CANTON, Mass. - A small group of advocates from "Mass Adapt" are protesting outside the Judge Rotenberg Center in Canton against shock therapy being used on disabled children.
Members of "Mass Adapt," a grassroots organization that fights for disability rights, began protesting in front of the JRC around noon on Monday and said they won't back down until shock therapy is outlawed at the school.
"They have electrical devices that pack a stronger punch than a policeman's taser and they're using them on several disabled children," said Nancy Houghton, of Mass Adapt.
Protesters are demanding the federal government approves new rules banning the controversial shock therapy at the Canton school.
The JRC is the only school in the country that shocks students with electricity, a practice called aversive therapy, where jolts of electricity are given to disabled students to prevent them from engaging in harmful behavior.
Marie Washington, the President of the Judge Rotenburg Center Parents and Friends Association released the following statement to Boston 25 News today, saying:
Protestors say they will likely stand outside the school again until aversive therapy is outlawed at the JRC.
"We're letting the Judge Rotenburg Center know that we're still here, we're still angry about this and we're not going to accept it lying down," said Olivia Richard, a member of Mass Adapt.
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