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Offline CALO Student #17

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Re: Questions for Calo Students
« Reply #15 on: September 23, 2009, 12:19:08 PM »
Ugh, I've been so damn busy. My GF's been sick and I've also been helping her with some issues with her sis. Anyways, keep the questions coming. They're pretty good.

To Psy:

No, that typically isn't normal, but I knew the girl... and she didn't want to talk to her parents. It wasn't CALO that was keeping them from contact, it was because of the fact that she didn't really want to move forward with her program. (For the record, I'm only speaking on what I personally experienced. Keep in mind, I left CALO a little while back, so I'm not exceptionally sure on all the stuff that has gone on, besides what I hear from my fellow "survivors").

And accountability groups varied greatly, depending on what it's been called for, and who's involved. Typically, it's called by a student (or a couple) in an attempt to "hold another student accountable for their actions". These groups have also been suggested by staff, of course. I've seen accountability groups last less than 3 minutes, and I've also seen some last 3 hours, depending on who's it's been called on and who calls it. Sometimes, the group isn't interested in the subject at all, so they just bullshit through it so that it's over with. Other times, students are seemingly "out for blood" if the group is called on someone that nobody really likes. Personally, I didn't enjoy these groups unless the person actually takes stuff to heart, or else it's just a waste of time... because we end up calling another one for a similar act later.
There aren't many guidelines on how these groups go either, since they're typically led by the students, but moderated by the staff. Sometimes, the group can set up a consequence, depending on what has been done. These consequences are usually agreed upon by the group and the request is sent to the student's therapist to be officialized. These consquences also vary a lot too. They can be restrictions (like not being allowed to have sharp things because they threatened students), or regroup (because they can't handle being with the group), or closeness until the group eels like the student is okay. After about 19:00 or 20:00, we typically don't have accountability groups. This is just so that people don't get too hyped up before bed, so we usually put the subject off until the next day.
I've seen groups get out of hand before, which usually affects the whole group for the rest of the day. Some of these get bad because a student feels like they've been "ratted out" by someone that they thought was their friend. This is always a tough situation because CALO tryies to teach us that "holding people accountable" is one of the only ways that you can help your fellow students. Personally, I've always been a believer of loyalty, so I didn't call many of these... at all. I was the person in the group who knew everything that was going on, but I'd advise the student to be smart about whatever they're doing. I was always behind the scenes telling them that I didn't approve, but it's their decision, and to know what repercussions would come from their choice. By doing this, I helped to limit the number of these groups (on the guy's side, anyways), but since I've left... I'm not really sure. Anyways, like i was saying, these groups sometimes hurt. Sometimes, when the whole group agrees with the grievance, it feels like everyone is ganging up on you, and unfortunately, not everybody seems to realize that. Not even the staff, for some reason.
On that note, I should also say that these groups have gone over very well sometimes. Not all of the short accountability groups were because people didn't care. There's been times when the student, who the group was called on, openly admits to whatever they've done, appologizes, then sometimes even set their own consequence that the group agrees to. This act usually shows how mature the student has become.

To Che:

Like I said earlier, I've been away from CALO for a good bit, so I don't know what Nick is doing right now. He left CALO about a year ago, so either way, it wouldn't suprise me of whatever he's doing. Like i said, I can really only report what i've seen and known from my personal experience. And yes, I guess I missed that hold, but I do remember one that was similar to it. This one involved a student who didn't even throw something in the general direction of people. He just threw something into the woods and a staff member (who i might add, is a bit power hungry to begin with) yelled at him. The student (along with all the other students) thought this sounded stupid.... so he did it again and was thrown down to the ground. There wasn't even anyone over there! That pissed me off... anyways, the staff member's excuse was that "If (student's name) isn't in a spot to be able to listen to my concerns of safety, then I'm not sure what else he'd be willing to do. It's a big safety concern if he is blatantly going against safety".

