Fornits
Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform => CEDU / Brown Schools and derivatives / clones => Topic started by: Anonymous on June 26, 2004, 02:19:00 AM
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I live within an hour of the school.
Sneak out and get to a pay phone.
I will tell you where to hide and give you a ride down the mountain or to Los Angeles.
After that you're on your own.
My suggestion is to go through the woods rather then the road.
Wear warm dark clothing and relax and have a smoke.
I graduated from there in 1992 and I will answer any of your questions about descriptions of the place to prove it to you.
My motivation is simply to do for someone else what I wish someone would have done for me.
Contact me through this Forum. Simply state your interest to be free from that hell hole.
I will then contact you at CEDU by mailing you a letter with information.
If you are a cop trying to bust me, bring it on motherfucker. They're abusing kids there and I answer to a higher authority.
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dude, don't suggest that these kids have a smoke; smoking is absolutely horrible for you!
and the letter thing won't work; they read through the mail.
_________________
laura solomon
cedu vet. 1996-1999
RIP[ This Message was edited by: mikehunt on 2004-06-25 23:45 ]
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Something about you I notice, Laura, you always focus on the least important aspect in someone's post. Frankly, I'm sick of it. Either you are so unintelligent that you don't realize how your idiotic comments detract from the importance of these issues, or you deliberately want to sabotage.
You are still so beat down by your CEDU experience, you have lost your faith in the Human being to accomplish ANYTHING he/she sets her mind to. You remind me of the faux intellectual who, through your own displays of cleverness, shows how foolish you really are.
So if you think it so important to harp on smoking so you can have your attention, fine.
Kids are being FUCKING ABUSED there!!
Why don't we all stop being cowardly hypocrites and do something about it!
I WILL help people to escape--- even if it only means that for an hour, a day, a week, (before they are inevitably caught and returned) they will be able to experience physical, emotional, FREEDOM to talk, read, listen, enjoy what every American citizen should have the right from birth, and -furthermore without ANY formal criminal charge EVER EVER have taken away!!!
So please no comments on smoking, I welcome however any comments about a plan of ACTION, to really help. I'm sick of whining about injustice.
We are NOT at CEDU anymore guys!!! We have the freedom to do and say and listen and read and question and believe and argue and deny and uphold anything we, with our free will wish.
This is not meant to be insulting to you Laura, but, "as the harder the truth to tell, the truer the friend that tells it", I must say to you my fellow soldier in the battle against injustice-
"WAKE UP".
Is the soul more important, or is the body?
Which is more eternal?
Well, they are trying to destroy the Souls of innocent children at CEDU. Not murderers, rapists, armed robbers. Innocent children MOST without even a legal charge against them.
My name is BRYAN FELSHER. My phone # is 310-756-4534.
And yes I am willing to serve time in jail for what I believe.
I already have, 2 1/2 years on a lonely mountain in San Bernadino.
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On 2004-06-26 08:48:00, Anonymous wrote:
"Something about you I notice, Laura, you always focus on the least important aspect in someone's post. Frankly, I'm sick of it. Either you are so unintelligent that you don't realize how your idiotic comments detract from the importance of these issues, or you deliberately want to sabotage.
You are still so beat down by your CEDU experience, you have lost your faith in the Human being to accomplish ANYTHING he/she sets her mind to. You remind me of the faux intellectual who, through your own displays of cleverness, shows how foolish you really are.
So if you think it so important to harp on smoking so you can have your attention, fine.
Kids are being FUCKING ABUSED there!!
Why don't we all stop being cowardly hypocrites and do something about it!
I WILL help people to escape--- even if it only means that for an hour, a day, a week, (before they are inevitably caught and returned) they will be able to experience physical, emotional, FREEDOM to talk, read, listen, enjoy what every American citizen should have the right from birth, and -furthermore without ANY formal criminal charge EVER EVER have taken away!!!
So please no comments on smoking, I welcome however any comments about a plan of ACTION, to really help. I'm sick of whining about injustice.
We are NOT at CEDU anymore guys!!! We have the freedom to do and say and listen and read and question and believe and argue and deny and uphold anything we, with our free will wish.
This is not meant to be insulting to you Laura, but, "as the harder the truth to tell, the truer the friend that tells it", I must say to you my fellow soldier in the battle against injustice-
"WAKE UP".
Is the soul more important, or is the body?
Which is more eternal?
Well, they are trying to destroy the Souls of innocent children at CEDU. Not murderers, rapists, armed robbers. Innocent children MOST without even a legal charge against them.
My name is BRYAN FELSHER. My phone # is 310-756-4534.
And yes I am willing to serve time in jail for what I believe.
