Senegal Boarding School Faces Abuse Probe Over 'Magic Room' Punishments
The American Dara Academy in Senegal, which marketed itself as an affordable boarding school for families in the United States offering Quranic studies alongside an American curriculum, is now at the center of a serious abuse investigation. Students have described harsh punishments in a room they call the "magic room," leading to hundreds of withdrawals and the closure of one campus.
Allegations of Severe Corporal Punishment
According to accounts shared with The Associated Press, students alleged that supervisors beat disobedient pupils repeatedly in the so-called "magic room." The schoolchildren reported being ordered to strip to their underwear or be naked and told to squat with their arms extended, gripping heavy rocks. If the rocks fell, the beatings grew worse. Students described administrators beating them with sticks on their legs, backs, and genitals while being forced to maintain stress positions, with steel rods sometimes used on areas that would not leave visible marks.
It is unclear whether any injuries required hospitalization, but some students reported receiving scars on multiple parts of their bodies. The authorities in Senegal confirmed that an investigation is underway, involving the country's gendarmerie, child protective services (AEMO), and the Ministry of Justice.
School Director and Administrators Arrested
In late January, the school's director and three administrators were arrested, according to parents and a person with direct knowledge of the arrests and investigations. The director was later released and placed under house arrest. The exact charges have not been announced, but Aminata Diagne, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice, stated, "The children are in the care of authorities, and charges will be filed against anyone found responsible."
The school director and administrators who were arrested told the AP they could not speak on the matter due to the ongoing investigation. A spokesperson for the gendarmerie, Ibrahima Ndiaye, confirmed that the force was notified about the abuses but said the investigation is now with the Ministry of Justice.
U.S. Embassy Involvement and Student Withdrawals
The American Dara Academy enrolled 311 students, including 120 U.S. citizens, across two campuses in Senegal. Most students were children of West African origin born in the United States, with some from European countries such as France, the United Kingdom, and Belgium. According to a Jan. 12 written complaint sent by the U.S. Embassy in Dakar to Senegalese authorities, several American students reported severe corporal punishment, identifying the school’s director (a dual American-Guinean citizen) and three other administrators as responsible.
After the embassy contacted families, about two-thirds of the students—roughly 250 children, including around 100 Americans—withdrew from the school and returned to their home countries. The remaining students were transferred to the Dakar campus, which is in better condition. The high school campus in Toubab Dialaw, where most of the alleged abuse took place, has been closed; it consisted largely of a construction site with trailers, no running water, frequent power outages, and makeshift zinc latrines.
Parental Reactions and Legal Context
Parents told the AP they chose the American Dara Academy for its combination of religious instruction and a U.S. curriculum at a relatively low cost, about $300 per month including tuition, housing, and meals. One parent, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, "When I first visited the school, I stayed with them for a week. I really thought I was leaving them in a safer place." None of the parents interviewed said their children had told them about the abuses beforehand.
In Senegal, corporal punishment remains lawful in homes under the country’s family law, which gives those with paternal authority a "right of correction," though criminal statutes punish violence that causes severe injuries. While corporal punishment is prohibited in schools for children under 14, the law does not explicitly extend to children outside that age range, private schools, or religious schools, where the "right of correction" can still potentially apply. United Nations and children’s rights organization reports note that corporal punishment continues in practice.
Ongoing Investigation and Security Measures
The ministry and other relevant agencies have released few details about the case or potential charges. For now, the investigation continues, and the children who once filled its dormitories are scattered—some back home, others still in the school waiting for answers. The school building in Dakar is under tight security, with police guarding the site. It remains unclear whether prosecutors will file charges or what further actions are being considered, as the probe into these disturbing allegations unfolds.