I promise that I'm gonna try to get back to you guys more often, lol. I don't exactly enjoy having to write full essays every time I sign on, so I'll try to answer questions sooner so that they don't bulk up like this.
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Offline psy

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Re: Questions for Calo Students
« Reply #16 on: September 23, 2009, 03:42:04 PM »
Quote from: "CALO Student #17"
Ugh, I've been so damn busy. My GF's been sick and I've also been helping her with some issues with her sis.Anyways, keep the questions coming. They're pretty good.

Thank you. I appreciate your input.

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fellow "survivors"

Use the term only if you want and if you feel it fits.

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Personally, I didn't enjoy these groups unless the person actually takes stuff to heart, or else it's just a waste of time... because we end up calling another one for a similar act later.

What are the average sorts of offenses to be talked about in these groups?  Do you feel some of these things might have been better handled privately (either staff-student or student-student).  Many other programs have been rather intrusive in the types of things talked about in these types of groups (masturbatory practices, personal hygiene, etc.)...  Just stuff that could cause more shame and reduce somebody's self worth by being brought up in a public forum.

Do you feel that shame was ever used as a method of change?  Do you feel in some individuals this could cause harm, either temporarily or in the longer term?

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or regroup (because they can't handle being with the group)

I was told by a certain Calo staff person that kids could opt out of groups if they chose to or if they didn't want to discuss something (however he did not elaborate on whether or not the kids knew they could do this).  It doesn't sound like that's true from what you're saying.

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or closeness until the group eels like the student is okay.

So to a certain extent, intimacy is forced?  A student wanting to be left the hell alone would not be allowed to do so?  Was there a term for this, such as "isolating" or some-such?

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After about 19:00 or 20:00, we typically don't have accountability groups. This is just so that people don't get too hyped up before bed, so we usually put the subject off until the next day.

You make it sound like these groups are fairly stressful.  How rowdy can they get?  How harsh could a person get in a verbal confrontation before a staff moderator stepped in?

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I've seen groups get out of hand before, which usually affects the whole group for the rest of the day. Some of these get bad because a student feels like they've been "ratted out" by someone that they thought was their friend. This is always a tough situation because CALO tryies to teach us that "holding people accountable" is one of the only ways that you can help your fellow students.

Do you feel this got to the point where it was almost as if there was a "secret police"?  I worry about creating an atmosphere where people learn they can't confide in anybody and can't trust in anybody.  It also creates an atmosphere where one comes to believe that the program is all powerful and knows everything.  Often that lasts a lot longer than the stay in the program itself, with people developing "trust issues" as a result.

Are kids rewarded for reporting on others (or should I say "helping" others), either explicitly or implicitly by gaining favor from the staff (or punishing people who don't report)?

Is there a serious effort to teach kids to resolve their own problems with others on their own without resorting to staff or the group?

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Personally, I've always been a believer of loyalty, so I didn't call many of these... at all. I was the person in the group who knew everything that was going on, but I'd advise the student to be smart about whatever they're doing. I was always behind the scenes telling them that I didn't approve, but it's their decision, and to know what repercussions would come from their choice. By doing this, I helped to limit the number of these groups (on the guy's side, anyways), but since I've left... I'm not really sure. Anyways, like i was saying, these groups sometimes hurt. Sometimes, when the whole group agrees with the grievance, it feels like everyone is ganging up on you, and unfortunately, not everybody seems to realize that. Not even the staff, for some reason.

I think that's a very common effect with that type of group dynamic, and why I think it has the potential for so much danger.  Eventually a person breaks down, sometimes even confessing to things he/she didn't do, or exaggerating a problem for approval.  Given enough time, a person can come to believe things about themselves that are just not true.  A casual drinker can come to believe himself an alcholic.  A kid who smoked pot with friends can come to be labeled an "addict".  Decisions and judgements that should normally be made by an individual are made by the group, with little actual personal knowledge and an unhealthy dose of prejudice (For example, one person who has a drug problem might deny it, but this can cause others to see anybody who denies having a drug problem as being a liar and "in denial").

