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I-Team: Exchange Students Forced into Filth - Part 1
I-Team: Exchange Students Forced into Filth - Part 1 - Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at 6:00PM EST
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY- In an I-Team exclusive, questions are being raised about the safety of some foreign exchange students in Lackawanna County. The I-Team is looking into allegations that the person who's supposed to place those students in safe homes, is actually placing some of them in harms' way.
Most of these teenagers come to America, to experience a better way of life. But some say, they are being placed in danger. The I-Team is looking into allegations, that a Scranton woman who is supposed to be watching out for these kids, is really watching out for herself.
The I-Team has been in contact with several foreign exchange students and host parents, who claim the woman who is in charge of placement, is not doing the right thing.
Joanne Clancy, who has her own exchange student, said she had to do something. "When I picked her up to go on a field trip to Philadelphia she broke down in tears, told me how really bad it was and when I brought her home, when I went in the home - animals shouldn't even be living there," Clancy told the I-Team.
The 15-year-old girl from Nigeria said she was afraid to tell anyone. She feared being sent back to her native country before her 9 months in the U. S. were up.
But she and other exchange students began to talk to each other and other host parents. "I'd say a majority of them had some kind of horror story - where they were placed or placed one place to another to another - sometimes without authority, a host parent or host family," added Clancy.
The student, who did not want to be identified, said her home was filthy.
Edna Burgett is the area coordinator for these students. She says there is no problem and even let us see the conditions inside her home.
Burgett says she has nothing to hide and said she was never aware of any problem and will stand by her record. The I-Team spoke with officials of the Aspect Foundation, which employed Burgett. They say Burgett will be fired. | |
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