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One youngster at a community for troubled children says he benefited from being made to shovel cow manure in a punishment community leaders nicknamed "school appreciation day."
But the local sheriff calls it child abuse, saying kids at the Heartland Christian school and community were forced to stand in filth for up to two hours.
Corday Thomas, 13, was one of the youngsters who shoveled manure for breaking strict rules against being disobedient, disrespectful or unruly.
"Yeah, it smelled pretty bad, but I am thankful they cared about me to make me do right. It didn't hurt me," said Corday, who said his mother sent him to Heartland from Kansas City because he was violent and using drugs.
Since his experience shoveling manure, Corday said he made all A's and one B on his last report card.
Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish says the youngsters were forced to stand for up to two hours in manure, urine and cattle afterbirths brimming with bacteria.
Parrish filed felony abuse charges against five adult workers at the tax-exempt...