Robert Lifton wrote a book on similar group dynamics.  he wrote:

"Closely related to the demand for absolute purity is an obsession with personal confession. Confession is carried beyond its ordinary religious, legal, and therapeutic expressions to the point of becoming a cult in itself. There is the demand that one confess to crimes one has not committed, to sinfulness that is artificially induced, in the name of a cure that is arbitrarily imposed. Such demands are made possible not only by the ubiquitous human tendencies toward guilt and shame but also by the need to give expression to these tendencies. In totalist hands, confession becomes a means of exploiting, rather than offering solace for, these vulnerabilities."

It's important to note that a program can create such a dynamic in ignorance, without intent (though sometimes they see the apparent benefit of such confessions and choose to exploit them to parents or for use in marketing).

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On that note, I should also say that these groups have gone over very well sometimes. Not all of the short accountability groups were because people didn't care. There's been times when the student, who the group was called on, openly admits to whatever they've done, appologizes, then sometimes even set their own consequence that the group agrees to. This act usually shows how mature the student has become.

Or that he realizes the futility of defending himself against what can essentially become mob justice. I'm not saying that's what happens at CALO.  I'm saying it very easily can.  Sometimes a person is innocent and has a decent defense, however mobs are rarely willing to listen to reason when they've already come to their judgment.  If an accountability group is really a "we know you did it and you're going to stay here until you admit to it" group, I can't really see the benefit.

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I promise that I'm gonna try to get back to you guys more often, lol. I don't exactly enjoy having to write full essays every time I sign on, so I'll try to answer questions sooner so that they don't bulk up like this.

Well.  I appreciate the time you're taking and the thought that has gone into your responses.
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Offline psy

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Re: Questions for Calo Students
« Reply #17 on: September 23, 2009, 03:50:33 PM »
You also mentioned in another thread that each student had to write a list including:
Quote from: "CALO Student #17"
4. Reasons for being here
Is "parents overreacted" ever a valid option that is accepted by the program?  Would a person holding to that opinion ever be allowed to leave?  What I'm getting at is to whether a person is allowed to make their own judgments about the gravity of their behavior or whether the program will apply pressure until they admit they have a problem (even if they don't feel that is so, and may not be so)?

I realize that there's that phrase about all inmates in prison claiming to be "innocent" but in some cases it might be true, and a prison does not try to coerce a person into admitting guilt.  Furthermore, as far as I understand it there is little or no due process involved sending a kid to a program.  The guilt/innocence is determined not by a jury of peers but by the program itself and/or a physician who is only human and can have biases and can makes mistakes.
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Offline CALO Student #17

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Re: Questions for Calo Students
« Reply #18 on: September 23, 2009, 11:49:07 PM »
To Psy:

Well, it's hard to say what an "average" offense would be in these groups, because they're called on a case-by-case basis. On a regular day, there are plenty of things that a group can be called on. It can range anywhere from stealing food, communicating with the opposite sex, not be hygenic (excessively), openly pushing homosexuality onto straight students, taking anger out on a bunch of students, or whatever else. Like I said before, I've always been someone who believes that a person is more willing to listen and be helped when the advice is coming from someone that they can trust. I had a good relationship with all of the students (mostly on my side of the building, obviously) and I found that it was more effective for them if we had one-on-one talks regularly. I've never agreed with the idea that a student will learn better if all of his/her peers "hold them accountable". And yes, sometimes the issues are rather personal and the staff and therapists usually urge the student to be "open" (?) and not hide things from the group. Yeah, effing right. Everytime I've seen theese kinds of issues discussed, the student shrinks away and is very uncomfortable with talking to anybody for a few days. And yes, shame wasn't the direct intentions, but I saw that it was an outcome from these talks (which sometimes, did work, and other times, only offend and hurt the student). It wasn't usually stated like "you should be ashamed of yourself" or "how can you live with yourself", but it was rather... implied in their methods. By the book, the staff are to say that they are not aiming for shame. They teach that we shoulod not feel shame and regret, but rather, remorse. The difference is that shame is the thought process of "I've a terrible person", and remorse is the thought process of "I did something bad, but I can learn to be better now". Well, this make sense in theory, but in practice... it didn't always work out, obviously. This is real life, which does not always go by the book, or straight from a system.

