Not one and the same.
The Survivor Fund Project is a huge blunder and setback.
I find it difficult to believe a therapist would condone unethical demands.
I am aware Jim Crites father was PBI staff.
Jim Crites is merely alumni, isn’t he?
Ken Sandes Peacemaker stuff being taught at PBI makes sense, and I’m not surprised it was pushed by upset alumni. Talk about the wrong model for abuse…
With you I recommend people read Carman Wesley’s account.
I linked it in a prior post, and here is is again.
(Anyone wanting to read background posts on PBI and abuse survivors here at BDBO, just has to click Posted in Prairie Bible Institute at the bottom of the post or use the search engine on the right)
Are you saying the accused in the Wesley case is still on staff at PBI?
Carman Wesley has re-reported to the RCMP.
How was there a cover up at PBI with the Wesley case?
Sorry for the questions Benjamin, you are in the loop and I might as well pick your brain.
I also recommend reading Stephen Rendall – Dear Holly
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The story of Carmen is one of the most disgusting thing I can imagine, coming from my own Alma mater, the Prairie High School/currently the Prairie Christian Academy. She was raped on the Prairie campus, the perpetrator was a Prairie staff, and continued for sometimes after this atrocity, there are other alleged victims (3-4 even 5 girls violated this way), while this man was on staff. Carmen was isolated after reporting to the school authority, and the person, High School Girls Dean, Sheila Hanson Atkins, was instrumental in spreading the rumors and succeeded in isolating Carmen and this by extension, allowed the actual perpetrator to remained employed for sometime beyond his sexual assaults on other high school girls (alleged). The case went to the crown twice and the school did not help in this process, and this case is again going forward to the crown.
I seriously doubt the Golden Hills School district knew about the events, otherwise, this whole thing would not have been handled like this.
I urge the readers to be patient, as the case proceeds, perhaps everything will spill out in the open, and what I said here is alleged events, may in time become solid facts. I sure hope that there is a god and hopefully he is not sleeping this time.
I am very confused here. Didn’t Prairie Bible Institute pick Centre Street for their choice of the 3rd party negotiator? And if funds are being raised for Prairie on behalf of the survivors would not the 3rd party negotiator determine how and when those funds were to be used? Where does a group of alumni get off by thinking they are important enough to insert themselves into this process? Back off alumni and let Centre Street do their job.
Hi Rebecca:
Centre Street Church wasn’t hired as a 3rd party investigator, mediator or negotiator.
This is all that has been said publicly – PBI President Mark Maxwell December 16th:
Centre Street Church has not spoken publicly about their role.
I read Maxwell’s statement as the church has been hired by PBI to offer counselling only, not negotiation, investigation, or policy formulation.
From reading this PBI expects the Centre Street counselling team to bring survivors to PBI for ‘reconciliation.’
It is very confusing Rebecca.
You are right, this is all very confusing. I thought this was Mark Maxwell’s choice for the 3rd party negotiator. Also the survivors have not agreed for Centre Street to be the 3rd party negotiator, counsellor, guide or whatever else Mark Maxwell deems them to be. And I am sure Centre Street has not spoken publicly about their role because they are not sure what their role is. But for a group of alumni to try and interject themselves into this process speaks volumes to their arrogance and their ignorance.
I have come to this conclusion: Mr. Mark Maxwell, is a total incompetent president, and his being there is harmful for the school. He should be fired, and I call upon his removal immediately!
There seems to be some confusion with regard to the Carmen Wesley case. We know the Three Hills RCMP sent the case to the crown prosecutor in Drumheller, AB twice and for some unknown reason the crown did not proceed and sent the case back to them. Did PBI in some way interfere with the process and dissaude the crown from proceeding? We don’t know at this point but I have my own theory on this.
It was not that Carmen Wesley re-reported her case. Reopening the case was an RCMP initiative. It is my understanding that Cst. Mark McDonald, the RCMP special investigator from Calgary, AB, picked up the case file from the Three Hills RCMP detachment in early December, and then followed up with Carmen Wesley.
Although the perpetrator is no longer employed in the PBI bakery, both of his parents remain employed with PBI.
Thank you for correcting me Hank, and for clarifying.
And you too Benjamin.
I don’t think parents should be punished for actions of an adult son.
That the alleged perpetrator remained employed by PBI and around students after being reported is chilling.
Glad to know the RCMP took the initiative in December.
Why would the parent of any potential PBI student want to send their daughter to a school where those entrusted to lead make such callous and unsafe decisions?
Responsible parents that are looking for a school for their high schooler would do well to look elsewhere. All those involved in this case were inempt and prove that they are ill equipped to deal with my (or your) children! Why is the Dean of students mentioned still employed? Where is the school division on this? Who is responsible for this decision?
No real change will occur until the full truth of what has occurred sees the light of day.
It is very clear that the very last thing that PBI leadership wants is for this situation to have a fair and open pubic inspection. After all, reputations and money are important, above all else, to this leadership team.
If there have been abuses, I hope that RCMP obtains enough material to refer individual cases to the Crown Proscecutor. This is paramount….it will be one step in getting this into the open.
I also hope that Linda Fossen’s original claim of civil legal action is acted upon.
Honest people have nothing to fear from the ‘clear light of day’ shining on this situation.
Linda Fossen came out and publicly named a former PBI employee as person with a history of abuse. Has this person taken any action, legal or otherwise, to contradict this information or should readers now assume that it was factual.
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