Glen Mills taking steps to protect students

Auditor General Eugene DePasquale says the schools have adopted recommendations made in June.

CHADDS FORD » Auditor General Eugene DePasquale Friday said the Glen Mills Schools in Delaware County has adopted recommendations made in his June audit of the reform school, which the state ordered to close in 2019 following allegations of abuse of students.

“My audit was designed to help Glen Mills and similar reform schools operating across Pennsylvania provide a safe environment for students,” DePasquale said. “The school’s new administration took the audit to heart and appears to have adopted all of my recommendations, based on a review by my audit team.”

Operated as a residential educational facility, Glen Mills Schools housed male students from across the U. S. who were generally placed there via court orders. When it revoked the school’s licenses in April 2019, the state Department of Human Services ( DHS) cited evidence that students were subjected to abuse and intimidation designed to keep them from reporting it.

“My audit found that Glen Mills Schools lacked policies and training related to reporting abuse, all of which put the safety and well- being of students at risk,” DePasquale said. “My team has reviewed the policy changes made as a result of the audit and I’m grateful for the school’s cooperation.”

DePasquale noted that the school is not accepting students at present, so it is not possible to determine whether the new policies will be effective in practice.

“I’m not taking a position on whether the school should reopen, but I feel it’s important to put it on record that school officials did do what my audit asked them to do,” he added.

According to Glen Mills administration, the school has adopted new policies to:

· Ensure individuals who may have direct contact with students receive all required training related to the prevention of child abuse and the mandatory reporting of suspected abuse;

· Create avenues for students to report incidents of abuse; and

· Confirm that required background clearances for all employees, contractors, and volunteers are obtained and maintained.