Florida legislature advances bills to compensate school abuse victims

Payments superior in each the Florida Home of Representatives and Senate on Wednesday that might enable compensation for the victims of the Dozier College for Boys that attended the varsity between 1940 and 1975.

The Dozier College for Boys was a reform college situated in Mariana, Florida, initially opened in 1900. In 1955, the varsity opened a second campus, generally known as the Okeechobee campus. From its opening to its eventual shutdown in 2011, the Dozier College was identified for its controversial therapy of scholars and allegations of abuse. As of 2011, there have been 81 identified instances of scholars dying whereas residing on the college. Roughly 50 of the deaths haven’t any identified document of burial. Most of the deaths had been nonetheless being investigated 50 years after they occurred and stay unsolved.

Moreover, the varsity has confronted numerous allegations of sexual, verbal and bodily abuse from former college students. Regardless of the allegations, the varsity remained open for a few years. Numerous lawsuits and proposed payments all through the years have amounted in little to no compensation or justice for the victims.

Surviving college students from the varsity, additionally known as the “White Home Boys,” have spoken out publicly concerning the abuse for a few years. The group advocates for the sufferer compensation in addition to reform to forestall the tragedy from ever occurring once more.

In September 2023, the Florida Senate launched a brand new invoice, Senate Invoice 24, permitting surviving victims to use for compensation. The invoice unanimously handed by way of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Prison and Civil Justice Tuesday. The invoice must cross by way of yet another committee earlier than transferring to a full Senate vote.

Equally, the Florida Home of Representatives launched a virtually an identical invoice, Home Invoice 21, in August 2023. The invoice was added to the Second Studying Calendar on Wednesday the place it could be reviewed additional.

If both invoice passes by way of its respective chamber of the legislature, it will likely be despatched to the opposite chamber to approve, and finally to the governor for a last signature.