Mount Bachelor Academy Shut Down

[psy]

What I posted was a letter that was sent to all parents of MBA students by the Oregon DHS. It was obtained by another survivor whose parent got it off of the MBA parent listserv. The parents-only forum isn't open to the public. Furthermore, I've personally spoken with three MBA staffers who have confirmed that this is true. It's official. Their license has been suspended, but not revoked. They still have a chance to appeal the "nine substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect" in ninety days at a hearing, but I doubt they will be successful.

Even if they survive the hearing (probable, IMO, simply by preaching "we don't do that anymore" to the naive), I find it unlikely they'll survive the negative PR and parents pulling their kids out left and right.  I have no doubt the program's spin machine is in overdrive right now trying to convince all their parents that these are just a few disgruntled liars who "failed" their program.  As good as programs are at spinning things, I doubt even Whooter himself could talk parents out of pulling their kids at this point.  Even if one or two buy it, all it takes is a sizable percentage to send the program firmly into the red.  Furthermore, I have no doubt this letter, if circulated widely enough, would have a significant effect on enrollment.

[Anonymous]

Psy, I used to be that optimistic. But that's not how it works with WWASPS (whose "schools" have been closed repeatedly) and that's not how it will work here.

My best guess is that the so-called parents will allow Aspen to move their children to some other shithole until it "blows over" and simply refuse to believe anything except what Aspen feeds them. If the license is revoked, Aspen will just re-open MBA again under another name, unless DHS sees it in advance. If DHS continues in this vein, Aspen will probably GTFO Oregon and move as much of their operations to Idaho or Utah as they can.

[joethebadass]

Psy, I used to be that optimistic. But that's not how it works with WWASPS (whose "schools" have been closed repeatedly) and that's not how it will work here.

My best guess is that the so-called parents will allow Aspen to move their children to some other shithole until it "blows over" and simply refuse to believe anything except what Aspen feeds them. If the license is revoked, Aspen will just re-open MBA again under another name, unless DHS sees it in advance. If DHS continues in this vein, Aspen will probably GTFO Oregon and move as much of their operations to Idaho or Utah as they can.

Unfortunately, I agree that even though Mt. Bachelor Academy is probably dead, the program will survive in some way. Just like when CEDU got shut down and a few hardcore staffers went and started all of those clones, I imagine that there are people at MBA who just love abusing children so much that they will relocate under a different name to do it. During attack groups, during lifesteps when they were breaking people down until they cried, they fucking LOVED it. They get an emotional high off of doing it. They're so sure that it's the right thing to do that some will continue doing it for the rest of their professional careers.

[psy]

Psy, I used to be that optimistic. But that's not how it works with WWASPS (whose "schools" have been closed repeatedly) and that's not how it will work here.

My best guess is that the so-called parents will allow Aspen to move their children to some other shithole until it "blows over" and simply refuse to believe anything except what Aspen feeds them. If the license is revoked, Aspen will just re-open MBA again under another name, unless DHS sees it in advance. If DHS continues in this vein, Aspen will probably GTFO Oregon and move as much of their operations to Idaho or Utah as they can.

Who knows.  You make good points.  It could go either way.  Still.  Just because something is difficult doesn't mean you just give up.  This will put pressure on the program and create public awareness.  It might even shed some light on the all-elusive seminar scripts if they eventually become part of public record which could lead to all sorts of things.  If everything in that letter is true, somebody is sitting on a veritable treasure trove of information (hopefully most of or all of which will soon become public).

[psy]

Unfortunately, I agree that even though Mt. Bachelor Academy is probably dead, the program will survive in some way. Just like when CEDU got shut down and a few hardcore staffers went and started all of those clones, I imagine that there are people at MBA who just love abusing children so much that they will relocate under a different name to do it. During attack groups, during lifesteps when they were breaking people down until they cried, they fucking LOVED it. They get an emotional high off of doing it. They're so sure that it's the right thing to do that some will continue doing it for the rest of their professional careers.

Right.  And try convincing some of them that what they've been doing to kids their entire career has caused immeasurable harm.  That guilt keeps the vast, vast, majority from even facing that possibility.

I also wouldn't call MBA dead just yet.  It's a good possibility, yes, but this information still needs to be properly publicized to reach the right audiences such as prospective parents.  It matters little if abuse is substantiated if nobody knows about it.  Don't count your chickens...  Keep the pressure on.

[Anonymous]

The one thing that needs to be mentioned is criminal prosecution.

