# @thekansascitystar on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CnSWSD0viGk
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/18810881-thekansascitystar-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/bcc728f47c.jpg
- **Posted:** 2023-01-11T19:30:53.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Kansas City Star (@thekansascitystar) — https://gondola.cc/thekansascitystar

## Caption

Agape Boarding School, the embattled unlicensed Christian facility in southwest Missouri that has been dogged by abuse allegations for years, is closing its doors.

The action comes as the Missouri Attorney General’s office said it planned to continue its petition for a court injunction to close the school, which opened near Stockton in 1996.
The school’s former director, Bryan Clemensen, said in a news release that the decision to close is “voluntary” and “due to the lack of financial resources to continue caring for the boys.”

Since late 2020, the school has been scrutinized by Missouri law enforcement, child welfare officials, lawmakers and former students. Several of those students testified in Jefferson City urging lawmakers to do something about the years of abuse and protect the children still at the school. Legislators passed a law as a result that for the first time implements some regulations on such schools.

Many men who attended the school in their youth and have spoken with The Star since the fall of 2020 said they were subjected to physical restraints, extreme workouts, long days of manual labor, and food and water withheld as punishment. They said students suffered constant berating and mind games, and some were physically and sexually abused by staff and other youth.

Agape is the fourth and final unlicensed Christian boarding school in Cedar County to close since September 2020.

Head to the link in our bio to read the full story. 

#Missouri #MissouriNews #AgapeBoardingSchool #LocalNews

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## Tags

missouri, localnews, missourinews, agapeboardingschool

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