I already have, 2 1/2 years on a lonely mountain in San Bernadino."
smoking is detrimental to your health, not a petty issue. these kids have been pulled away from smoking for so long (with the exception of any cigarettes they may have snuck in) why should they go back? in case you think i'm some ignorant preacher, i'll have you know that i smoked for several years... i started at cedu and continued once i left. i no longer smoke because of the damage it does to my body (i've come to realize that my inclination to smoke was the product of the imbalance between my body, mind and soul.)
clearly, you don't know me. i'm a militant advocate for the theory "anybody can do anything"; if you knew me at all, you'd be well aware of this.
seriously, i don't need to preach to the choir about this shit... i've stated my opinions as they were relevent in many other threads. if you're sick of reading them, feel free to skip over them when you see my fornits pseudonym to the left. i think it's ridiculous that you're looking for backup here. i think it's noble that you'd like to help kids out of cedu; i'd like to say that i'd do the same if i didn't live across the country. however, i think it's shitty that you'd smut up the honor in your cause by telling these kids to pollute their bodies [as if they hadn't been polluted the whole time they'd been at cedu; do you remember what they serve those kids (aside from abuse)?] and perpetuate their modes of self-destruction... cedu is all about tearing these children down and breaking their souls. the last thing they need is to run from this confinement into a prison of their own.
i'm sorry if you're bothered by the fact that i think people need to respect their bodies; as a spiritual being, i 'm a firm believer that our bodies are our temples and they deserve to be treated with honor and care.
you asked which is more important, soul or body. on this earth, your soul would not be here without your body, which is why it ought to be treated with care. your soul can flourish if your body is in optimal condition.
how the hell can someone prepare to run when their lungs are being tortured with smoke??
"So please no comments on smoking, I welcome however any comments about a plan of ACTION, to really help. I'm sick of whining about injustice.
We are NOT at CEDU anymore guys!!! We have the freedom to do and say and listen and read and question and believe and argue and deny and uphold anything we, with our free will wish."
you contradict yourself here... you're having a problem with what i have to say.
if there's anything i can do to help, i'd love to, but i'm not sure what there is... i'm werking on producing books and a film to expose the nature of these places to prevent people from getting sent away in the future.
if any of you want me to talk to your parents, i'd love to. if there's anything else you can think of that i can do, i'd be more than willing to do it. please get in touch with me if i can be of service to you (even if you just need someone to talk to in order to preserve your strength.)
_________________
laura solomon
cedu vet. 1996-1999
RIP[ This Message was edited by: mikehunt on 2004-06-26 13:43 ]
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Laura, first of all, I apologize for offending you.
I respect your opinion and I don't think I contradicted myself, because I stated we also have the right to argue.
I also want you to know that from the little I do know about you I sincerely do like you as a human being.
You clearly are not the run of the mill average person I typically run into everyday.
We have different opinions on the nature of the Soul/Body relationship and it's a beautiful thing that we can disagree on this and still remain (dare I say) friends.
So let's squash it because rather then discussing our disagreements which leads nowhere,
let's discuss what we do agree on.
There is a serious problem at CEDU and its affiliates.
What can we do?- I think you have a GREAT idea in writing a book, compiling stories, and even making a movie.
If you look at my other posts, you'll see I am trying to organize a peaceful dissent.
Do you have any suggestions?
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Bryan, thanks for patching it up with Laura. I've known her for years and she is one of the most gifted and intelligent persons I have ever known. I mean, fucking brilliant! I see her as a voice of reason here - logical and mature. She pointed out that my criticizing that guy from the school for not even spelling "warrant" correctly. She said that it wasn't worth discussing. I agree and am glad she pointed that out to me. Both of you are smart and able - and you will make a powerful difference in the world.
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All your ideas are good to get the attention of people re:CEDU's abuses. However, if you get arrested, get arrested for protest, not helping someone escape. Most likely they will try to bust you for kidnapping with the parent's support and that is a serious crime. Don't give them this opportunity. I know you are pissed. Galvanize your energy and intelligence to act on your other proposals but not this one.
If you really want to put yourself out there, offer your contact information to give kids information on what they can do to get out of CEDU. I know one person on this site, who has since edited everything out, gave a pretty good list of how one can leave with more protection (state services, age requirements, which states provide more rights etc.) You can pass that on to a kid or ask that his parents call you and you can tell your story.
I think people really resent feeling manipulated and if parents understand that CEDU gives a lot of stock phrases when kids are miserable or try to split, they may question keeping them in. I know when I split, CEDU told them I would go on drugs and fall apart and that my cries for help were just manipulation, etc. (Didn't matter that I never was addicted to drugs, stopped using them even recreationally months before CEDU and never went back.) I think parents need to know how they are being manipulated. So they feel like dumbasses and think twice. My MOm was brainwashed a little by CEDU, but when I left, it was my Dad who supported my decision not to go back. I think he knew something didn't smell right even if he didn't know exactly what. One red flag is that they shot him down big time when he questionned one of their policies at the parent's workshop. THey wouldn't even answer the question, they just publicly rebuked him.
