STOCKTON, Mo. — “You don’t know that it is happening under our nose. It’s just not right,” said Charlotte Stafford.
Just over a year ago, Agape Boarding School and Ranch had over 130 students attending the school.
According to Ozarks First, after today, the religious school for troubled boys will have zero students when they close its doors for the last time.
Agape has had employees charged with crimes stemming from allegations of physical, mental, and emotional abuse.
The school will shut down and said in a press release sent to KOLR10 that it will close due to a lack of financial resources.
Charlotte Stafford, a local Stockton resident, says she couldn’t believe it took so long to close down the school.
“Where do we go from here? How are they going to stop the next one or the next victim? I don’t know, I just don’t know,” Stafford said.
Amanda Householder, whose parents worked for Agape and started the now-defunct Circle of Hope, says the school is a good start but more needs to be done.
“I’m still disappointed that justice is not being served,” Householder said.
Bryan Clemensen was the longtime leader of Agape.
KOLR10 obtained court documents showing that Clemensen sued the state over its decision to add his name to Missouri’s child abuse and neglect registry. He is currently not on the list.
“Clemsensen’s name being taken off the registry is not, it’s like a slap in the face. And to me, that is not justice at all. It is taking it away,” Householder said.
Householder says the school closing, although a small step, is one in the right direction.
“We have a lot more work to do but like I said I am excited that the name Agape can no longer abuse boys in that name.”
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