When DHS already has substantiated claims of child abuse, it's time for the criminal justice system to get involved. Anyone going to that hearing and able to speak on the subject should demand criminal prosecution of everyone at MBA who engaged or allowed this to happen, *particularly* the senior staff. This is no-bullshit sexual abuse, which means long prison terms and a place on the sex offender registry.

Considering what happened at Sagewalk, there is also grounds for a serious conspiracy (as defined in law, not to be confused with conspiracy theories) case against Aspen.

[Whooter]

I think that we all realize that it doesn’t really matter whether Mount Bachelor is found innocent or guilty. The name and reputation is what is important and whether or not  they can still market under the name and still bring the kids in.  If their name gets damaged to the point where they can no longer lure in customers then they will close on their own and open up somewhere else under a new title.  Its business in its purest form.

Think about trying to snuff out drugs.  It cant be done as long as there are customers.   If there are people willing to buy heroin then it will find its way into the community and there will be people willing and able to sell it to you.  Is this the drug dealers fault?  The fault of the farmer who grows the stuff? Or the kid who is buying it?

There is a need for programs and if Mount Bachelor folds then they will open up somewhere else because they are needed.  If they dont reopen then someone else will until there are too many programs and too many empty beds and no one shows up anymore. Until that time programs will prosper and they will be here long after you and I are dead.

[Troll Control]

What matters is that Aspen abuses and neglects children, as the state of Oregon found in their investigation.

That's all that matters.  Aspen has been found in violation of Oregon child abuse laws.  They are child abusers.  They deserve to rot in jail and I hope they do.  

But the critical point her is that Whooter, who has incessantly said Asen is safe and effective, has pooped his pants again and the Oregon DHS report proves he is a liar.  Plain and simple.

[Whooter]

What matters is that Aspen abuses and neglects children, as the state of Oregon found in their investigation..

Like you said yourself, Oregon.  If your logic states that all programs are the same and every child benefits at the same level then we can also conclude that all Aspen programs are 100% effective because I know someone who is doing extremely well.  If one person has benifited from their program then they all have.  So based on this logic we can anticipate the industry to expand over the next decade and continue to provide effective services.

[Troll Control]

What matters is that Aspen abuses and neglects children, as the state of Oregon found in their investigation.

That's all that matters.  Aspen has been found in violation of Oregon child abuse laws.  They are child abusers.  They deserve to rot in jail and I hope they do.  

But the critical point her is that Whooter, who has incessantly said Aspen is safe and effective, has pooped his pants again and the Oregon DHS report proves he is a liar.  Plain and simple.

This is exactly right.  Oregon found Aspens PROGRAM to be abusive.  So wherever they implement that PROGRAM, children are being abused, by definition.  So, yes, wherever Aspen is operating a PROGRAM, they are abusing children because their PROGRAM is abusive by legal definition.

That's the great thing about the Orgeon investigation.  They found that it was the very MODEL that Aspen bases all of their programs on that is abusive and that the employees there did not intervene to protect the children from the abuse they were suffering.

I guess what the previous poster is trying to say is that he or she believes Aspens method of sexually degrading humiliation helps kids.  I guess he or she is entitled to their opinion, but it's a stupid opinion and dead wrong.

[Anonymous]

Per MBA's website, let's not forget the responsibility of "Educational Consultants like Alice Jackson, Virginia Reiss, Miriam Bodin, Anita Targan, Martha Kolbe, Diane Albrecht, Teri Solochek, Ann Carol Price, and Paula Feldman." These so-called experts should be held accountable. If only by naming them here--but I hope not only.

[Whooter]

What matters is that Aspen abuses and neglects children, as the state of Oregon found in their investigation..

Like you said yourself, Oregon.  If your logic states that all programs are the same and every child benefits at the same level then we can also conclude that all Aspen programs are 100% effective because I know someone who is doing extremely well.  If one person has benifited from their program then they all have.  So based on this logic we can anticipate the industry to expand over the next decade and continue to provide effective services.

You really nailed it.  great post, not sure what I can add.

[psy]

I think that we all realize that it doesn’t really matter whether Mount Bachelor is found innocent or guilty. The name and reputation is what is important and whether or not  they can still market under the name and still bring the kids in.  If their name gets damaged to the point where they can no longer lure in customers then they will close on their own and open up somewhere else under a new title.  Its business in its purest form.

