Senators back Dozier victim compensation

Decades later, survivors known as “The White House Boys” still struggle when recalling the mental, physical and sexual abuse they endured while in the state’s care at the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in Marianna.

With less than two weeks left in this year’s legislative session, the men notched a preliminary victory Tuesday when the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee signed off on a proposal (SB 24) that would create a compensation program and steer $20 million to former students of the reform school. The school was shuttered in 2011 after 111 years of operation.

Cecil Gardner, now in his 70s, choked back tears Tuesday as he recalled being awakened in the night and taken to the building called “The White House,” where beatings and torture took place.

The Senate measure would create “The Dozier School for Boys and Okeechobee School Victim Compensation Program” to compensate “living persons who were confined” to Dozier or the Okeechobee School, another reform school, between 1940 and 1975 and “who were subjected to mental, physical, or sexual abuse perpetrated by school personnel.”

The measure would set up a process for survivors to apply for compensation and provide $20 million to the program. In addition, the bill would allow the state Department of Education to award high-school diplomas to former students who have not completed graduation requirements.

The Senate committee’s unanimous approval sent the measure to the full Senate. The House is slated to take up a similar measure (HB 21) this week.