What I want to know is why parents don't ask for longitudinal studies. Any program can broadcast testimonies, but long term efficacy is another thing.
OK, I'm digressing. I'll stop now.
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[ This Message was edited by: former CEDU therapist on 2004-08-01 22:37 ]
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On 2004-06-26 14:36:00, Bryan Felsher wrote:
"Laura, first of all, I apologize for offending you.
I respect your opinion and I don't think I contradicted myself, because I stated we also have the right to argue.
I also want you to know that from the little I do know about you I sincerely do like you as a human being.
You clearly are not the run of the mill average person I typically run into everyday.
We have different opinions on the nature of the Soul/Body relationship and it's a beautiful thing that we can disagree on this and still remain (dare I say) friends.
So let's squash it because rather then discussing our disagreements which leads nowhere,
let's discuss what we do agree on.
There is a serious problem at CEDU and its affiliates.
What can we do?- I think you have a GREAT idea in writing a book, compiling stories, and even making a movie.
If you look at my other posts, you'll see I am trying to organize a peaceful dissent.
Do you have any suggestions?"
thanks.
i think the ideas you mentioned in your other thread are great! i'd love to be a part of that. as i've said, let me know when it is, i'll come out.
let me know what i can do to help.
i think we should do something both at the hotel and at the skool gates... we should block the gates so that they can't get in without getting past us. i also think we could have some sort of meeting at the hotel; we could like slip vague flyers in the hotel rooms to let parents believe that it's some cedu sponsored meeting, and then have a discussion with them or whatever.
and not to dwell on the petty shit, i just wanted to clarify that the contradiction lays where you tell us not to comment about smoking, then you proceed to talk about freedom of speech, argument, etc.
_________________
laura solomon
cedu vet. 1996-1999
RIP[ This Message was edited by: mikehunt on 2004-06-28 01:00 ]
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aaaaaaaaaaaa
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don't worry about it; you didn't wrong me, you were just defending yourself before considering where i was coming from. i'm sorry to hear you lost sleep over it.. i was offended at first and wrote a post that reaked of defensive energy, but i changed it as i went back and reflected on the situation. i forgive you.
i too am an ignorant one who once called myself wise.
i'm going to meet your friend in florida this week (he told me about werking with you yesterday.) i think you're doing a great thing, and i support you 100%. i've definitely got your back when the shit goes down.
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The trick to catching the brainwashed manipulators that run cedu is this. first tape all the calls. if they ask if you are taping them deny it. second call other parents and have them go up there with you. call the police and have them come with you. have the police run backround checks on staff. many are felons who will lie for the boss becuase they cannont work anywhere else but there. cedu calls this loyalty. have the police surround the building becuase cedu staff will run out the door if they see cops. the cult leader whoops i mean headmaster will do all the talking. if they will not let your child come home for a visit. threaten to sue them for false imprisonment and extortion. remember that they are sociopaths who practice in private on how to manipulate parents and cops and of course students. if the child does not want to go and claims that her friends are there yank her right away. cedu pretends to care about kids but they really only care about how they appear to all the placement people who pimp kids to them. they will use the excuse that being loyal to your friends is all that matters and try to manipulate you into keeping the kid there. if the kid wants to go back do not let them and have him talk to other kids when they are released. make them put everything in writing. if they refuse. one parent went down there with a gun to get his kid out. do not hesitate to do the same and bring as many people with you as possible.
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[ This Message was edited by: Hell on Wheels on 2004-07-07 19:30 ]
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Actually, a good friend of mine did face some kind of similar charges 20 years ago. He was picketting a Straight location when one of the kids made a run for it. My friend put the kid up for a couple of days while he decided what to do next. He was very, very lucky that the court was unable (not unwilling, mind you, just unable) to place the kid back in the Program so he could be broken down till he changed his testimony.
Here's my advice to any kids stuck in a Program and looking to run. If you have a relative who might be sympathetic, contact them. If they take you in, do NOT let your parents know where you are. I know they'll worry, but it's just not worth the risks and it's really only a short while before you come of age and they can't legally force you back into the Program.
If you haven't got a relative who will help you and you're determined to run anyway, get a coupld of states away and find a job. Lie if you have to about your age or whatever. Truck stops are always hiring waitresses and boys can find casual work at construction sites or almost anyway. But find some kind of work so that you can 1) support yourself and not have to rely on strangers who may or may not have your best interest at heart and 2) make a good case to the courts should have to explain yourself at some point in the future.
