On March 18th, there will be a call to action!
This is the full press conference from Robert Land Academy survivors, shared in October 2025, highlighting decades of alleged physical, emotional, and other abuse at the now-closed military-style boarding school.
Summary From the Video:
In an emotional and powerful press conference, survivors of Robert Land Academy (RLA) came forward to share harrowing accounts of abuse, neglect, and lifelong trauma experienced at the now-closed private military-style boarding school in Ontario .
Standing together, former students described an environment marked by persistent violence, extreme punishments, humiliation, and psychological terror — conditions they say were hidden for decades under the label of “education.”
Jared Holmes, who attended RLA at age 14, described living in constant fear, explaining that many students felt there was “no hope” and no escape . Survivors revealed that at least 110 alumni have died, with many deaths linked to suicide and overdose. They stated the median age of death among former students is just 35 years old .
Andrew English shared that as an 11-year-old, he endured brutal physical punishments, including beatings, forced stress positions, and degrading treatment after a suicide attempt .
Michael Brown recounted losing his 16-year-old brother, Christopher, who died after running away from the academy in 1998. Brown described how the tragedy was later weaponized by staff to instill fear in other students .
A former staff member also spoke, acknowledging the abuse and apologizing for failing to protect the boys .
The survivors are now calling on the Ontario government to implement stricter oversight of private schools, including mandatory criminal record checks, registration with the Ontario College of Teachers, enhanced inspections, and the creation of an independent ombudsman. United in purpose, they emphasized that this is not a partisan issue — it is about ensuring that no child in Ontario ever experiences such harm again.