That staff member is correct. There was a student in particular who did this a LOT. Students were definately urged to talk about whatever is going on, but the student's famous phrase was "fuck you guys, I'm going to regroup", which always meant "I'm not gonna talk about what's wrong, so I'm gonna go off by myself". When you got out of regroup, it wasn't manditory to process afterwards, so this was an easy way out if you didn't want to share. Of course, this was only temporary, because if you don't choose to process, then "that's not saying anything good about your program". And correct, this was generally labeled as "isolating".

It wasn't rare for these accountability groups to take a large toll on the students. Emotions sometimes flare on touchy subjects, or worse... subjects that affect the whole group. Sometimes, the actions of one or a few students can result in a loss in privilages for the entire group. Obviously, this doesn't go over too well, so it can get the guys/girls in some bad mojo. If emotions run too high, then staff will usually stop it, but like I said before... if they didn't favor the student, then sometimes, they wouldn't care if the student was puking from crying so damn much. But also like I said before, these were only worse case scenerios, because this wasn't always what happens.

Students were very much urged to report other students in an "accountable manner". Not always the case, but that was the basic idea. If a student were to hold another one accountable, then it means that they are mature and have moved forward in their program. Students who keep secrets for their friends were labeled as not being a "true friend" because they aren't trying to "truely help their friends in the most positive way possible". The staff generally try to portray this in a manner of "if your friend has a drug addiction, the only way to be a true friend, is to get them help like a rehab center". Well, this is true... but if it's for something that big, you know? If your friend shoplifts, then I'm pretty sure you wouldn't call the cops on them... maybe tell them that it wasn't smart, but definately not get them arrested. I always thought that was stupid. That's why I was the person that a lot of the guys (and some girls) went to when they didn't know what else to do. I didn't confinde into too many people, but they weren't usually trustworthy enough of that. Since the students had the mindset of "if you hold your teammates accountable, then you're farther in your program" (which means that you leave sooner), I didn't tell them my stuff... I just listened to theirs and held my mouh shut to staff. This was general knowledge among the students, lol.

As for the "resons for being here", nobody really criticized what your answer was. Sometimes the students would snicker amongs themselves saying things like "oh, that'll change"... because typically, it did. The program would come around to convincing you that you can always improve... which typically, is true, and I can understand that. But not the the extent that they try to stretch it. They teach that no matter what has gone on in your life, it could have been different if you had empathy and humility. If you thought otherwise and felt that you're fine the way you are, then you're "in denial and rationalizing your actions".  It makes sense though... if you maximize a student's faults, then the parents would be more willing to keep the student there... resulting in more money for CALO. But I guess that's just how it goes, lol.
« Last Edit: September 24, 2009, 03:47:47 PM by CALO Student #17 »