Guard with jealous attention the public Liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that Jewel. Unfortunately, Nothing will Preserve it but downright Force. Whenever you Give Up that Force, you are ruined.....The Great Object is that every man be armed.....Everyone who is able may have a gun.
Anonymity Anonymous (http://fornits.com/anonanon)
It is wrong to leave a stumbling block in the road once it has tripped you.
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:grin:
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The power of Cedu's mind control is very strong.
I don't believe I will ever receive a phone call.
I highly doubt they allow any students there onto this site. They monitor and censor everything mail, news, TV, music, clothing, how clothing is worn, punish you for thoughts you haven't even acted on. Has anyone read 1984?-Orwell, Heart of a Dog?-Bulgakov, Atlas Shrugged?-Rand, Brave New World?-Huxley. The manuals are out there.
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I wish you talked to this mother about CEDU. We had a bit of back and forth. Her son is a glowing success and my view is that so what? THe mental anguish, lack of therapy, lack of family, lack of academics, coercive environmnet, and verbal abuse to break you down and build you as a robot? NO! I don't see the other side. BUt for tens of thousands of bucks, I'll bet there aren't many parents willing to reflect on that.
In any event, I think you are a change agent, but as a mom, don't do anything that imperils your ability to be with your children longterm.
Out of curiosity, how do your folks now see the CEDU experience?
Shanlea
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Bryan
Maybe you are just paranoid or you think they are the mafia. That 160 IQ ha ha ha ha - you better chack out the bell curve. That is 4 (SD) standard deviations from the mean. You would be teaching quantum mechanics at stanford instead of trying to win dumb arguments and "be right". 160 HA HA HA - hardly!!!! dude.
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On 2004-06-28 19:50:00, Antigen wrote:
Here's my advice to any kids stuck in a Program and looking to run. If you have a relative who might be sympathetic, contact them. If they take you in, do NOT let your parents know where you are. I know they'll worry, but it's just not worth the risks and it's really only a short while before you come of age and they can't legally force you back into the Program.
If you haven't got a relative who will help you and you're determined to run anyway, get a coupld of states away and find a job. Lie if you have to about your age or whatever. Truck stops are always hiring waitresses and boys can find casual work at construction sites or almost anyway. But find some kind of work so that you can 1) support yourself and not have to rely on strangers who may or may not have your best interest at heart and 2) make a good case to the courts should have to explain yourself at some point in the future.
Guard with jealous attention the public Liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that Jewel. Unfortunately, Nothing will Preserve it but downright Force. Whenever you Give Up that Force, you are ruined.....The Great Object is that every man be armed.....Everyone who is able may have a gun.
Anonymity Anonymous (http://fornits.com/anonanon)
It is wrong to leave a stumbling block in the road once it has tripped you."
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[ This Message was edited by: former CEDU therapist on 2004-08-01 22:37 ]
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i agree!
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I was a cedu victim in the 80's and all of what you are saying is the same thing i was saying back then. i was branded a liar and was shunned as is cedu practice. you have to understand what shock i am in reading all this stuff i never ever thought anybody would have an identical experience... i am reading your posts and the exact same things were happening when i was there. after they terminated me they promised no more abuse would occur.... they convinced all the students that what happened to me was my fault that what they did to me was not that serious and i was just complaining so i could get out. some of the molestors have died namely wassserman and padgett. one of the ways they brainwashed the "students" was to tell them that their friends were there. that is how they keep people manipulated..if you leave they tell others you are disloyal
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But I hope you are aware that the person posting this offer to help people split could be a child molester. I think the better way to go is fight ALL of these places, (and there are far worse than CEDU such as Provo Canyon). Political lobbying and carrying the voices of the abused will close these places down or force them to change.
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I like "charlatan". I work in the legit drug biz now at a pharmaceutical company. We would be closed down by the FDA if we released a drug that we hadn't proven safe. Yet these guys can conjur up there own therapy concepts and play around with any kids who fall in the trap. Pretty fucked up if you ask me.
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If you haven't got a relative who will help you and you're determined to run anyway, get a coupld of states away and find a job. Lie if you have to about your age or whatever. Truck stops are always hiring waitresses and boys can find casual work at construction sites or almost anyway. But find some kind of work so that you can 1) support yourself and not have to rely on strangers who may or may not have your best interest at heart and 2) make a good case to the courts should have to explain yourself at some point in the future.
