Aspen Education's Systematic Child Abuse

[Anne Bonney]

Keep Reading,In the same article Aspen says:

Yes, "Aspen says".  Why do you keep quoting a press release from the President of Aspen Ed?  That's not what I asked for.  I asked for (and Ursus finally provided) a link to what the DHS actually said, which is quoted again below and it says nothing about them backing off of their findings.


Erinn Kelley-Siel, Director of Children, Adults and Families at Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) released the following statement today (Friday) re: settlement agreement between DHS and Mount Bachelor Academy (MBA), Aspen Education Group, CRC Health Group and former MBA executive director Sharon Bitz:

DHS takes its responsibility to the vulnerable young people enrolled in state-licensed programs, such as Mount Bachelor Academy (MBA), very seriously. Our first priority is to ensure the safety of Oregon children and youth.

In November, 2009, following a comprehensive investigation that revealed serious abuse and widespread violations of Oregon's licensing rules, DHS took immediate action to suspend MBA's license.

On September 28, following settlement negotiations with all parties, MBA acknowledged that, based on the evidence available to DHS on November 2, 2009, the agency had reasonable cause to believe that abuse or neglect occurred at the school, as uncovered in the investigation.

In addition, MBA agrees that DHS had a reasonable basis to investigate the allegations of abuse and neglect and to seek corrective actions. Mount Bachelor Academy is closed and, by all accounts, will remain closed. Finally, the school and its parent corporations, as well as Ms. Bitz will dismiss all related legal actions.

Therapeutic Boarding Schools provide valuable programs and services to children and families in Oregon, and we are fortunate to have laws and rules in place that allow the state to regulate the health and safety of youth in these schools.

[Whooter]

Yes, "Aspen says".  Why do you keep quoting a press release from the President of Aspen Ed?  That's not what I asked for.  I asked for (and Ursus finally provided) a link to what the DHS actually said, which is quoted again below and it says nothing about them backing off of their findings.

Because it is mentioned in the same article, Anne, "DHS has agreed  to withdraw or modify all of its actions against MBA"

Look below DHS's press release and you will find it:

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.



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[Anne Bonney]

Look below DHS's press release and you will find it:

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.

That's still the quote from the Prez of Aspen Ed.  His position is that DHS's decision to withdraw it's actions means that "they didn't have the justification for that order in the first place".  The actual DHS statement says nothing like that.

[Dysfunction Junction]

...what the DHS actually said, which is quoted again below and it says nothing about them backing off of their findings.

No, it sure doesn't.  That's an invention of Whooter's.  All they say is that some charges were withdrawn and some charges were modified.  For all we know they withdrew some minor ones and modified upward the serious ones.  We won't know until we see some source materials from DHS describing the changes.  All the rest is plain old "Whooter spin" on Aspen's behalf.

[Whooter]

Look below DHS's press release and you will find it:

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.

That's still the quote from the Prez of Aspen Ed.  His position is that DHS's decision to withdraw it's actions means that "they didn't have the justification for that order in the first place".  The actual DHS statement says nothing like that.

Regardless of who said it, It was clearly stated in the article:

"DHS has agreed  to withdraw or modify all of its actions against MBA"



...

[Anne Bonney]

Look below DHS's press release and you will find it:

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.

That's still the quote from the Prez of Aspen Ed.  His position is that DHS's decision to withdraw it's actions means that "they didn't have the justification for that order in the first place".  The actual DHS statement says nothing like that.

Regardless of who said it, It was clearly stated in the article:

"DHS has agreed  to withdraw or modify all of its actions against MBA"

...what the DHS actually said, which is quoted again below and it says nothing about them backing off of their findings.

No, it sure doesn't.  That's an invention of Whooter's.  All they say is that some charges were withdrawn and some charges were modified.  For all we know they withdrew some minor ones and modified upward the serious ones.  We won't know until we see some source materials from DHS describing the changes.  All the rest is plain old "Whooter spin" on Aspen's behalf.

[Whooter]

More quotes from the same article:

News of the settlement was applauded by supporters of the school, including Elaine Povich, a Washington, D.C., freelance journalist, who credits MBA with "giving her son the tools he needed to study, graduate and go on with his education."

"Before MBA, he was floundering," she said. "He benefited immensely from the program, and developed important relationships with the staff there."

"It is gratifying to see the settlement in which DHS admits what we parents knew all along - the state caused a completely unecessary disruption of a unique and successful school community by acting precipitiously and without gathering all of the facts first," Povich told NewsChannel 21.

"The state went off half-cocked," Povich added. "I hope especially that this settlement will mean that no other school will be subjected in the future to similar callous treatment by DHS."



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[Dysfunction Junction]

DHS finds that 8 allegations of abuse are substantiated against MBA and one allegation of abuse is substantiated against the Executive Director of MBA in violation of OAR 407-045-0820(1)(f), (g) and (h). Moreover, DHS finds that MBA is in violation of the following licensing rules: OAR 413-215-0076; OAR 413-215-0606; OAR 413-215-0681; OAR 413-215-0051; OAR 413-215-0676; OAR 413-215-00651; OAR 413-215-0661; OAR 413-215-0681; OAR 413-215-0056; OAR 413-215-0021; and OAR 413-215-0046.

DHS finds that MBA's abuse and neglect of students and violations of the licensing rules described below, establishes that MBA poses a serious danger to public health or safety, that conditions exist that immediately endanger the health or safety of children at MBA and that MBA should not be permitted to continue operating as a therapeutic boarding school for children and should immediately discontinue providing therapeutic, educational and residential services.

