Shivangi Sinha
The Netflix documentary ‘The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping’ exposes the internal workings of the Academy at Ivy Ridge, one of the programs aimed at modifying teenage behavior within the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWASP). Across three episodes, it sheds light on the roles and positions of authoritative figures in such programs, including George Tulip, the Director of the Boys’ Program at Ivy Ridge. Even though he’s only mentioned through videos and testimonies of people who attended the program, he was a key figure in the administrative setup.
Who is George Tulip?
The Academy at Ivy Ridge was a part of the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWASP), an overarching organization. Promoting a disciplinary approach marketed as “tough love,” it aimed to address and modify troubled teenage behavior. Stringent rules governed the children enrolled in these programs, and one such regulation involved separating male and female students. In the case of Ivy Ridge, both boys and girls lived on the same premises but were housed in distinct buildings/dorms. George Tulip assumed the role of Director of the Boys’ Program at Ivy Ridge.
In the documentary, individuals who underwent these programs recounted instances of widespread abuse, including physical, emotional, and psychological mistreatment. Tulip, specifically, was portrayed by the former male students as a figure associated with tyranny and extreme child abuse. The documentary even presented archival footage reiterating their claims, suggesting Tulip used to physically restrain children and forcibly shave their heads upon tackling him to the ground. He also apparently used to violently beat them, and according to one student, such behaviors by staff members were relatively common occurrences within all these WWASP programs.
Katherine Kubler is the one who takes the lead in this documentary as both director as well as survivor, driving an investigation into the alleged abusive behaviors within the Academy at Ivy Ridge, accompanied by fellow individuals who experienced the program alongside her. Upon exploring the abandoned premises of this institution, they discovered numerous documents that detailed restraints and physical tactics employed to control the children. Among the findings were over 200 documents bearing Tulip’s signature. These documents served as crucial evidence for Kubler, establishing a pattern of abuse experienced by the children under Tulip’s oversight.
Where is George Tulip Now?
Details about George Tulip’s whereabouts remain limited and varied. Some sources indicate that he was employed at the St Lawrence Psychiatric Center from 2012 to 2014, but it couldn’t be confirmed. There are also unverified rumors suggesting that allegations of abuse and mistreatment led to Tulip’s arrest following lawsuits against the organization and some of its administrators. However, again, these claims lack substantiation and remain unverified.
In the documentary, during an interview with another staff member at a café in Ogdensburg, New York, Katherine Kubler mentioned that George Tulip’s wife worked at the same café. While the documentary does not showcase Tulip or his wife directly, it suggests that he has since opted for a low-key existence, maintaining a low profile, while still residing right in the small town of Ogdensburg in Northern New York.
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