This is true. I successfully split and made the mistake of calling my parents. I should never have. I probably would have earned a million dollars by now. instead it got a lot worse. [ This Message was edited by: blownawaytheidahoway on 2004-07-11 14:47 ]
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i know the person who posted this offer to help people split, in fact i lived in the same dorm as him when we were both at cedu, and he is one of the very few people i met at cedu that i actually considered to be a friend. bryan is straight as an arrow. i agree that he may be a little excentric and somewhat impulsive about his beliefs, but there is no way in hell that he
would molest anyone. he just wants to do something, anything, to save someone else the
torture that he went thru of having to spend
2 and a half years at that shithole. at least he
is willing to take a stand and do something.
maybe bryan doesn't have the right idea, but his heart is in the right place.
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On 2004-07-11 11:02:00, Anonymous wrote:
"But I hope you are aware that the person posting this offer to help people split could be a child molester. I think the better way to go is fight ALL of these places, (and there are far worse than CEDU such as Provo Canyon). Political lobbying and carrying the voices of the abused will close these places down or force them to change."
Why thank you for posting this wonderful tidbit... You Dumbass. I'm pretty sure if he was wanting to molest, there are easier ways of going about it than posting your name and fucking phone number. Call me crazy, I don't even know the guy, but something tells me he probably isn't a chomo. He may be a little misguided, but everybody has their own way of getting back at the man.
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You missed the point. What I was saying was that helping invidual kids split will probably do nothing but get you busted. We need to band together and work for global policies that ban ALL of these places so noone has to go through this crap again. There's an impossible dream to dream :smokin:
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aaaaaaaaaaaaa
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Holy Toledo you are harsh! When I first read the post by someone who said "watch out, it could be a child molester" i scoffed; but then i realized the person may have had good intentions. there are a lot of Internet predators out there who are very good at blending in... so go easy on the person who might be coming from the right place.
I know my parents were on pins and needles the week I was gone, not knowing if the person who picked me up was so kind of nutjob. At that time, they really thought CEDU was a beautiful environment to go to school and get some therapy. That was what our family therapist sold them.
Because i've been through cedu i felt you were the real deal--i really feel you are trying to prevent other people from being so insidiously violated.
I know what you mean about walking the walk, it's easier for some of us to vent and harder to act. We all are trying to make sense of how to deal with our concerns about CEDU. I know for a fact a few parents have decided NOT to send their kids there throug these posts alone; even though you are a proponent of more active protest in the manner, there is value to these posts.
Do you think you could challenge people w/o being quite so abusive? There is always a place for challenging but the message tends to get lost in a barrage of CEDU-style verbal beatings.
Shanlea
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On 2004-07-14 07:51:00, Bryan Felsher wrote:
"A lot of people are just talk. They just want to vent and come up with fanciful plans. Fuck that.
The kids are still suffering, while we "dream our impossible dreams."
To whoever suggests I'm a molester- Fuck you in the neck.
Let's do something. I'm getting bored of this weak conversation.
Fuck Cedu and all it's ideas and practices.
"I hope you die a painful, miserable, lonely, long death surrounded by the blank faces of hollow men for whom the only desire is to increase your suffering. I hope you die as an invalid- deaf, blind, dumb; unable to cry out and unable to find relief. I hope they mistakenly think you are dead and bury you alive. I fervently hope beyond hope, that I may enjoy the deep pleasure of witnessing your demise."
Just a little love poem dedicated to CEDU school."
So what are you going to do about it? I guess you can drive up there and hang around helping people split until Mark Wasserman or whoever sicks the cops on you. I want political activism against these places. I have successfully engaged in such activism before and I know it can be done. I'd like to get rid of all those places especially Provo because that made Ceduu look like a cakewalk.
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My friend did time at Provo Canyon after he left BCA. Provo was a cakewalk. No mind fucking, just follow the rules and chill out.
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You're full of it. Anyone who needs evidence can just read this thread:
http://fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?topic=5262&forum=9 (http://fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?topic=5262&forum=9)
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Come and get Me
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Damn too funny brian!!!Wish I woulda had someone like you when I was at cedu..All they had was the threat of sending me to provo and friends who I didnt want to leave..After 2 unsuccessful attempts to leave I finally hitchiked and convinced them to take me home.But I have to think of the poor souls who tried to go down the backside or those that never made it back home.
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Hey, the Wall, did you go to CEDU RS in 1987?
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Yes I did...Arrived in oct-87
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OK, we just missed eachother then, because I split in September of '87. BUt I'm sure you knew my peergroup.
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Ohh Im sure..Who was in your peer group??
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How do you think it is really going to help this kid if they make a run for it? His parents will send him/her back if he/she returns to them. Living on the street or trying to scrape by without a high school diploma is possible, but man it is going to suck. Kid's are being abused there? I didn't see anyone get hit there. Mental abuse? Just feed them the bullshit they want and then leave if you're not all about "the program". I know 3 kids who ran from BCA and were never brought back.
1. Never talked to his parents again, and is now living in a 2 bedroom house in Chicago with 9 other kids. Only two have real jobs, and the kid never got his diploma.
