Any HYDE STAFFERS willing to post?

[Anonymous]

Would be good if we could get some former Staffers to tell of their experiences at Hyde.  There are tons of them out there since very few stay more than a year or two!

[Anonymous]

If they are present staffers, they wouldn't post.  If they are former ones, they want to put the ugly mess behind them!  Most staffers who leave Hyde want to forget they were ever there!!

[tommyfromhyde1]

Someone who claims to be both a former student and
faculty member posted to another thread 8 days ago.
Bottom post on this page http://fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?to ... orum=43&14
If she's who I think she is she was in the same
freshman class as me.

I am not looking to collect money or punish anyone for their involvement with straight. I'm looking to change this mutherfucking world.
http://fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?topic=9014&forum=7&Sort=D#93452' target='_new'>Reagan Youth

[Anonymous]

I am a Hyde staffer

[Anonymous]

On 2005-11-08 19:00:00, Anonymous wrote:

"I am a Hyde staffer"

And what are your views on the various issues that have been addressed on this website?

[Anonymous]

It must be a nightmare to teach at Hyde.  Teachers have to go through this 'process' too.  I'm a teacher myself (not at Hyde) , and to be part of that system I would have to toss out everything I learned about learning theory, good practices and child psychology.  Like the "Emperor's New Clothes" - it sounds good at first, but, there must be some reason why the turnover is as high as it is there.  My child's favorite teachers have all left.  Just as parents are reticent to go public about their complaint, so are teachers, especially since they'll need references in their future.

[Anonymous]

Who were your child's favorite teachers and why?

[Anonymous]

I am not the "anonymous" you are asking about as far as favorite teachers, but I was a student at Hyde and will tell you about the teachers.

My favorite teachers ended up being the ones who were not involved in their "own self discovery."  There were a few good teachers at the school who for some reason the school leaves alone, and does not insist they go through the same seminars. For most teachers and their families, it was required.  I don't know for sure but I think the ones that they leave alone are the ones who they know would not "buy into the program" yet they don't want to lose them.

What got to me the most was the totally f--ked up teachers who they had leading the seminars.  So many of my teachers had such deep seeded problems they should have NEVER been giving advise or facilitating seminars. I never understood this.  The young ones especially!  It seemed to me that any of the good, psychologically normal teachers would get the hell out within a year or two because it was just too bizarre of a school.  Those ones who left were my best and favorite teachers.

I so much appreciate some of the posts I am seeing on this board.  So many of you have articulated what is seriously wrong with Hyde.

[tommyfromhyde1]

I don't remember faculty having to go through seminar so they must have changed that since '76. The seminars I remember were just the freshman class and one faculty member who was the leader and not a target. I know I dreaded the damn things because I was always the most convenient target in the class. If you wanted not to be the focus of a seminar just talk about 'ol Tom.

A fundamentalist Christian President who claims God told him to invade Iraq ? an act that killed more than 150,000 civilians, mostly women and children ? is not that much different from a fundamentalist Islamic fanatic who claims it is the will of Allah that he send young men to America to crash airliners into office buildings and kill 3,000 plus.

http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_7501.shtml' target='_new'>DOUG THOMPSON

[Anonymous]

Oh yes Tommy, the staff have their own sick seminars!  They make them talk about their marriages, and everything else intrusive that the rest of us go through.  Hyde will say this shows how great the school is in making the teachers go through the same thing, but from what I understand many teachers would bolt and run because of this intrusivness!!  I remember hearing from Mrs Grant about being raped as a student in college.  Is this really what all of us kids need to hear in order to "grow?"

[Anonymous]

On 2005-11-10 19:02:00, Anonymous wrote:

"Oh yes Tommy, the staff have their own sick seminars!  They make them talk about their marriages, and everything else intrusive that the rest of us go through.  Hyde will say this shows how great the school is in making the teachers go through the same thing, but from what I understand many teachers would bolt and run because of this intrusivness!!  I remember hearing from Mrs Grant about being raped as a student in college.  Is this really what all of us kids need to hear in order to "grow?""

