Part of the bargain was mandatory attendance in these seminars pushed by Resource Realizations. The parents also had to attend their own seminar(s). I did research and discovered that, basically, this seminar is a descendant of est, Werner Erhard's "Erhard Seminar Training". They will tell you no, it is not from est but from Lifespring...but guess where Lifespring came from?
They are called LGAT'S, LARGE GROUP AWARENESS TRAINING Seminars, and like est their goal is somehow to get the attendee to get "it". "It" in est was undefined ("In life, understanding is the booby prize"—Erhard). In the others it can range from personal improvement or, as in the school scenario above, "sensitivity".
The methods they use to get people to get "it" have been called brainwashing by some, or simple manipulation of people in groups in small, controlled spaces, by a domineering seminar leader (Erhard used to verbally abuse his audience—"You are miserable because you are all a bunch of a#$@^%*s!" When this, among other things, eventually brought negative reviews he handed the program over to his brother, est was re-branded as The Landmark Forum, and Erhard disappeared for years).
My brother tried and tried to get me to go to the seminars, but this relentless promotion by attendees is just another part of the whole scam. Like Gilcrease said "While Challenge Day is a critical first step, a one-day learning experience only goes so far,".
Read that: "While getting a bunch of students to fall for our controversial first seminar is a good first step, this will only go just so far to create the kind of sustaining wealth and power over young minds we are truly seeking."
Gee I need one too :)