2. Didn't talk to his parents for 4 years, has no diploma, hasn't held a job for over a month, and lives in a run-down house / in and out of rehab in Houston.
3. Went back to his parents after 16 months and they stuck him right in a cedu-style program for 19+ year olds (see Benchmark, San Bernardino, CA).
Get these stupid ideas out of your head. It's not going to help anyone, especially if this somehow gets traced back to you and the parents decide to press some sort of charges (who knows what kind...but in today's society, you can get charged / sued for anything...and you know this).
Sorry to sound hostile, this whole thread just seems ridiculous to me.
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I split from Cedu 6 times, the last of which I stayed out for good. I have a highschool diploma, a college degree, own my own house in a very nice neighborhood, and I run my own construction business. I make a pretty decent living from it too. I have a wife and a wonderful baby son. And I am happy about where my life is going.
Splitting from Cedu is one of the best decisions I've ever made. In doing so, I saved myself from an extra year of mind fucking, and even more shit to have nightmares about when I got out.
No, things weren't easy for me then. I spent 3 months living on the street after I got out. Yeah, I saw and went through some pretty fucked up shit during that time. But I wouldn't trade that experience for anything in the world. Why? Because for the first time ever, I took control of my own life,I made the rules, and decided for myself where I was going. At 16, with no ID, home, or employment, somehow I managed to survive without selling my body, eating out of dumpsters, or resorting to crime, or otherwise degrading myself. I proved to myself and to the world that I was going to make it. I knew who I was and what I wanted. And when I did go back to highschool, I did it on my own terms. This was a defining moment in my life. A right of passage so to speak. And I would not be where I am today without it.
Y'know something dniceo 7, I'm sorry that your friends who left cedu early became losers, I really am. Obviously they lost focus of what they wanted out of life, or otherwise gave up
on themselves, thus leading them to the sad predictaments they are in. But don't knock Bryan for offering to help others take control of their own lives, and to find something for themselves more fulfilling than the cult lifestyle that cedu promotes.
Bryan only offered kids (who would no doubt split anyways) a SAFE ride off of the mountain, which is a known stomping ground for sickos and perverts.
So please, get a grip!
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Sorry, I forgot to log in. The last post is mine.
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Let's try not to turn this into a silly little fight...
I'm glad to hear you made it, and that you're doing well. I too have plenty of friends (that didn't go to CEDU) that went a very similar route as you. It worked for them, so I'm not saying it's not possible. But man, be serious, you sound like you've had it together in your head since day one. As shaken as I'm sure you were after splitting from CEDU and realizing you were going it mostly alone from that point on, it's obvious you're a lot like me in that you're extremely resourceful and dedicated and all the other words I could use to describe it.
In my encounters at bca, however, many of the kids, and most of the kids that were attempting runaways just lacked the maturity to be able to make a move like that. Leaving a place like bca and then trying to snag a high school diploma, a college degree, and a serious career is just not easy. I could do it, you obviously did it...but I don't think a lot of kids do. I had a friend who ran away and could've made it...he was gone for 6 months...but in the end he decided that the dreams he had were only possible if he let his parents take the reigns and eventually put him through NYU, where he is now.
All I'm saying is that if a kid wants to run away...let him do it. I just disagree with someone else, post-cedu, who doesn't know the kid, getting involved. I'm 19, a sophomore at Pepperdine i Malibu, doing very well, but I won't lie...if I had split from cedu, I might be making it somehow, but I wouldn't be here.
Be careful...not everyone has the ability to make it alone like you sos.
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Also, I do agree to some degree with Bryan's idea. I'd rather see these kids get off that mountain safe and sound than be stuck in months like these, lost, in those woods. I just don't think it's our business to get involved.
And perhaps BCA just wasn't as sick as CEDU High. Maybe kids at cedu high are built better than kids that end up at bca. I didn't see much in the way of sickos and perverts at bca...and I'm in no way a person that wouldn't notice something like that. Not saying you're wrong...we just don't see eye to eye on this I suppose.
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I never said that I did everything alone, on the contrary I had lots of help from good people, I just had to find them and ask for it. As for my parents, they eventually came around and were good enough to pay my college tuition, although my living arrangements were a different story (I worked full time all through school so I could afford to live on my own).
I really didn't have it all together back at cedu. When I split, I was a stupid kid like everyone else. All I knew was that I wasn't going to stay at CEDU. The experience of living on my own and having to fend for myself completely, made me grow up real fast. Sometimes a little fire under your ass is all it takes (at least for me anyways). Three months later, when I did get off of the streets, I can honestly say that I was a man.