Offline Ursus

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Re: Questions for Calo Students
« Reply #19 on: September 24, 2009, 12:48:09 AM »
Quote from: "CALO Student #17"
Students were very much urged to report other students in an "accountable manner". Not always the case, but that was the basic idea. If a student were to hold another one accountable, then it means that they are mature and have moved forward in their program. Students who keep secrets for their friends were labeled as not being a "true friend" because they aren't trying to "truely help their friends in the most positive way possible". The staff generally try to portray this in a manner of "if your friend has a drug addiction, the only way to be a true friend, is to get them help like a rehab center". Well, this is true... but if it's for something that big, you know? If your friend shoplifts, then I'm pretty sure you wouldn't call the cops on them... maybe tell them that it wasn't smart, but definately not get them arrested. I always thought that was stupid. That's why I was the person that a lot of the guys (and some girls) went to when they didn't know what else to do. I didn't confinde into too many people, but they weren't usually trustworthy enough of that. Since the students had the mindset of "if you hold your teammates accountable, then you're farther in your program" (which means that you leave sooner), I didn't tell them my stuff... I just listened to theirs and held my mouh shut to staff. This was general knowledge among the students, lol.
Lol. Hyde calls this "Brother's Keeper." Same shit, different brand name on the wrapper.
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Offline Che Gookin

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Re: Questions for Calo Students
« Reply #20 on: September 24, 2009, 06:09:41 AM »
Quote from: "Ursus"
Quote from: "CALO Student #17"
Students were very much urged to report other students in an "accountable manner". Not always the case, but that was the basic idea. If a student were to hold another one accountable, then it means that they are mature and have moved forward in their program. Students who keep secrets for their friends were labeled as not being a "true friend" because they aren't trying to "truely help their friends in the most positive way possible". The staff generally try to portray this in a manner of "if your friend has a drug addiction, the only way to be a true friend, is to get them help like a rehab center". Well, this is true... but if it's for something that big, you know? If your friend shoplifts, then I'm pretty sure you wouldn't call the cops on them... maybe tell them that it wasn't smart, but definately not get them arrested. I always thought that was stupid. That's why I was the person that a lot of the guys (and some girls) went to when they didn't know what else to do. I didn't confinde into too many people, but they weren't usually trustworthy enough of that. Since the students had the mindset of "if you hold your teammates accountable, then you're farther in your program" (which means that you leave sooner), I didn't tell them my stuff... I just listened to theirs and held my mouh shut to staff. This was general knowledge among the students, lol.
Lol. Hyde calls this "Brother's Keeper." Same shit, different brand name on the wrapper.

Or as we called it at three springs, "Your ladder out of the program."

Yes, same shit different wrapper. It's interesting though that CALO seems like a blend of about four different programs that I'm familiar with. I doubt Ken Huey has managed to come up with anything original.
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Offline psy

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Re: Questions for Calo Students
« Reply #21 on: September 24, 2009, 12:45:51 PM »
Quote from: "CALO Student #17"
As for the "resons for being here", nobody really criticized what your answer was. Sometimes the students would snicker amongs themselves saying things like "oh, that'll change"... because typically, it did.  The program would come around to convincing you that you can always improve... which typically, is true, and I can understand that. But not the the extent that they try to stretch it. They teach that no matter what has gone on in your life, it could have been different if you had empathy and humility. If you thought otherwise and felt that you're fine the way you are, then you're "in denial and rationalizing your actions".

So in a sense, if you refused to denounce yourself as what the group accused you of, you would never progress?  That strikes me as more re-education than anything else...  trying to change a person's philosophy and worldview.  Don't get me wrong.  I think those values are beneficial to have (my personal choice), but I don't think anybody should be forced to accept them if they ever want to leave.  Even if it were ethical, it wouldn't work in the long run.  People have to realize not just what they believe but why they believe it.  If they don't come to those realizations on their own, if the change isn't from within, those values are going to have no solid foundation...  They'll collapse as soon as they're challenged in the real world.
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Offline Che Gookin

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Re: Questions for Calo Students
« Reply #22 on: September 24, 2009, 01:09:30 PM »
Empathy and humility are worthy traits to have in a person, yet not every person needs them, and nor do they need to be made to learn them. Could anyone imagine someone like General George Patton sitting down and having a nice heart to heart with the Germans? For that matter would I ever want the man to have done something like that? Umm.. no.. I'll send in Oprah if someone needs a big hug, right after I kick her fatass for being a Dr. Phil supporter. Each of us by design are individuals and we are each owed the opprotunity to decide what personality traits that are best for us. Most of us don't do this as a concious thought, but more so over a prolonged period of time as a result of living life.

