Polygamy Ranch Kids Adjusting To New, Better Life

San Angelo, TX - Children taken from the Polygamy ranch in San Angelo, Texas, are now being given a chance at a better life. Completely withdrawn from mainstream American culture, most of the preteens who have never watched TV, or had fast food, are now being given the chance to lead the privileged life of an average American orphan.

"She, like, has never even heard of Hot Pockets before" Comments, 12 year old Stephen Thompson, in the El Paso Home for Children. Being denied contact to the outside world, the children in the sect compound were forced to eat fresh grown vegetables and bread from grain they harvested themselves. "I mean what kind of person has never been to McDonalds?" adds Thompson.

The education of these formally imprisoned children will be a very difficult task, as they have never attended a formal class, relying on home schooling since the age of four. "The [kids] who came in the from the ranch just don't quite fit in yet." Says fourth grade math teacher Gene Davis, who took three of the children into his class this semester. "They are trying very hard, but the home schooling they received just does not mesh well with our curriculum." After learning geometry and pre-calculus at the age of eight, former sect child Peter Goodhue politely states that the transition is a challenging one, "It's just been so long since I have had to think about simple integers, and the pace of the class is also... very accommodating" commented Goodhue at a ninth grade vocabulary level.

Another barrier that Goodhue and his contemporaries have faced is fashion. "[Peter] has never even seen MTV, so, that sucks" offers Thompson, who has noticed his new bunkmates classic attire. Wearing button up shirts, dress pants and full length dresses, the sheltered children have yet to learn how to 'sag' their jeans, wear chains on their wallets, and wear a baseball cap backwards. In more than one instance, this has led to the bullying of the underprivileged children, exposing their inability to conform and redact their simple and dated customs. Goodhue's older brother Walter has suffered a broken nose twice for "looking like a [narf]", but insists on 'turning the other cheek'.

After being imprisoned for so long in the 1900 acre secluded ranch. The children, accustomed to green, pristine laws, and safe travel at night, find it hard to adjust to the new way of life. "This one little girl just walked outside at ten o'clock at night. I mean, [darn] that's dumb, you gonna get shot" Thompson, as he tries to impart some of his wisdom to the younger new ones.

It is apparent that the learning curve will be long one for these children, but sociologist Vergil McDougal at the University of Texas, Houston believes that they will soon be on par with the average American student. "It is such a relief to see these students free from the terrible and horrifying lifestyle they lead in the compound. I am sure, with years of education and assimilation, they may on day find themselves with a 9-5 job, pursuing the American dream like the rest of the orphans out there."