Had I stayed at Cedu and graduated, at 17 I would have left the same way I came in, a confused, totally dependent, ignorant child, with no idea of how things work in the real world. Much like all the people who I did see graduate, and later found out that they became junkies, mental patients,convicts, and/or suicidal. It's much harder to deal with reality when you've been removed from it for so long, when you get out of cedu (even for me) it hits you like a brick in the face. Not everyone can cope with that. The longer you are removed, the harder you get hit.
I liken my experience at cedu (1 year and 7 months), to that of someone who wakes up from a long term coma, with the exception that my muscles and motor skills did not atrophy (although my social skills sure as hell did!!!). In essence the world moved on for over a year and a half, I didn't. It was 1992 when I got out, but to me it was still 1990. Very hard to deal with, as I'm sure you are aware.
That being said, if you gave a coma patient the following choice: "do you want to remain asleep for 2 and 1/2 years, or would you prefer only a few months?"...what do YOU think their answer would be??? It's obvious...they would want to wake up as soon as possible and go on with their life (at least everyone I know would!)
I would put this same question to current cedu students....Perhaps some kids do wish to remain "Asleep", but I believe that most of them (upon knowing what is in store when they get out)would want back into reality as soon as possible.
We are all what circumstances make us, and most of us have no idea what we are truly capable of, until we are put in the "live or die" position
so to speak. And this was certainly true in my case. So all I'm saying is this: Don't be so quick to sell these kids short.
Lastly kids have always split from cedu, and they always will. There are a lot of sickos, freaks, and perverts who frequent that mountain at RS. There is also a very dangerous "backside path" down the mountain that leads to nowhere (believe me I tried it once and almost killed myself). Unfortunately, many kids see "the backside" as an atractive alternative to hitching rides with total strangers.
Knowing that kids will split from cedu-rs as they always have and always will, I am comforted by the fact that there is at least one person out there who these kids can trust (namely Bryan)to safely take them off of that mountain. Most of us didn't have that luxury.
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Ahmen...I too chose that path down the backside...I encountered the thickest brush I have ever seen...Couldnt crawl through it or go around it..Only choice was to go back up!! :eek: Had them damn pricklies on me from head to toe..
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I just "split" from a school that was of the same ilk as CEDU; it's a new one in Virginia called Carlbrook. Tim Brace, Jonothan Gurney and Matthew Lovell are the big dogs there. I had a month and a bit to go and I'd been 18 for a while, I got fed up with the bullshit and decided to bail. I walked down the road with the intention of joining the Marines, but decided to finish highschool instead. I guess I chose the bitch way, I'm living with my Grandparents in San Francisco.
Anyway, I'm not sure what to think of the whole ordeal. Certainly it was rough, and there were a lot of emotional activities that I can't say seemed to be sound practice, but I know I'm a stronger and more self-aware kid for it. I had a rough week or two with drugs, but I decided I didn't want to go down that path anymore and was strong enough to stick to it.
That said, I feel incredibly awkward around kids and I feel like I have to ask permission to do anything. I also find myself shocked and somewhat euphoric at the idea of having an entire free afternoon after school; no group, no bans, just time to kick it. I really want to be able to fit in again; I guess that would be my biggest reason for writing this email, I need some perspective on how you guys readjusted to real life.
Peace,
Ben Sturgess
([email protected])
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Good to hear your successful story. I wonder a runaway can get a job easy. I mean getting paid under the table without any ID. My son has runaway from cedu (running spring) and missing for 11 months now. He was last seen in Mira Mesa, San Diego six months ago. We don't know how he makes his living or even he has a proper place to stay. But, I apreciate your happy ending story.
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I spent some time on the streets in
San Diego, it was the first place I went
to when I split. There isn't too much legitamate work out there for teen
runaways without ID. However, here are
a few places where I stayed/worked that
you might want to check out.
There were several Born Again Christian
Missions that fed, housed, and provided
showers & laundrey services to the
homeless. I frequented these places
myself, both were located within several
blocks from the trolly stop at Imperial
& 12th Street, Downtown San Diego. One
that I remember by name was called
"Saint Vincent Depaul Mission"
(located somewhere off of 11th Street).
The other place, I can't remember by name,
but it was located across the street from
the police impound lot, at the corner of
J & 11th Street.
A LOT of homeless people (myself included)
slept at night on the side walks outside
of the J & 11th mission due to its
proximity to the Police impound lot. It
was one of the safest places for a street
people in San Diego to sleep.
So you may want to cruise by there and
take a quick look at whose sleeping
there at night. Just be careful not to
wake up the wrong person (some of those
bums can get pretty bitchy).
The best time to check St. Vincent Depaul
(if it still exists) would be on weekday mornings around 7:00-7:30 AM....as this
is when the soup lines were open for
breakfast.
