Robert Lichfield Explained

Robert Lichfield is the founder of World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools.^{[1] [2]}

He started working in the troubled teen industry in 1977. His first job in the industry was at Provo Canyon School as a dorm parent. Then in 1987 he started the Cross Creek School.^[3]

He has been linked to controversial network of schools for troubled teens and allegations of abuse and fraud,^[4] and is a long-time campaign fundraiser for Republican senator and 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney.^{[5] [6]}

Controversy

Lichfield was the founder of Academy at Ivy Ridge, as well as many other school programs reported to have committed child abuse.^[7] These were documented in the 2024 Netflix docu-series , which featured former students of the WWASP programs.^[8]

In 2023, Robert Lichfield donated a building to be used as a youth recreation center in the town of Hurricane, Utah, which was named the Bob Lichfield Recreation Center. The center is controversial for numerous reasons including a 2011 Utah lawsuit, where "500 parents and former residents sued WWASPS, alleging in court papers that students were beaten, chained, locked in dog cages, forced to eat vomit and made to lie in urine and feces as punishment. The complaint also alleges students were forced into sexual acts. A judge dismissed that lawsuit several years later, ruling the group had not properly argued a fraud claim."^[9]

Notes and References

1. News: Williams . Timothy . 2013-07-24 . Students Recall Special Schools Run Like Jails . 2024-03-09 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331 . "Robert B. Lichfield, the founder of the network, the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools," . 2024-03-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240307184013/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/24/us/students-recall-a-school-run-like-a-prison.html . live .
2. News: Weiner . Tim . 2003-09-06 . Program to Help Youths Has Troubles of Its Own . 2024-03-09 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331 . 2024-03-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240306200755/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/06/us/program-to-help-youths-has-troubles-of-its-own.html . live .
3. News: Dahlburg . John-Thor . July 13, 2003 . Key to His Schools’ Success? It’s God, Founder Says . March 9, 2024 . . 2165-1736 . March 7, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240307215729/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jul-13-na-toughbar13-story.html . live .
4. Web site: 2008-03-28 . Romney's Top Fundraiser, Linked To Abuse And Fraud, Asked To Step Down . 2024-04-13 . HuffPost . en.
5. Web site: Rood . Lee . Midwest founder helped create troubled-teens industry . 2024-03-11 . The Des Moines Register . en-US . 2024-03-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240311043811/https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2016/04/16/midwest-founder-helped-create-troubled-teens-industry/82992202/ . live .
6. Web site: Szalavitz . Maia . 2007-06-27 . Romney, Torture, and Teens . 2024-03-11 . Reason.com . en-US . 2024-01-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240129024620/https://reason.com/2007/06/27/romney-torture-and-teens/ . live .
7. Web site: Rood . Lee . Parents of abused Midwest Academy students pursue founder . 2024-03-11 . The Des Moines Register . en-US . 2024-03-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240311043810/https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/investigations/readers-watchdog/2017/04/15/parents-abused-midwest-academy-students-pursue-founder/100468622/ . live .
8. Web site: 2024-03-05 . Netflix Doc 'The Program' Exposes the Troubled Teen Industry . 2024-04-14 . TIME . en.
9. Web site: Some don’t want a building named for controversial founder of ‘troubled teen’ programs. Here’s why Hurricane’s mayor isn’t backing down. . 2024-03-10 . The Salt Lake Tribune . en-US . 2024-03-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240309034652/https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/09/29/some-dont-want-building-named/ . live .