Debra Copeland, a physical therapist at the School of Bright Promise in Jefferson County, Ohio was put on paid administrative leave and is facing three charges of child endangerment for abuse that was secretly recorded by an intern. The intern who worked at the School of Bright Promise secretly recorded the sessions with Copeland and two special needs children. The woman who is being identified as BJ told News 9:
“Her demeanor, the way she would speak about the children, sometimes I would hear her talk down to kids. It seemed odd to me.”
BJ recorded one video (posted below) that shows a child during a 30-minute physical therapy session where she can be seen sitting. Copeland then comes over and shoves the little girl back to the ground and says, “Get down now. I said down. No.”
Copeland is also seen picking the little girl up and making her stand with her legs in locked braces stating, ” Stand up you little bitch, stand up.” When I saw this video, I cried. This woman is working with our most vulnerable members of society and what she did and said to this child is beyond cruel and reprehensible.
This comment was left on WTOV9.com’s site regarding Debra Copeland.
http://www.wtov9.com/news/news/students-family-student-releases-video-alleged-abu/nWMwt/#/comment/p1/c527715/
I am just seething with anger because of this woman’s cruelty to children. In addition to physical cruelty, she set those kids up for lifelong problems with trust and confidence.
This is heartbreaking . How can someone like this even get a job and keep it this long? I continue to be amazed at the things that happen around children , not just in Ohio either. I’m going to go cry now.
Someone please look into the physical therapists school record. Wouldn’t be surprised to find a Big Red background. These are the type of demented persons turned out by immoral programs.
I hope the Intern named BJ who taped this realizes she has protected so many more children in this school from harm. I cried when I saw what this sweet child had to go through. Thank You BJ! You are a HERO!
maddgramma February 16, 2013 at 11:56 am
I hope the Intern named BJ who taped this realizes she has protected so many more children in this school from harm. I cried when I saw what this sweet child had to go through. Thank You BJ! You are a HERO!
I fully agree, she did the right thing. However, as Oscar Wilde observed, ” No good deed goes unpunished.” I sincerely hope that I am wrong, but I suspect that BJ’s reward for doing the right thing will be that she will essentially be blackballed in her chosen profession. To be a whistleblower, regardless of the rightness of one’s cause, all too frequently ends up with the whistleblower being ostracized, even to the point of being unemployable.
This is a large part of why people frequently do not come forward, because they will be punished for so doing. Several of the janitorial staff at Penn State U actually witnessed some of the abuse taking place. One of these men was a Korea vet; he testified to the effect that what hd saw at Penn State was worse than what he saw in Korea in a war zone. Why did they not come forward? Because they said they would not have been believed, and they would have lost their jobs. The culture, right now, in America is the most antagonistic it has ever been for whistleblowers.
Just look at the case of Christopher Domer — all his trouble began when he blew the whistle on wrongdoing that he observed. (I am most certainly NOT condoning his actions, but it is entirely without a doubt that his problems began when he blew the whistle on illegal behavior by his colleagues.)
If the sessions are videotaped why aren’t more being looked at because I can bet you this isn’t the first time this therapist has stepped over the line?
No, the sessions are not videotaped. An intern secretly placed her iPhone in the room to record the abuse she suspected.
@prinnie February 16, 2013 at 8:56 pm
No, the sessions are not videotaped. An intern secretly placed her iPhone in the room to record the abuse she suspected.
Videotaping without authorization will likely be the excuse they’ll use to hang her out to dry.
You are probably right. It is sad that BJ probably will be hung out to dry for doing the right thing as far as I am concerned. I too, would have placed my iPhone in the room if I suspected the therapist of any wrong doings. The poor little girl didn’t deserve to be treated the way she was. This entire situation break my heart.
Isn’t there still a whistle blower protection law? My relative used it to win a multimillion dollar lawsuit about a decade ago. All it takes is one good lawyer who won’t back down.
Also, when this story first broke in January, I remember hearing an educator comment about what a wonderful woman this is and how sad that she just “snapped” after having a bad day. Did her co-workers really not know the truth about this woman?
It’s my belief whistleblowers do indeed usually get screwed by the “system.” Let us hope this wonderful intern is picked up by a really good facility (if there are any left) that will appreciate having an employee who is genuinely concerned about her patients/clients, and just not about their(facility) fake appearances to the public who never really know what happens “behind cosed doors.”
What this intern witnessed is not unlike what happens in healthcare facilities everywhere. You name it, nursing facilities,hospitals, clinics…. everywhere. If the TRUTH got out about the real garbage going on everywhere, well never mind, there are few brave enough to tell the truth, for fear of losing their jobs, so rarely is it revealed.
God bless this BJ and may she be able to pursue her chosen profession. If only there were more BJs the healthcare system would be 10000X better than it is currenty. May more BJs be rewarded for doing the right thing instead of having to work in fear of reporting that which is unethical, illegal, immoral etc. or living with guilt for not having spoken up when you knew things “weren’t right.”
What I don’t understand is why did it take an intern to “notice” something wasn’t right. Obviously she hasn’t been there very long and felt something was wron.. Why haven’t any other staff members, or the administration noticed these actions? Or did they just look the other way. You don’t get that way overnight. So sad for those children. My heart goes out to them!
Our guess is, because they didn’t want to jeopardize their jobs. That’s what it comes down to everywhere stuff like this happens. Whisteblowers rarely rewarded, contrary to what good people like to believe. Open your mouth about wrongdoing at just about any place of employment and you will pay. sad but true
Faith February 19, 2013 at 1:57 pm
What I don’t understand is why did it take an intern to “notice” something wasn’t right. Obviously she hasn’t been there very long and felt something was wron.. Why haven’t any other staff members, or the administration noticed these actions? Or did they just look the other way. You don’t get that way overnight. So sad for those children. My heart goes out to them!
Faith, it is a basic principle that, for some people, they behave differently if they know they are being observed; if they know they are being observed, they will be the very model of propriety. It is only when they think they are not being watched, that they truly revert to form.
Jeremy Bentham, in 18th Century England, proposed a model of prison he dubbed “The Panopticon” — this design used a series of mirrors to allow guards to view all the prisoners at any time. Any prisoner would never know whether they were being observed or not. The idea behind this is that prisoners would behave themselves because they would never know whether or not they were being observed at any particular time.
While the facts will likely come out at trial, it is only reasonable to assume that the intern placed a camera where it would not be observed, and left the room for some time. Thinking she was not under observation, the therapist reverted to form.
This would explain why no one would ever observe any wayward behaviour — in the presence of others, the therapist would be the very model of decorum and propriety.
Who her family is might also have something to do with why no one ever told on her. JMO and what’s being whispered about in my ear.
prinnie February 19, 2013 at 7:33 pm
Who her family is might also have something to do with why no one ever told on her. JMO and what’s being whispered about in my ear.
Is there no end to the corruption in Jefferson County?
no,corruption without end, amen