Sadly, I'm pretty sure you're right about that.  I'd like to see MBA, like any similar program, taken to task and shown to the world for what it is, but like you imply, it's an obstacle that is very easily dealt with.  That being said, the cumulative effect from all these program closures reflects badly on Aspen as a whole, not to mention the entire industry.  You may win the battle, but so long as these things keep happening, you may very well lose the greater PR war.  Then again, people are almost infinitely capable of forgetting history and choosing to believe their kids are save when a program presents a "too good to be true" final solution to the "teenage" problem.

Tip: to survive you're going to have to start eating your own.

Think about trying to snuff out drugs.  It cant be done as long as there are customers.   If there are people willing to buy heroin then it will find its way into the community and there will be people willing and able to sell it to you.  Is this the drug dealers fault?  The fault of the farmer who grows the stuff? Or the kid who is buying it?

The responsibility ultimately lands with whoever buys it.  The fact that it's available to kids, however, is only facilitated by it's black market nature.  In that respect I agree with you.  Government prohibition of something or even strict regulation can often make a bad problem worse.  As I see it, the same applies to programs.  All making something illegal will do is give parents a false sense of security.  "bad" programs don't care about the law as it is.  Just like gun free zones don't actually physically stop that one gun from entry, the "bad" program will take advantage of the "we're abuse free, govt. promises!" status to lure more parents in while continuing to do exactly what they were doing, and worse.  I have no faith in the competence of government officials to investigate these programs, not be fooled, and come up with a case that will stick.  That's something that in my mind is better left to civil law.  Lawsuits have done and will continue to do wonders against programs who misrepresent themselves and mistreat their patients/students/detainees/whatever.

There is a need for programs and if Mount Bachelor folds then they will open up somewhere else because they are needed.

Why is it this "need" does not exist in europe?  Could it be there really isn't any "need" other than in the minds of those in marketing, or those who truly believe in the program.  There is objective reality and the fact that kids do just fine in Europe without these programs lends credence to the theory that there really isn't any need for these programs at all.  It's a want.  It's a luxury for parents who would rather not deal with their kids problems or are unwilling to let them take their own path in life, whatever that may be...  Of course the idea that teens have rights is heretical to many parents.

If they dont reopen then someone else will until there are too many programs and too many empty beds and no one shows up anymore. Until that time programs will prosper and they will be here long after you and I are dead.

That I don't believe.  There are several scenarios I can see: as you imply, the "PR" greater scheme war can be lost so badly that parents can begin to see that putting their kids in any program is playing russian roulette.  Not all parents have to be convinced. If the demand drops low enough, the individual programs will not be able to sustain themselves.  There are minimum operating costs.  An alternative scenario is that teens are someday federally granted the right to refuse treatment, or even something more.  Going after the legality of escort services could also have a heavy impact.  There are many possible end-game scenarios.

Programs may never cease to exist entirely, just as cults will never cease to exist entirely (and by extension, non professional therapy cults).  However, an atmosphere can be created which is so hostile towards them that other ventures are easier and far more profitable to enter into.

[blombrowski]

For what it's worth, an example of how regulation that requires all programs to be licensed by an appropriate licensing agency to operate has now at least for the moment closed two Aspen programs in one state.  The language in H.R. 911 is based off of the language in Oregon statute.  Of course having the agency responsible for licensing not being in bed with the programs it licenses helps.  If Sagewalk or MBA were in Utah or Montana or Idaho, chances are they would still be open, certainly at least Montana and Idaho (even Ken Stettler might have a hard time ignoring the death of student).

Still a lot of work to do, but it might be worth putting in some calls to the folks who do license programs in states where Aspen has a program to inform them that Aspen has had to shutter the doors of at least three programs due to substantiated or alleged abuse and criminal misconduct.  Might be worth their time to make an unannounced inspection.

[Anonymous]

(even Ken Stettler might have a hard time ignoring the death of student)

:rofl:  :rofl:  :roflmao:  Good one! He won't ignore it so much as paper everything over and pretend that justice was done and that parents can still send their kids to Utah, what could possibly go wrong?

Still a lot of work to do, but it might be worth putting in some calls to the folks who do license programs in states where Aspen has a program to inform them that Aspen has had to shutter the doors of at least three programs due to substantiated or alleged abuse and criminal misconduct.  Might be worth their time to make an unannounced inspection.

Pennsylvania. Still reeling from the juvenile-justice exposure means that they're a lot less likely to buy the shit. If we get video of the hearings, they should receive a copy, complete with a list of all the other facilities Aspen/CRC owns there.