Northville Township Teacher Faces Harassment After Speaking Out On Disturbing Conditions
A teacher from Northville Township, Michigan, who previously drew attention to the worrisome conditions at a state-run hospital, claims that she is now being harassed for speaking out. According to her reports, she faced this adversity to protect the children, who were patients at the Hawthorn Center before being relocated to the Walter P. Reuther Psychiatric Hospital in Westland.
Christal Bonner, who had spent eight years as a special education teacher at the state’s only child psychiatric hospital, first raised her concerns in public in 2023. Among her allegations were shocking revelations about the Walter Reuther Hospital, wherein she claimed the windows were intentionally obscured and children were disallowed from going outside for fresh air for extended periods.
Insisting that the facility was being managed more like a prison, than a healthcare center, Bonner soon faced what she believes were retaliatory conduct violation claims from the management, shortly after airing her complaints. With regular official probes and regular inquiries on her competence, Bonner felt compelled to resign recently.
Interestingly, her previous performance evaluation – only a year prior to these events – had her listed as a high-performing employee, praised in category after category. According to Bonner, exposing the truth about the children’s situation at the facility resulted in numerous allegations on how she was ‘failing’.
State Sen. Michael Webber has also joined in expressing concerns about the Hawthorn Center. He claims to have been approached by other hospital insiders keen on sharing their experiences regarding the conditions within the centre. However, their fears of retaliatory measures prevent them from testifying in a committee.
Webber is particularly concerned about the system in place to safeguard patients, with a focus on children, stating that it is failing. He referenced the Office of Recipient Rights, the body responsible for investigating complaints, as being understaffed and unable to meet the requirement of five-day investigations.
In light of an incident where a child was chased and attacked while the staff apparently just observed, a lawsuit has been filed. He adds, “We have a responsibility with these kids in our care. I think they’re trying to protect themselves rather than trying to get the system better.”
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has since released a statement asserting they are committed to providing a safe, healthy, and stable environment for all residents, along with a zero-tolerance stance on retaliation against employees.
