Casa by the Sea
Encyclopedia
Casa by the Sea was a private residential school
/residential treatment center
located in Ensenada, Baja California
, Mexico
. It was operated by the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools
(WWASPS) and primarily enrolled teenagers from the United States
who had behavioral issues.
The facility was closed by Mexican government child-protective authorities on September 10, 2004. The U.S. Consulate General's office in Tijuana
reported that the concerns that led to the closure included lack of evidence that school employees possessed necessary diplomas or professional licenses, presence at the facility of expired medications for students, and unauthorized use of a pharmacy
. At the time of the closure there were 538 students enrolled. After the closure, U.S. Congressman George Miller
said this was "the ninth closing of a facility owned or managed by the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs," and urged the U.S. State Department to take action regarding the abuse
of American children at WWASPS facilities outside the country.
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
/residential treatment center
Residential treatment center
A residential treatment center , sometimes called a rehab, is a live-in health care facility providing therapy for substance abuse, mental illness, or other behavioral problems...
located in Ensenada, Baja California
Ensenada, Baja California
Ensenada is a coastal city in Mexico and the third-largest city in Baja California. It is located south of San Diego on the Baja California Peninsula. The city is locally referred to as La Cenicienta del Pacífico, or, The Cinderella of the Pacific...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. It was operated by the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools
World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools
The World Wide Association Of Specialty Programs and Schools is an organization based in Utah, in the United States. WWASPS was founded by Robert Lichfield and was incorporated in 1998...
(WWASPS) and primarily enrolled teenagers from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
who had behavioral issues.
The facility was closed by Mexican government child-protective authorities on September 10, 2004. The U.S. Consulate General's office in Tijuana
Tijuana
Tijuana is the largest city on the Baja California Peninsula and center of the Tijuana metropolitan area, part of the international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. An industrial and financial center of Mexico, Tijuana exerts a strong influence on economics, education, culture, art, and politics...
reported that the concerns that led to the closure included lack of evidence that school employees possessed necessary diplomas or professional licenses, presence at the facility of expired medications for students, and unauthorized use of a pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
. At the time of the closure there were 538 students enrolled. After the closure, U.S. Congressman George Miller
George Miller (politician)
George Miller III is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1975. He is a member of the Democratic Party. From 2007 through 2010, Miller served as chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, formerly known as the Education and the Workforce Committee.-Early life, education, and early...
said this was "the ninth closing of a facility owned or managed by the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs," and urged the U.S. State Department to take action regarding the abuse
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
of American children at WWASPS facilities outside the country.
Notable alumni
- Convicted murderer Michael James Perry, who was executed in Texas in 2010, had been enrolled in Casa by the Sea, but left before completing the program on his 18th birthday in 2000.