The other mission on J & 11th street
served dinner to the homeless on weeknights
at 8:00PM. Anyone who wanted to eat was required to attend a mandatory church
sermon from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM. This would
also be a good time to go look for your son.
I don't know if your son has problems with
hard drugs, but if he is or might be using,
then the best place to look for him is
Balboa Park right outside of Downtown
San Diego. If you do look for him there,
do so only during the daytime!!! The
area is frequented by gangbangers at
night, even the cops won't go there
after dark!!! If you do go there (during
the daytime only) it wouldn't hurt to
bring a friend (just in case).
There were also several blocks of CRACK
houses in the neighborhood of Imperial &
25th Street. If your son is using, then
he may frequent these houses, and could
possibly be living in one of the alleyways behind them, as many junkies do. Do not
go looking for him there alone, bring a
friend, or better yet several. Under no circumstances should you ever attempt to
enter a crack house, even if your son is
in there!!! Call the cops to get him for
you.
As for places where your son might find employment, check out all of the fruit
warehouses in and around the city, as
these places typically employ illegal
aliens (under the table of course). It's
one place where a teen runaway could most
likely find a job in San Diego.
Also when I was in San Diego, every
morning around 6:30-7:00 delivery vans
would pull up in front of the 2 missions
that I mentioned, and would recruit/pick
up homeless people to deliver newspapers
or pass out flyers for the day. typical
pay was between $15.00-$20.00 per day to
deliver 1000 papers/flyers. This was
guaranteed work, and us regulars were at
the pick up points every weekday morning promptly at 6:30 AM.
Also, ticket scalpers tend to recruit
the homeless and send them to stadium
box offices to buy tickets for major
concerts and sporting events on opening
day (of ticket sales). What the scalpers
would do is come to the missions with a
couple vans and pick up 20 to 30 homeless
and drive them to the stadium. The
scalpers would give every bum $150-$200.00
and had us wait at the box office gate.
The second the gates open, the bums would
rush to the box office and buy as many
first 10 rows tickets that we could and
then take them back to the scalpers.
The whole process lasts about an hour,
and the scalpers usually paid each bum
around $20.00-$30.00 each.
This was easy work, and the scalpers
liked using the same people over again, so if they felt that they could trust you,
it meant repeat work.
You might want to check and see if any
big concerts/shows are coming to town.
If so show up at the stadium box office
on opening day, a few minutes before the
gates open. Opening day for concert
ticket sales is almost always on a Saturday.
If your son works for these people like I
did, then there is a chance that you will
run into him.
I wish I could be more help, but I was
on the streets of San Diego 12 years ago,
my memory of that time is dim, and
I don't know how relevant my experience
is with what the homeless are doing for
money these days.
The only other things I can suggest are:
1. check the blood banks ( it's a big longshot) as this is a tried and true place where all homeless can go and make a quick buck.
2. check out the "OLD Village" section of down town San Diego(it's on the water) during the weekends (especially friday & saturday nights).
As this area is packed with rich tourists and
is a favorite target for Pan Handlers/Beggars.
My heart goes out to you Wayne. Please know that I am praying for the safe return of your son.
.[ This Message was edited by: SON OF SERBIA on 2005-01-12 14:22 ]
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Damn good stuff!!!I personally dont think he is homeless after 11 months though...I was also on these same streets and its very a very accurate description..The best way too make cash though is working as a laborer under the table..Theres a spot in every city where you see a bunch of mexicans that get picked up for daily work..They get payed deicent too like 50 cash for the day.I have seen much more of that in san marcos,escondido and vista.
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Great insights on how to make a living in San Diego.
With what we had known, my son never show up in the downtown area. Not even a single sighting. We were sure he was in Mira Mesa area from Apil to end of June. After that we lost track of him. In early April he must be very poor, we got sighting of him asking for cigaretteand might even panhandling. However, he must be able to find a way to make some money. He was able to afford something other then basic needs. He has been sent buying a drink from Braun's & Noble. I guess he must got a lot of help form the people he met on the street.
We don't know he is using drug or not, but if he does, it must be some minor stuff. Otherwise, he should be picked up long time ago.
I don't know how easy to get a shelter as a runawy. My son is not a gangster type of person. But we still worry he might meet some gangsters and they provide him a shelter, a way to make money and a lot of bad infulence.
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For those who wish to runaway from Boulder Creek academy, Rocky Mountain Academy or Northwest Academy, Just Go to Coeur d'Alene and turn right to Spokane Washington - There is a mission there and lots of youth services near the freeway offramp at Division Street.
AND IN WASHINGTON STATE MINORS 15 OR OVER CAN'T BE PICKED UP AND RETURNES TO CEDU. THE POLICE LEAVE MINORS ALONE IF THEY DON'T BREAK ANY LAws