Mount Bachelor could reopen

[Dysfunction Junction]

Which "DHS statement" is that?  I don't see any link or evidence that DHS ever had this deliberation or made this commentary.  Their comments do say that their original actions were justified though.  

This poster seems to have an interest in putting words in DHS's mouth.  They never said any of those things.  They're made up by the poster.  I see s/he has dropped the earlier factless assertion that "DHS admitted no abuse occurred."  That one was a whopper, too.

Is there some sort of financial motive for this poster to keep making up these "DHS statements" that never happened?

[Anne Bonney]

Nobody cried wolf, the program's money and power protected them, as usual.

Thats a good point and I think you are partially correct, ShadyAcres.  It appears from DHS's statement that Aspen had filed suit against them and the state of Oregon upon review of the evidence decided that they would not win so they had to back down.  If DHS had a smoking gun of some type that abuse had occurred they would have proceeded with their movement against Aspen and MBA.

If they felt the children of Oregon were put at risk or were abused they would have proceeded in the childs best interest but that turned out not to be the case so DHS has dropped the charges and Aspen may be free to reopen again.

This is exactly what I mean by spin.  You know damn well that's not what Shady was talking about but you twist it to fit your agenda.

[Whooter]

Nobody cried wolf, the program's money and power protected them, as usual.

Thats a good point and I think you are partially correct, ShadyAcres.  It appears from DHS's statement that Aspen had filed suit against them and the state of Oregon upon review of the evidence decided that they would not win so they had to back down.  If DHS had a smoking gun of some type that abuse had occurred they would have proceeded with their movement against Aspen and MBA.

If they felt the children of Oregon were put at risk or were abused they would have proceeded in the childs best interest but that turned out not to be the case so DHS has dropped the charges and Aspen may be free to reopen again.

This is exactly what I mean by spin.  You know damn well that's not what Shady was talking about but you twist it to fit your agenda.

I dont agree,  I said "Partially correct" and indicated that Aspens money and power "helped" push this to resolution.  DHS backed down from the lawsuits.



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[Dysfunction Junction]

Not to mention that the "spin" you cite, Anne, is 100% fabricated and comes with no documentation.  Couldn't forget to point that out here.

I have seen no evidence to support anything other than some charges were dropped and some were modified.  "Modified" still means "MBA was proven to be doing wrong" and expressly shows that DHS did not "drop all the charges" as this poster keeps saying without any factual attribution.

[Whooter]

I have seen no evidence to support anything other than some charges were dropped and some were modified.  "Modified" still means "MBA was proven to be doing wrong" and expressly shows that DHS did not "drop all the charges" as this poster keeps saying without any factual attribution.

Exactly, DJ,  I think this is an area where we can agree on.  There were a few less serious charges brought against MBA which DHS can still move forward on if they choose, but the serious charges have been dropped and in return Aspen as dropped their lawsuits against the State.  If Aspen wants to reopen again in Oregon then I would assume they will need to resolve those issues first.



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[Joel]

Edited: Wednesday, October 06, 2010

[Dysfunction Junction]

Again, I don't see any factual basis for those claims.  Is there a list of what charges were dropped and which ones were modified?  "Modified" could mean there was a minor charge that was elevated to a higher charge.  For all we know, MBA admitted that staff gang-raped kids and those charges were "modified upward" and they could have dropped some extememly inconsequential paperwork infractions.

Is there some reason this poster keeps minimizing or outright fabricating this information with no citations or facts to back them up?  Is there some financial interest for this poster in Aspen Education Group?  Sure seems that way.

[Whooter]

I hope the children weren't used as leverage against the State of Oregon.  That would be a damn shame.

No I don think they were.  This was all handled by the lawyers.  Aspen filed multiple lawsuits against the State of Oregon and the Lawyers for the State of Oregon looked at the evidence at the conclusion of the investigation and found that there was not enough evidence to sustain a defense.  The DHS acted too quickly before they looked at all the evidence.  DHS modified their complaint and Aspen dropped their lawsuits.  Fairly cut and dried.
As an aside I think that this will hurt the kids in the long run,Though, because future allegations may not be reacted on or taken as seriously now.