This is yet another example of Hyde's twisted perspective.  Here's a school where many (most?) students have struggled to maintain clear boundaries in their lives.  Many students are confused about boundaries because of abusive relationships and poor role modeling in their own families and in relationships with troubled peers (due to enmeshed relationships, sexual molestation, exploitation, etc.).  So, what does Hyde do?  Hyde requires students and parents to participate in seminars that provide students with incredibly poor examples of . . . inappropriate boundaries in the form of (1) parents disclosing inappropriate information in front of their kids and (2) faculty and staff disclosing inappropriate information in front of parents and students.  No wonder many Hyde kids leave the school with an even more damaged sense of what constitutes appropriate boundaries in relationships with other people.  The role modeling at Hyde should be included as a chapter in a textbook about how NOT to raise adolescents.

[Anonymous]

My views? I think people go through different things while at Hyde School and it is natural for some people to hate it and love it. Hyde is much different from any school out there. I feel it is the hardest school in American, because it does go after our deepest self. My experience has been positive. As far as all of the negative posts, what can you do? People have their own views and those need to be respected. But, if you want to break down, all Hyde asks from its faculty, students, and parents is that they work hard, tell the truth, and help others do the same.

[Anonymous]

On 2005-11-21 10:00:00, Anonymous wrote:

"My views? I think people go through different things while at Hyde School and it is natural for some people to hate it and love it. Hyde is much different from any school out there. I feel it is the hardest school in American, because it does go after our deepest self. My experience has been positive. As far as all of the negative posts, what can you do? People have their own views and those need to be respected. But, if you want to break down, all Hyde asks from its faculty, students, and parents is that they work hard, tell the truth, and help others do the same."

You sound like a very sincere person and I am always happy to see both positive and negative feedback when it is done honestly.

I do not mean to detract from what you have posted, but the biggest problem I experienced with Hyde is that they DONT tell the truth.  I had many experiences where the Hyde staff and especially the top administrators were dishonest.

I am glad that your experience has been good, but I wonder how long you have been at Hyde.  It took us a long time to see through our clouded glasses.  Thank you for sharing with us.

[Anonymous]

I have been at Hyde for 6 years. I am sorry to hear that you have experienced dishonesty from certain administrators. One thing I do know is that Hyde's motives are positive and proactive. The people of administer the character culture at all Hyde Schools mean well. But, I do know that mistakes happen here and sometimes lack of judgement leads to misapproriated actions, but I see these as far and few between. I believe some things should change, but as far as the core of the the school does, I would not change a thing.

[Anonymous]

On 2005-11-27 05:35:00, Anonymous wrote:

"I have been at Hyde for 6 years. I am sorry to hear that you have experienced dishonesty from certain administrators. One thing I do know is that Hyde's motives are positive and proactive. The people of administer the character culture at all Hyde Schools mean well. But, I do know that mistakes happen here and sometimes lack of judgement leads to misapproriated actions, but I see these as far and few between. I believe some things should change, but as far as the core of the the school does, I would not change a thing."

I can appreciate the fact that you believe in the Hyde model.  And I appreciate your willingness to acknoweldge that "mistakes happen here and sometimes lack of judgement leads to misapproriated [sic -- I'm not sure I know what that word means] actions."

But, it's very distressing to read your comment that "as far as the core of the the [sic] school does, I would not change a thing."

Have you read all of the postings on this website that offer amazingly detailed commentary on Hyde's troubling practices related to mishandling of students' mental health problems, abusive use of shaming and humiliation tactics, sponsorship of FLCs where emotionally raw material is disclosed by participants without any professional staff available to handle melt-downs among students and parents, incidents involving sexual harassment of students by a staff member, poor academic backgrounds among some teachers, Joe Gauld's incredibly arrogant, dismissive, and controlling demeanor, Hyde's handling of kids who run away from the school, the high attrition rate at Hyde, and so on?  

Do you really believe that these issues don't need to be addressed?  If that's your view, it's no wonder Hyde's reputation among educational consultants has slipped significantly and that so many parents are spreading negative information about Hyde.  

If you haven't read the postings on this website, I encourage you to do so.

P.S.  What is your position at Hyde?  What role(s) have you played during the past 6 years?