Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Hyde Schools
follow-up questions on Hyde School
Anonymous:
Several of you seem to know a lot about the Hyde School. We have a few more questions so we can really understand what we may be getting ourselves into. What we've heard about the lawsuit and other issues troubles us. But we've also heard some positive things about how the school focuses on character education and accountability. They also seem to be willing to help struggling kids.
As we've gathered information we've heard many negative reports about Hyde. We'd like to know how accurate these reports are. The most frequent comments we've heard from families that used to be affiliated with the school are:
-- Hyde accepts almost everyone who applies. Is that because they think they can handle any student or because they need the income? Is there a real high attrition rate (people who leave after a year or so)? Why is that?
-- Hyde staff can be very demeaning, insulting, and controlling. Students who don't buy into the school's philosophy have lots of trouble.
-- Many Hyde teachers are very young, inexperienced and have little training in working with challenging adolescents.
-- Students and parents are required to share very personal information about their lives in groups of strangers. We've heard that these groups and seminars are a lot like therapy groups and are run by teachers and parents who don't know much about how to handle these issues. We've heard that some students and parents feel just awful about their experiences in these groups, but feel like they have to go.
-- A number of people have described Hyde as a sort of cult with lots of staff who are relatives of each other. We've heard that that the man who started the school (Gauld or Gould?) can be like a control freak who insists that everyone think like he thinks.
We'd appreciate any additional information you can offer.
Anonymous:
You are right on all accounts. From a father whose child attended Hyde School, don't even think about sending your kid there. I could go on and on but as far as I am concerned all the negative things you've heard about Hyde are true. Simply ask to see a roster of teachers from two or three years ago, and then ask for an updated one for the current year. Why would so many faculty leave year after year?
Anonymous:
Thanks for your helpful insights. Although we're discouraged by your comments and bad experiences at Hyde, it's good to hear from people who've actually experienced the place. The school's admissions people and the brochures seem to give only a partial picture of the school. It's so important to hear from people who can be candid about their experiences.
tommyfromhyde1:
--- Quote ---On 2005-09-24 19:12:00, Anonymous wrote:
"Several of you seem to know a lot about the Hyde School. We have a few more questions so we can really understand what we may be getting ourselves into. What we've heard about the lawsuit and other issues troubles us. But we've also heard some positive things about how the school focuses on character education and accountability. They also seem to be willing to help struggling kids.
--- End quote ---
When I was there in the '70s I was in with a heroin user
--- Quote ---
As we've gathered information we've heard many negative reports about Hyde. We'd like to know how accurate these reports are. The most frequent comments we've heard from families that used to be affiliated with the school are:
-- Hyde accepts almost everyone who applies. Is that because they think they can handle any student or because they need the income? Is there a real high attrition rate (people who leave after a year or so)? Why is that?
--- End quote ---
Again, in the '70s a kid ran away every couple of weeks.
Me among them.
--- Quote ---
-- Hyde staff can be very demeaning, insulting, and controlling. Students who don't buy into the school's philosophy have lots of trouble.
--- End quote ---
Not just staff, seniors are given authority over
younger students and are worse.
--- Quote ---
-- Students and parents are required to share very personal information about their lives in groups of strangers. We've heard that these groups and seminars are a lot like therapy groups and are run by teachers and parents who don't know much about how to handle these issues. We've heard that some students and parents feel just awful about their experiences in these groups, but feel like they have to go.
--- End quote ---
It's the same kind of attack therapy once done
at places like Synanon and Straight, Inc. but
just once a week.
--- Quote ---
-- A number of people have described Hyde as a sort of cult with lots of staff who are relatives of each other. We've heard that that the man who started the school (Gauld or Gould?) can be like a control freak who insists that everyone think like he thinks.
--- End quote ---
It's Joe Gauld, and yes he is a control freak.
He used to brag that he once fired a teacher in
the '60s for being against the Vietnam War.
--- Quote ---
We'd appreciate any additional information you can offer."
--- End quote ---
If there's a worse idea going than locking people up for drug use, it's probably locking them up in close proximity to some tyranical altruist who wants to 'help' them with a problem that probably doesn't exist
-- Ginger Warbis
having had about all the help I can stand!
--- End quote ---
Anonymous:
Yes, I too have experienced Joe Gauld (and have heard many tales about him). He seems to enjoy giving pedantic and patronizing lectures about how people should manage their lives, having people sit at his feet to hear his pearls of wisdom, and confronting people who view the world differently. That kind of behavior seems remarkably like that of a cult leader and just the opposite of what Hyde claims to promote: humility. It's that sort of hypocrisy that drives many people away from Hyde. Some people -- perhaps those who are desperate to hear someone in authority tell them how to "fix" their kids and run their lives -- seem attracted to this and stay at Hyde; many others leave the school, which helps to explain the high attrition rate.
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