My guess is and this comes from my own experience working in the programs, most kids in CALO, "Fake it to make it." Any genuine change probably isn't or won't or never has been genuine enough to be long lasting. Change in a program breaks down when faced by reality. Showing those new traits because you have to impress staff with your empathy, or ruthlessness from the sounds of it from the Group meetings, is an entirely different kettle of fish when in the real world.

Well Proxied posted a note that one staffer sent to the rest claiming that a youth in CALO thanked a staffer for being their to consequence him/her. Now if that isn't blowing hot air up someone's ass I don't know what is. Programs are notorious for breeding a vicious cycle of manipulation on the part of the captives to effect their escape from the dump.

Program= artificial world of insanely high expectations and artificially asserted consequences that have no real bearing on the problem.
Real life= real life and there is absolutely no escaping it as not one bit of it is fake.
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Offline CALO Student #17

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Re: Questions for Calo Students
« Reply #23 on: September 24, 2009, 04:05:37 PM »
To Psy:

Well, yeah, I guess yo ucould say that. It almost reminds me of the military, lol. "Break you down, then build you up better" or some crap like that.They'd maximize your bad traits and I guess they try to show you how bad you've been and how you've affected your family. I think the basic idea is that once you see how much you've hurt your family, it might push you to want to become a better person. It sounds wierd, but I guess it makes sense... but once again, in theory. That would probably only work if the student already had a genuine desire to be close to his or her parents. If there is no desire, then they can always bullshit it... but they would have to bull shit well, because CALO is strong about having to show "consistency over time". There was a kid who had strict ass parents... and I felt sorry for him sometimes. It took him over a year just to earn an overnight with his parents (not to mention that he was one of the original 8 that came to CALO). Closer to the end of his program, he was doing perfectly fine for two whole months. When his therapist and parents scheduled for him to gradute soon (less than 1 week and a half away), he got into a hold... so they put off the graduation for even longer. He was there for about two and a half years until he graduated.... me on the other hand, I was there for 1 year and 1 day, but that's because there wasn't too much between my parents and me. Just a few issues with mny dad, which we could have resolved if I stayed at home, lol.
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Offline Che Gookin

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Re: Questions for Calo Students
« Reply #24 on: September 25, 2009, 07:25:49 AM »
Quote from: "CALO Student #17"
To Psy:

Well, yeah, I guess yo ucould say that. It almost reminds me of the military, lol. "Break you down, then build you up better" or some crap like that.They'd maximize your bad traits and I guess they try to show you how bad you've been and how you've affected your family. I think the basic idea is that once you see how much you've hurt your family, it might push you to want to become a better person. It sounds wierd, but I guess it makes sense... but once again, in theory. That would probably only work if the student already had a genuine desire to be close to his or her parents. If there is no desire, then they can always bullshit it... but they would have to bull shit well, because CALO is strong about having to show "consistency over time". There was a kid who had strict ass parents... and I felt sorry for him sometimes. It took him over a year just to earn an overnight with his parents (not to mention that he was one of the original 8 that came to CALO). Closer to the end of his program, he was doing perfectly fine for two whole months. When his therapist and parents scheduled for him to gradute soon (less than 1 week and a half away), he got into a hold... so they put off the graduation for even longer. He was there for about two and a half years until he graduated.... me on the other hand, I was there for 1 year and 1 day, but that's because there wasn't too much between my parents and me. Just a few issues with mny dad, which we could have resolved if I stayed at home, lol.