Thankfully MBA is no more and cannot continue to abuse and neglect children placed in its "care."

[Whooter]

DHS finds that 8 allegations of abuse are substantiated against MBA and one allegation of abuse is substantiated against the Executive Director of MBA in violation of OAR 407-045-0820(1)(f), (g) and (h). Moreover, DHS finds that MBA is in violation of the following licensing rules: OAR 413-215-0076; OAR 413-215-0606; OAR 413-215-0681; OAR 413-215-0051; OAR 413-215-0676; OAR 413-215-00651; OAR 413-215-0661; OAR 413-215-0681; OAR 413-215-0056; OAR 413-215-0021; and OAR 413-215-0046.

DHS finds that MBA's abuse and neglect of students and violations of the licensing rules described below, establishes that MBA poses a serious danger to public health or safety, that conditions exist that immediately endanger the health or safety of children at MBA and that MBA should not be permitted to continue operating as a therapeutic boarding school for children and should immediately discontinue providing therapeutic, educational and residential services.

Quote from news article release!

"DHS has agreed  to withdraw or modify all of its actions against MBA"



...

[Anne Bonney]

DHS finds that 8 allegations of abuse are substantiated against MBA and one allegation of abuse is substantiated against the Executive Director of MBA in violation of OAR 407-045-0820(1)(f), (g) and (h). Moreover, DHS finds that MBA is in violation of the following licensing rules: OAR 413-215-0076; OAR 413-215-0606; OAR 413-215-0681; OAR 413-215-0051; OAR 413-215-0676; OAR 413-215-00651; OAR 413-215-0661; OAR 413-215-0681; OAR 413-215-0056; OAR 413-215-0021; and OAR 413-215-0046.

DHS finds that MBA's abuse and neglect of students and violations of the licensing rules described below, establishes that MBA poses a serious danger to public health or safety, that conditions exist that immediately endanger the health or safety of children at MBA and that MBA should not be permitted to continue operating as a therapeutic boarding school for children and should immediately discontinue providing therapeutic, educational and residential services.

Quote from news article release!

"DHS has agreed  to withdraw or modify all of its actions against MBA"

Well, since MBA was closed down for abuse I guess they don't need to take any more action. Works out nicely.

[Whooter]

DHS finds that 8 allegations of abuse are substantiated against MBA and one allegation of abuse is substantiated against the Executive Director of MBA in violation of OAR 407-045-0820(1)(f), (g) and (h). Moreover, DHS finds that MBA is in violation of the following licensing rules: OAR 413-215-0076; OAR 413-215-0606; OAR 413-215-0681; OAR 413-215-0051; OAR 413-215-0676; OAR 413-215-00651; OAR 413-215-0661; OAR 413-215-0681; OAR 413-215-0056; OAR 413-215-0021; and OAR 413-215-0046.

DHS finds that MBA's abuse and neglect of students and violations of the licensing rules described below, establishes that MBA poses a serious danger to public health or safety, that conditions exist that immediately endanger the health or safety of children at MBA and that MBA should not be permitted to continue operating as a therapeutic boarding school for children and should immediately discontinue providing therapeutic, educational and residential services.

Quote from news article release!

"DHS has agreed  to withdraw or modify all of its actions against MBA"

Well, since MBA was closed down for abuse I guess they don't need to take any more action. Works out nicely.

No they dont need to do anymore.  I believe if Aspen does open up another facility on the same site they will change the name of it because the name MBA was tainted due to the allegations against it and even though DHS is withdrawing or modifying its actions the damage to the the school was done in the first week when they were accused of abuse.  With the condition of the present economy Aspen isnt looking to expand anyway, they are trying to control expenses.



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[Dysfunction Junction]

The emotional growth curriculum included but was not limited to sexual role play in front of staff and peers requiring students to say derogatory phrases about themselves in front of staff and peers requiring students to reenact past physical abuse in front of staff and peers permitting staff to engage in the usage of derogatory names phrases and ridicule of students and deprivation of sleep...

All students were required to participate...

Good riddance to bad garbage.  Too bad they still run this same program at all of the other Aspen facilities.  Hopefully they'll get shuttered soon, too or go under financially which seems to be well on its way.

[Whooter]

Here is a link for you to review:

Link

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[Dysfunction Junction]

The emotional growth curriculum included but was not limited to sexual role play in front of staff and peers requiring students to say derogatory phrases about themselves in front of staff and peers requiring students to reenact past physical abuse in front of staff and peers permitting staff to engage in the usage of derogatory names phrases and ridicule of students and deprivation of sleep...

All students were required to participate...

This, among many other reasons, is why MBA was closed down.  Just read the above passage, and if you're OK with it, then you ought to be strung up because it is blatant sexualized child abuse.  That's a fact some here desperately want to avoid.

[Anne Bonney]

The emotional growth curriculum included but was not limited to sexual role play in front of staff and peers requiring students to say derogatory phrases about themselves in front of staff and peers requiring students to reenact past physical abuse in front of staff and peers permitting staff to engage in the usage of derogatory names phrases and ridicule of students and deprivation of sleep...

All students were required to participate...

This, among many other reasons, is why MBA was closed down.  Just read the above passage, and if you're OK with it, then you ought to be strung up because it is blatant sexualized child abuse.  That's a fact some here desperately want to avoid.

 :nods: