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The cost of Gothard and ATI


homeschoolmomma1

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So shocked by the pricing of the Journey to the heart seminar I did some research

 

If you were just getting started in ATI this is the costs

(think it is the first time- because if you are alumni you might get stuff free after the first time)

Basic Seminar $60

First- time additional family member $35

 

Advanced Seminar $60

First- time additional family member $35

 

Anger seminar $35

First- time additional family member $35

 

Financial Freedom Seminar $109 (HEY! It is backordered- i bet because Jim Bob talks about it in every interview lately)

 

Homeschool

 

Application- $25

Admissions Training Videos: Two-month rental for $50 or purchase for $75

Your first year materials will include the following:

•Four Wisdom Booklets per child (aged 7 and up)

•Four Parent Guide Planners

•Guard Your Heart booklet—A memorization and meditation program

•Commands of Christ Series 1-7

•Family Support Link Live!

•ATI Handbook

•Student Journal sets

•Three-month rental of the Basic Seminar

•Three-month rental of the Advanced Seminar

•Three-month rental of the Anger Resolution Seminar

•Financial Freedom Seminar

•Vocabulary cards

•Scripture memory poster

•Weekly Planner

•Access to online materials such as Wisdom Booklet Content Overviews, Greek Training Sessions, and Greek Worksheets

ATI Annual Update—Subsequent Years

 

Family Tuition: $150 annual ATI family enrollment + $80 for each student receiving Wisdom Booklets. Larger families will not need to pay more than a total of $630. (so each kid doesn't even get thier own book? share?)

 

 

Please note: Effective September 1st, 2011, the subsequent year tuition fee for ATI Families will only apply to those that enroll on an annual basis. Any family reenrolling in ATI that has not updated their enrollment status within a 12-month period will be charged a $675 tuition fee to renew enrollment status.

•$150 annual enrollment covers family support services, reduced ATI Conference pricing, special Journey to the Heart pricing, and offsets administrative and program development costs.

•Students may receive eight Wisdom Booklets per year for $80.

•Families with students receiving Wisdom Booklets will also receive eight Parent Guide Planners.

 

Additional Resources

 

There is an array of publications available through IBLP and ATI to complement your new approach to home education. A few recommendations are listed below:

•Character Sketches (Three Volume Set)$105.00

Beautifully illustrated volumes explain how God’s creation demonstrates character

 

•Wisdom Booklet Language Arts Curriculum $8.00- teachers guide There are a lot of books that are 3.00 each I didn't bother to count sorry

Language Arts curriculum that corresponds with Wisdom Booklet studies

 

•The Power for True Success$25.00

A colorful, insightful volume presenting 49 character qualities

•Inspiring biographies and training materials http://store.iblp.org/categories/books/ lists tons of more books

Materials for family growth and discipleship

 

ATI Conference- this ranges from 85- 195 depending if you get an early bird special

10 dollars for grandparents to attend

kids have various programs you have to add on http://ati.iblp.org/ati/events/regionalconferences/documents/registration2011.pdf?show=true

 

Journey to the Heart

Young ladies- ATI Students= $500 ($50/day)

Non-ATI Students = $800 ($80/day)

 

Young Adult- ATI Students= $500 ($50/day)

Non-ATI Students = $800 ($80/day)

 

Moms- ATI Moms = $500 ($50/day)

Non-ATI Moms = $800 ($80/day)

 

 

Okay I know I am forgetting stuff but wow do the math- that sure adds up

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And yet Gothard pays himself 'only' $600 or so per month? The Church owns all of his homes, private jet, etc.

Can we officially say that ATI stands for A Terrible Idea?

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Yikes, can you imagine how much this would cost? And those are just the start-up bills, not the ongoing stuff. When Duggar was buying used underwear for his kids, he was giving some stranger thousands just to be a card-carrying patriarch. I can't imagine how normal fundie families, like that lady who stores her daughters on Costco shelving instead of giving them beds, can afford this.

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Guest Anonymous

This is Gothard's way of keeping his adherents too poor to go anywhere else. They can never better themselves because any money they have is in ATI's hands. And, a family that has sunk this much money into ATI will think twice about walking out on their investment.

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He has a private jet?

I've read this before, but can't find confirmation right this minute. He does seem to have the runway:

"According to several former employees from the late 1970s era Bill had a landing strip built at his 3,000 acre Big Bear lodge retreat in the Northwoods and he had it built to accommodate Air Force 1. I am told that he indicated God had told him that one day presidents to come to him and he wanted to be prepared."

http://midwestoutreach.org/blogs/bill-gothard-king-maker

ETA: One of Gothard's former pilots posts in the comments, so I guess he does/did have a plane. :shhh:

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Can we officially say that ATI stands for A Terrible Idea?

YES!

Seriously, though, what is wrong with all of these idiots who gladly plunk down big bucks for this false prophet? He's laughing all they way to the bank.

I don't understand why people don't put billboards quoting Matthew 7:15 on the streets facing the compound in Illinois. This sham of a spiritual leader is ruining so many lives, especially the children of his followers who never had a choice in the matter.

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I don't know.

I think the resources provided by Gothard and ATI are crap, but I know that most homeschooling families have to spend $$ every year on resources of some sort. As wonderful as it sounds, you can't only teach your kids through field trips. You can be resourceful, use the library, find free online curricula (though you'd still have to pay for your family's internet connection) even (gag) "buy used and save the difference"--lots of cities have homeschoolers who swap, or get stuff together in big yard sales, and so on. But you're still paying for it.

This just doesn't sound that expensive to me. Even the Journey to the Heart--$50 a day per girl, well, they have to feed them, and drive them to that camp in the woods (cost of gas, vehicle rental or maintenance), keep the lights on in the building and everything. Do I think it's a scam, on some level? Yes, absolutely. Do I think it could be a real burden on low-income families? Absolutely. But you know, a year at a private elementary school in Manhattan can cost over $35,000. Public schools regularly spend tens of thousands of dollars per student per year. In real numbers, this is simply not that much money for private education. The problem is that in this case "education" ought to be in quotes, just in case they get sued one day for failing to teach, you know, basics. Like science. Or accurate history.

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I had no idea it cost so much. This reminds me of my former SIL and how much money she spends doing all kinds of Scientology classes/workshops/trainings (I don't remember now what they are called). It was a lot of money though.

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used UNDERWEAR?! Did this really happen or are you just being creative? Ew ew ew!!!

I don't have a problem with using cotton training pants that are used but only if they came from my sisters or very best friends children. Same with cloth diapers but not used maternity underwear. My sisters and friends never got such huge gifts from the titty fairy like I did in pregnancy(went from a large B cup to a H cup) so that was never an issue. But from strangers? No way. I don't know why I used used training pants on my sons, either from an older brother on a younger brother or from an older cousin to my son but I did. Maybe because I see baby/toddler butts being innocent or maybe because I was too poor to buy the 5 ply that my sons prefered for each training toddler

in mass amounts needed for training .

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This just doesn't sound that expensive to me.

Ah, but don't forget - he doesn't pay taxes on any of this income, because it's a "church." Every penny over expenses goes right into his coffers.

I sent my kids to very nice summer camps for a LOT less than $500-800, although no brainwashing was provided. Maybe that's why it costs so much...What does a good brainwasher go for, these days?

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I might be missing something, but I don't think the Life in a Shoe lady (she of the children who sleep on shelves) is ATI.

Not all of the fundies use it--I remember hearing that it was *Very* expensive back in the day. Yes, it compares well to other private schooling, but it does not really cover everything. They say they do, but they don't. So you (if you are concerned with academics, as some ATI families are) have to buy math books, etc.

As I recall, the application process is also really really long, and you have to promise that you don't drink. That right there would leave Shoe lady out, as she says they enjoy wine/beer on occasion.

(If I had that many kids, I'd be drinking like a fish, but that's neither here nor there.)

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I don't know.

I think the resources provided by Gothard and ATI are crap, but I know that most homeschooling families have to spend $$ every year on resources of some sort. As wonderful as it sounds, you can't only teach your kids through field trips. You can be resourceful, use the library, find free online curricula (though you'd still have to pay for your family's internet connection) even (gag) "buy used and save the difference"--lots of cities have homeschoolers who swap, or get stuff together in big yard sales, and so on. But you're still paying for it.

This just doesn't sound that expensive to me. Even the Journey to the Heart--$50 a day per girl, well, they have to feed them, and drive them to that camp in the woods (cost of gas, vehicle rental or maintenance), keep the lights on in the building and everything. Do I think it's a scam, on some level? Yes, absolutely. Do I think it could be a real burden on low-income families? Absolutely. But you know, a year at a private elementary school in Manhattan can cost over $35,000. Public schools regularly spend tens of thousands of dollars per student per year. In real numbers, this is simply not that much money for private education. The problem is that in this case "education" ought to be in quotes, just in case they get sued one day for failing to teach, you know, basics. Like science. Or accurate history.

I have known more than one family that could barely keep a roof over their heads (SAHM, Dad with a very ordinary doesn't-pay-that-great-job, multiplicity of kids) that plunked down money they didn't have at least once, maybe twice a year to go to Gothard stuff. They would spin it as "homeschool conference" and "what we do for our vacation". Gah.

One family eventually saw the light (sort of) and got out, but still follows some remnants of those teachings.

Another family- their kids grew up, rebelled, made some very bad choices in life, etc. I actually feel sorry for them- the parents and the grown up kids.

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Guest Anonymous

I don't have a problem with using cotton training pants that are used but only if they came from my sisters or very best friends children. Same with cloth diapers but not used maternity underwear. My sisters and friends never got such huge gifts from the titty fairy like I did in pregnancy(went from a large B cup to a H cup) so that was never an issue. But from strangers? No way. I don't know why I used used training pants on my sons, either from an older brother on a younger brother or from an older cousin to my son but I did. Maybe because I see baby/toddler butts being innocent or maybe because I was too poor to buy the 5 ply that my sons prefered for each training toddler

in mass amounts needed for training .

Wow, I never bought used panties for Her Maj, but I have handed some very gently worn ones down to friends. As far as cloth diapers and training pants went, I bought as much used as I could, resold the diapers and donated the training pants to her preschool. Of course, I am convinced that soap, hot water and a hot dryer are effective germ killers.

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Wow, I never bought used panties for Her Maj, but I have handed some very gently worn ones down to friends. As far as cloth diapers and training pants went, I bought as much used as I could, resold the diapers and donated the training pants to her preschool. Of course, I am convinced that soap, hot water and a hot dryer are effective germ killers.

And bleach.

Hospital laundry service, anyone? Those sheets get reused over and over.

Ever hear of DIAPER SERVICE? I used diaper service for a period of time while I had 2 in diapers at the same time. Their diapers were as white and soft as you could ever imagine.

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The "cost" is way more than mere money.

First you have to be APPROVED to join. [Though these days I suspect it has more to do with the check clearing...]. To be "approved" you are "inspected."

You are usually LED into it by a "model" ATI family. These days a lot of folks look into it due to the Duggars and are naive enough to think they can "take the good, ignore the bad...." YES, the Duggars CAN dress like they do--it's a recruiting tool. Be careful!

I do wonder, too, if it's a pyramid scheme--in that you get paid for any family you recruit??

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And do those Wisdom Booklets contain ALL the information a child needs to learn? Math? Science? Geography? Spelling? Everything? Are the Wisdom Booklets age or grade appropriate? I am kind of afraid they might all use the same one at the same time. I recall the bankruptcy booklets...It seems to me that chemical reactions or a little biology might be of more value. And since financial freedom is practiced, why would an ATI family even need to know about bankruptcy?

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And do those Wisdom Booklets contain ALL the information a child needs to learn?

No--they are a supplement

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So, in addition to paying for all the ATI stuff, a family still needs to purchase other eduacational material for the SOTDRT. At least a large family will be using everything repeatedly to keep costs down.

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I thought the whole point of the Wisdom Booklets was that they were "unit studies" that would teach you everything?? I mean, obviously, parents who are homeschooling to give their kids and education would need more than that, but some people do it for religious indoctrination only, so I could see them just going with the WBs and not doing anything else, which is sad.

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The "cost" is way more than mere money.

I do wonder, too, if it's a pyramid scheme--in that you get paid for any family you recruit??

Wow! That would be a good question for Ruth or for the former ATI-ers who might be among us.

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Wow! That would be a good question for Ruth or for the former ATI-ers who might be among us.

At least in the 90's it wasn't. When I went to ATI events my family was actually one of the poorest. Most of the other people were fairly well off. It isn't really a program for poor people.

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