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[Dysfunction Junction]

So, finally we have come full circle.  After making many outlandish, factless comments about DHS and their "statements" this poster has dropped all of his/her previous assertions about "no abuse" being found at MBA and "DHS realizing there was no abuse" etc.

We must be patient with people that have strong financial motivations to lie for groups like Aspen Education.  Keep asking patiently for proof of their statements and eventually they drop all of their claims because they are caught in provable lies, like this poster was.

So, let's be clear for the record: MBA was found guilty of substantiated abuse and was closed by authorities for it.  Then they sued the state and AEG and the state came to a settlement under which AEG would drop their lawsuit and the state would drop or modify some of the charges and the substantiated cases of abuse would remain on the record.  

DHS has never issued any statement absolving MBA of abuse or retracting any previous statements, as this poster kept claiming, but later finally admitted s/he was falsifying the "information" which consisted only of his/her own opinion and no facts.

It's a shame that dishonest dialogue like this poster's statements take so long to debunk, but it's worth it to see that, at the end, they made all of their "facts" up out of their imagination.

[Joel]

Edited: Wednesday, October 06, 2010

[Whooter]

I still disagree with your opinion.  Sometimes we tend to read into things too much and get caught up in our own opinions. Lets go back and look at the original article we have been referencing:


Link

Here is a summary as seen by Aspen Education:

A statement from Phil Herschman, President of Aspen Education Group, on behalf of Mount Bachelor Academy:

We are pleased that the ongoing legal dispute between Mount Bachelor Academy (MBA) and the State of Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) has finally been satisfactorily resolved. The DHS has agreed to withdraw or modify all of its actions against MBA and MBA’s former director. The DHS’ withdrawal of its order suspending MBA’s license supports our position that they did not have justification for that order in the first place. The DHS has acknowledged with this settlement that in fact there was additional evidence no abuse had occurred.

As we have repeatedly stated throughout this process, our fundamental disagreements with the DHS' original allegations and consequent actions were strong and deep. We had collected abundant evidence that disproved those allegations, particularly the most egregious ones.

Despite the tragic circumstances of Mount Bachelor’s closure, we hope to open a new, even more successful school on the MBA campus in the future, and wish to publicly thank our skilled and dedicated employees who touched the lives of thousands of troubled teens for more than two decades at MBA, and the loyal alumni and families who steadfastly supported us.



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[DannyB II]

Com'on Dysfunction, they said this and they said that, bottom line the program will be back open soon. Now what are you doing about that.
What is the plan.

[Anne Bonney]

Com'on Dysfunction, they said this and they said that, bottom line the program will be back open soon.

Yep, probably.....just like Straight did under a different name to avoid the bad publicity.



 

Now what are you doing about that.
What is the plan.

Exposing what they did under the former name, like we did with Straight.

[Dysfunction Junction]

Well, right now the plan is to continue to educate prospective parents that Aspen is abusive and deadly, as shown in the investigations by Oregon DHS.  They killed a kid at Sagewalk last year (murder charges still being considered) and MBA was shut down for "systemic child abuse," as defined and shown in the DHS reports.

If Aspen reopens there, it will only be a matter of time before they get caught abusing kids again.  MBA was shut down for abuse twice already.

I hope they don't reopen, but the sad fact is that these programs get shut for abuse and just reopen under a new name with all the same faces running the scam.

I'll be counting on people like you to blow the whistle when kids are being abused again at this dangerous facility.  These kids should be protected from abuse.

[Whooter]

Com'on Dysfunction, they said this and they said that, bottom line the program will be back open soon.

Yep, probably.....just like Straight did under a different name to avoid the bad publicity.



 

Now what are you doing about that.
What is the plan.

Exposing what they did under the former name, like we did with Straight.

My guess is that they will reopen under another name or sell the site and reopen elsewhere in Oregon.  I believe they will stay in Oregon because they sort of owe them one since they screwed up and forced them to close MBA.

From the press releases they seem to have come to an understanding of sorts.



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