In reference to the anon. above that mentioned the therapist being "over-ruled" by john...any good staff quit/or was fired despite caring for the girls. I would have devoted my life to that school & cared about most of the girls that went there. I had such a deep connection with that place and was so proud and hopeful when I became a staff. I interned there two summers in a row, then went to work permanently there in 98'. After being completely humiliated and "set-up" as the "scary abusive staff" I left that place completely torn down. I had made so many connections with so many girls. I spent a lot of my time there...I went to school there 93-94', interned 96/97 and then worked there permanently starting in 98. Regardless,I knew a lot of cool chaps. After leaving, I couldn't talk with anyone from there. Just like all of those before me, and all of those after me...set up as the bad guy by John so he could look like the rescuer and once again gain control of the environment. I am so saddened by my experience working at the school that I would never again recommend it to anyone. The place I used to credit for saving my life I would never recommend to a anyone! I learned a lot...I learned that the place I had once loved was a complete sham and when all the other staff gave up and finally let John have his way it only got worse. I remember I used to get to laugh with Colleen...she was so fun, so awesome..and she and Deb would joke together and I remember hoping I would someday have a friendship like theirs when I was an adult. But the longer they were isolated out there in Condon, the more like John she became. It's a damn shame. I could go on forever...this experience will truly never leave me. The only thing I can say is fuck em' because it's too painful to discuss. And if your a staff and your opinion differs from John's , especially about a student..watch out. He will set you up. As a staff you see him do it to everyone else and may think it will never happen to you but it will. Nine people left the year after I did. So, take it for what it's worth, disagree, agree, I don't care. All I know is I used to really care about that place and now I will never step foot in Montana again because of it. and yeah, this site gets pretty out of hand sometimes. But I'm thankful for it...there was a lot of out of hand shit that went on at that place and no one seems to acknowledge it. No one, no place, no thing has ever hurt me as much as John Mercer did. Yes, it's true...No one, no place, no thing has ever hurt me as much as John Mercer did. All this shit about there being molestation, etc...I never saw anything like that ever. What I did see was the behavior. I trusted John, believed what he said. He used that and manipulated it just like a classic abuser does. I read what others say about him and I don't dispute it. I'm happy for Betsy, and other people who had a good experience with him and the school. I'm glad they were spared. But for me, as a 29 year old women with a pretty amazing life...my experience was not good and to this day it makes my stomach hurt. I am happy that after all of these years I get to talk with girls I thought I would never see again in my life.
