Until now I've been a very casual and occasional observer of this site. Having read your comments, however, I feel compelled to respond. I'm basing my response on my experience as a Hyde parent during the past two and a fraction years. It's taken our family some time to realize and truly appreciate Hyde's shortcomings and destructive practices. We've recently discovered how many disgruntled families are out there -- word is spreading, we're learning.
First, all the available evidence suggests that the admission rate is MUCH higher than your 1-out-of-3 figure. Published information on Hyde's admission rate suggests that it's upward of 80-some percent. I'd encourage you to double-check your claim.
Further, your understanding of reasons for the high attrition rate seems incomplete. You may be right that some families leave because of the kid's improvement and their wish to save money. But, during our affiliation with Hyde during the past 2+ years I've spoken with many, many families who leave the school with feelings of deep resentment and disgust. At first I was concerned because I was worried about the school's future; now I understand much better why people leave (we're heading in that direction). You may believe families leave because the parents haven't bought into the Hyde model or been willing to examine their own issues. That may be true of some. But many more, I'm convinced, are turned off by Hyde's tendency toward patronizing, arrogrant, and controlling treatment of kids and families.
Yes, Hyde's use of many young faculty may not be unusual. However, what's unusual -- and unconscionable, I've come to realize -- is that these remarkably young faculty (some of whom disclose lots of information about their own personal struggles) are expected to oversee family seminars during which students and parents disclose the most incredibly personal information. I've now sat through many seminars and can't believe that no one has put a stop to this dangerous practice. I've seen kids yell at parents, parents scream at and threaten kids, and participants talk about their wish to end their lives, incest, affairs, addictions, etc. -- and all of this is being run by someone who teaches history (or whatever)! It's incredible. You may not want to believe it, but quite a few families leave the school because of their sense of horror. The ones I've met are not at all inclined to run away from their problems. They simply want a setting that's run more skillfully and professionally by staff who have proper training and life experience, and are less doctrinaire and arrogant.
You say Joe Gauld's involvement is minimal. That's true if one counts the minutes he's around. But have you sat in those large group meetings where he pontificates and lectures in an incredibly doctrinaire way to parents about how they ought to run their lives? Do you really think he's not influencing parents, staff, and Hyde's entire ethos? His style seems to fly in the face of Hyde's claim about humility. The hypocrisy is very troubling.
I agree that the student tour guides can be impressive. They're also hand picked and, in my experience during the past couple of years, not at all representative of the broader student body. I'd encourage prospective parents to approach a random cross-section of kids to get a more realistic picture of Hyde. A major part of the problem, I think, is that Hyde's enthusiasts aren't willing to listen -- really listen -- to thoughtful critics. They tend to surround themselves with like-minded Hyde boosters. Criticism about Hyde tends to be viewed as sacrilege.
Did you read the Traub article about Hyde that someone posted on this site? In my opinion, that's a much more objective, candid, and honest description of this remarkably complex, controversial, and too often destructive school.
