US embarrassment: Exchange students in Pa. underfed, lived in filth; federal reforms demanded

Exchange students in Pa. underfed, lived in filth

SCRANTON, Pa. — Federal regulators say they share the blame for failing to prevent the mistreatment of as many as a dozen foreign exchange students in northeastern Pennsylvania this past school year.

Students from Colombia, Norway, Nigeria and elsewhere were placed in deplorable homes by a California nonprofit that brings about 1,000 exchange students to the United States each year.

The scandal in Scranton raises questions about the process that is supposed to keep foreign students safe.

The U.S. government says most students go home happy. But regulators concede they need to do more to ensure student safety.

Officials say the scandal will likely lead to tightened federal control of the dozens of private groups that sponsor nearly 30,000 foreign students each year.