Lemme guess.. Kevin is the one who performed that hold, and I bet there is a reasonable case to be made for him provoking it. I bet that was also around the time Nick Llament left to "Help with the family business... cough cough.. fired".
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Offline Antigen

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Re: Questions for Calo Students
« Reply #25 on: September 27, 2009, 07:28:41 AM »
Quote from: "CALO Student #17"
There's been times when the student, who the group was called on, openly admits to whatever they've done, appologizes, then sometimes even set their own consequence that the group agrees to. This act usually shows how mature the student has become.

I'm wondering what you mean by this. You mean this is what you believe or this is the CALO philosophy? Cause that was the philosophy in The Seed/Straight too. Any behavior viewed as good was attributable only to the Program working. Anything viewed as bad was proof of a kid 'not working their program' and of 'druggie ways'.

Easy confession, apology and offer to make amends could also mean a number of other things:

  • The kid knows how to get the heat off (and it's easier than staff will admit to bullshit your way aaaaaalllll the way through)
  • The kid was already pretty mature to begin with
  • The kid wasn't guilty of the charge or the charge was not anything viewed as bad in the more commonly accepted reality. But they have been successfully brainwashed to cop to any accusation and even to believe it.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
"Don\'t let the past remind us of what we are not now."
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Offline Antigen

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Re: Questions for Calo Students
« Reply #26 on: September 27, 2009, 07:31:14 AM »
What happens to the dogs once the student leaves? I would imagine you get pretty attached to them. Do you get to take your dog home with you? Are there circumstances, other than the student mistreating the dog, where you could lose your dog while in program?
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
"Don\'t let the past remind us of what we are not now."
~ Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Sweet Judy Blue Eyes

Offline CALO Student #17

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Re: Questions for Calo Students
« Reply #27 on: October 06, 2009, 01:08:35 AM »
Sorry that it's taken me more than a week to reply... I recently got a job working as an accountant, and I've been working 5 days a week and attending other matters, like prison visits. Anyways...

To Che:
Yeah, actually, it was Kevin, lol. And technically, there was a "reason" for the hold... but it was bull shit. He kind of apologized later, but obviously, that didn't matter too much to his parents.

To Antigen:
These aren't my views. These are CALO's views. In the future, I'll try to be better about clarify whether or not it's my opinion or CALO's. And usually, if the student has showed that they can properly take care of the dog, they get to keep it. This is a long and difficult process, however, because the head of the canine therapy. She was a bit anal about things and liked it to be her way. She wasn't necessarily bad or anything... it's just that... sometimes, she didn't really know what she was talking about. Anyways, I only know of 2... maybe 3 dogs that left with graduating students. It's a low number because there weren't very many dogs when the program first started. 4, actually. It takes a lot of time and consistency for the therapists to agree that the dog and the student are both in good emotional condition to be together. The dog has disciplinary requirements and obedience training... and it's hard to train these dogs because there was a limited time that we spent with them. They were locked up in their pen for most of their day, so naturally, whenever they were being walked or whatever, they were full of energy and didn't like to listen all the time, lol. Anyways, like I was saying before... there is a "committee" of therapists and administrators that get together to decide if the dog is ready to go home with the student and if the student is able to handle the dog. I dont remember if it is a majority vote that decides, or if they all have to agree... but I just remember that it was tough.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Ursus

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Re: Questions for Calo Students
« Reply #28 on: October 06, 2009, 01:16:16 AM »
It sounds like most students ... don't ... get a dog when they leave. Would this be an accurate assessment?
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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Offline CALO Student #17

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Re: Questions for Calo Students
« Reply #29 on: October 06, 2009, 01:19:52 AM »
Yeah, but remember that there hasn't been many graduates from the program. And a good deal of the graduates, like me, weren't even interested in keeping a dog. I knew that I would be going to college soon, like I am now, so I didn't want a dog, really. I just helped manage them a lot. Don't get me wrong, I loved those dogs... hell, I even tasted their dog food once when I was picking some up from Petsmart for them... just so that I knew that they were eating something tasty, lol. But yeah, some of the students just... didn't care for them.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »