Hidden Lake academy

[juniper]

Thank you for responding..Can you tell me about HLA on this forum..?  I am just so leary about
trusting who is on the other end, whether it is
Hla and their dogma..Thanks[ This Message was edited by: juniper on 2005-04-20 08:56 ]

[juniper]

Hi and thank you for your input.  How are you
acquainted with HLA?  Is there anything you can tell us thst you do know?[ This Message was edited by: juniper on 2005-04-20 09:02 ]

[Deborah]

I found nothing about strip searches in the manual either.

A letter sent to parents in July 01 stated that students would no longer be allowed to leave or return with luggage. Only the clothes on their backs. Parents would have to purchase clothes for the break if needed.

Quote: "Currently, staff members are required to search a student's luggage and belongings upon return to campus to ensure that items, which jeopardize the safety and security of campus, are located. Students are required to wait until a thorough search of their belongings has been completed. [but then states the opposite] Students will now no longer have to wait for their belongings, as all they require will be in their dorm rooms upon return."

Another letter was sent to correct the obvious errors in the original.

Nothing, directly anyway, about searching their body.

I don't know if body searches are 'legal' or not, or to what extent they are conducted, or can be conducted.

Re: specifics about how restrictions are handled currently, you'd have to ask one of the recent graduates. I have shared my experience, which was three years ago. I was told that 'military' guys do run restrictions.

You might try posing your questions to the owner, and expressing your concern that it's difficult to get answers from staff. I mean, an inquiry re: a chemistry lab is not a difficult questions. Why wouldn't it be answered? Unless they don't have one and sensed that that might be important to you.

The authority on what's happening on a day-to-day basis are the participants. If you don't trust your child, and you don't trust the program, I can imagine that's quiet the quandary.

[juniper]

Hi and thanks.  The problem is that we cannot make any waves until we pull our children.  They will find a way to make our lives miserable.
One cannot get any answers, and no one is getting their phone calls returned by even Cates.
If one asks a question, no one knows the answer.
It's just awful.  There is no chem. lab.  The point is, the Assistant Headmaster should have
known that.  Strip searches..I need to find out if they are legal..I know that forcing young
ladies to drop their pants to urinate in a goose feces covered field is not right and and there is nothing in the regulations that covers this.
Also, it is already an environmental health risk
and the children are forced to do push ups in the field.  It is highly bacterial and can cause
respitory infections and respitory failure if
the bacterial level is too high.  I cannot call
the board of health until our children are
safely home.  These happenings date back to 1997.
Is this school connected, poltically and every other way?

[Troll Control]

On 2005-04-20 09:14:00, juniper wrote:

"Hi and thanks.  The problem is that we cannot make any waves until we pull our children.  They will find a way to make our lives miserable.

One cannot get any answers, and no one is getting their phone calls returned by even Cates.

If one asks a question, no one knows the answer.

It's just awful.  There is no chem. lab.  The point is, the Assistant Headmaster should have

known that.  Strip searches..I need to find out if they are legal..I know that forcing young

ladies to drop their pants to urinate in a goose feces covered field is not right and and there is nothing in the regulations that covers this.

Also, it is already an environmental health risk

and the children are forced to do push ups in the field.  It is highly bacterial and can cause

respitory infections and respitory failure if

the bacterial level is too high.  I cannot call

the board of health until our children are

safely home.  These happenings date back to 1997.

Is this school connected, poltically and every other way?"

Just show up, unannounced, and take custody of your child (or children).  There is NOTHING anybody can do to prevent a parent who has legal custody from taking their children with them.

Other "programs" have tried this and were "tuned-up" by lawsuits with damages awarded in the millions of dollars.  Not releasing YOUR child into YOUR custody is a criminal offense: "unlawful imprisonment."  They will not risk a confrontation with police and parents in an uncontrolled environment.

Now, they may bluster and talk about not refunding your tuition, etc.  Again, however, they cannot hold your cash any more than they can hold your kid.  They've been taken to task about this before, made empty threats, and eventually, as required by law, relented and refunded.

Leaving your kid there gives them a bargaining chip and a manipulation tool.

Buck up, get some nerve and GO GET YOUR KID.

[SHH Anon Classics]

If I am not mistaken, a previous post by Juniper states they are a step-parent. I don't think they can legally go in there and "take" the children. But maybe the custodial biological parent could.

[Deborah]

Juniper,
Just a point of clarification.
Are you saying that you have more than one child there? And that you had other children there in the past? I'm refering to your comment that this has been 'going on since 1997'.
Or are you an Ed Con?[ This Message was edited by: Deborah on 2005-04-20 10:31 ]

[Deborah]

SHH,
you said:  If this is in response to me, Macaroni, I never ever said you were fired or disgruntled...I have said that about some other posters though.

I know you have said this. I would appreciate it if you'd list the posters here that are ex staff who were fired. And what does disgruntled mean? They had a difference of opinion? They disagreed with the program's policies and procedures? Exactly what does that mean.
And who are you claiming was disgruntled?

[Troll Control]

Whoever has LEGAL custody of the child can remove them from the program.  If it's a step-parent with custody rights, then, yes, they can do it.

Don't know Juniper's status, but under the username "Juniper" I didn't see "step-parent" anywhere...

[Anonymous]

Deborah, you should know as much as anyone that with all of the privacy laws there is no way that HLA would be able to give out the information of any current or prior employee.  sure they probably have it, how else would they get her tax forms and a last pay check.  but they will NEVER give it out and by law they cannot even if they wanted to.

[Anonymous]

as passions run very high on both ends of the spectrum regarding HLA, it is going to be very hard to get any type of unbiased opinion (on either side)...there are folks that were there years ago and some that were there recently and both differ on lots of items...since there have obviously been a lot of changes throughout the years.
like deborah (i think) said, you really need to trust your gut since you cant completely trust your child and you cant completely trust HLA... good luck, i wish you well.

[Deborah]

Yes, and HLA would be violating no laws or ethics by forwarding the parent's contact info to Marla. The parent would have to request such and HLA would have to be willing. Both are unlikely in this controversial issue, but nothing unethical about it otherwise.

[SHH Anon Classics]

If I was a teacher or staff I would not want my personal info given out to anyone without my permission beforehand. If HLA gives out Marla's info to the parents, they could be sued.

[juniper]

Hey, again thanks for the in-put.  No it is not a custody issue.  I meant to be speaking of other families that have children there.  The parents are troubled, and like me , in some areas, can't quite put their finger on what is wrong.  It is coming together as I read through
everyones offerings.  We have a child there and have made contact with other families.  Deborah, reference to 1997 was from issues people wrote about happened there and are still happening.
Our children could not have known about them, yet
they have told us the same stuff and the school just says it is manipulation.  8yrs apart.  I
beleive our children.

[juniper]

What is an Ed Con?Never mind, just got it.[ This Message was edited by: juniper on 2005-04-20 17:12 ]