Comments from current Hyde students

[Anonymous]

My family and I are looking at a number of boarding schools.  We once considered Hyde School but now we are very troubled by many of the comments from people who seem to know Hyde pretty well.  It doesn't sound like a healthy place for kids who struggle and have mental health issues.  In addition to this website we've also heard many other people express serious concern about Hyde.

I've noticed that current Hyde students don't seem to be posting comments.  Are they not allowed to use the internet?  I assume some of them know about this website and have things to say about their Hyde experience.  Would students get into trouble if they posted comments?  Can they post comments when they go home?

[Anonymous]

Hyde keeps a very close eye on what sites the students go to and if they were to find out they were posting on this site, there would be hell to pay.  Probably would get on "2-4."  Those of us who know Hyde know about "2-4" which is a punishment for "having a bad attitude."

Look folks, it is being said over and over again by those involved with Hyde! Don't get sucked into the Hyde Cult!!  Parents, try to love your kids at home and no matter how frustrated you get, go see a counselor in your city!  Hyde does NOT have any professionals on staff and don't let them tell you otherwise.  Also, don't believe the crap about them sending your child to a local psychologist.  Hyde does NOT work directly with them nor does Hyde cooperate with them!

Trust me parents, your kids are going to grow and change with or without Hyde.  It is up to YOU, the parents, to get help in the meantime!  Don't waste your hard earned money on Hyde.

[Anonymous]

On 2005-11-03 10:36:00, Anonymous wrote:

"Hyde keeps a very close eye on what sites the students go to and if they were to find out they were posting on this site, there would be hell to pay.  Probably would get on "2-4."  Those of us who know Hyde know about "2-4" which is a punishment for "having a bad attitude."



Look folks, it is being said over and over again by those involved with Hyde! Don't get sucked into the Hyde Cult!!  Parents, try to love your kids at home and no matter how frustrated you get, go see a counselor in your city!  Hyde does NOT have any professionals on staff and don't let them tell you otherwise.  Also, don't believe the crap about them sending your child to a local psychologist.  Hyde does NOT work directly with them nor does Hyde cooperate with them!



Trust me parents, your kids are going to grow and change with or without Hyde.  It is up to YOU, the parents, to get help in the meantime!  Don't waste your hard earned money on Hyde."

Perhaps some current Hyde students will post comments anonymously once they're off campus and home for breaks and vacations.  Certainly Hyde can't control these students when they're away from the school, right?

[tommyfromhyde1]

If so they'd better use the library or an internet cafe to post. Hyde knows about this site so I'll bet my bottom dollar that they're urging their parents to install spyware on their kids' computers.

Being sleepy can impair someone's ability to do thier job.  People
can sleep at home and come to the job with sleepiness still in their system. The sleepiness can still be there long after the employee has slept. When someone is found to be sleepy on the job, they can claim that they went to sleep the night before.  The only solution to this problem is to ban employees from sleeping.

--Arthur Slabosky

[Anonymous]

On 2005-11-03 12:46:00, tommyfromhyde1 wrote:

"If so they'd better use the library or an internet cafe to post. Hyde knows about this site so I'll bet my bottom dollar that they're urging their parents to install spyware on their kids' computers.

Being sleepy can impair someone's ability to do thier job.  People
can sleep at home and come to the job with sleepiness still in their system. The sleepiness can still be there long after the employee has slept. When someone is found to be sleepy on the job, they can claim that they went to sleep the night before.  The only solution to this problem is to ban employees from sleeping.

--Arthur Slabosky

"

Wouldn't it be ironic if Hyde tried to stifle students' efforts to express their opinions about their Hyde experience?  The last time I checked we still had Constitutionally protected rights to freedom of speech.  I would hope that Hyde would live up to its alleged commitment to honesty and would respect any student's fundamental right to express his or her opinions in a public forum.  Any efforts to prevent responsible expression of opinion would stike me as terribly hypocritical.  I would hope Hyde staff wouldn't even think of suggesting that parents bar students' wishes to express their opinions.  Wouldn't that be a terrible lesson to teach students about their 1st Amendment rights?  I trust they study the Constitution at Hyde.

[tommyfromhyde1]

Private school kids don't have constitutional rights. Their rights end when the parents sign the papers and pay the tuition. That's the legal basis for ALL the abuse at all the programs that we're concerned about on these boards, not just Hyde.

In God's wildness lies the hope of the world x the great fresh unblighted, unredeemed wilderness. The galling harness of civilization drops off, and wounds heal ere we are aware.
-- John Muir

[Anonymous]

On 2005-11-04 09:59:00, tommyfromhyde1 wrote:

"Private school kids don't have constitutional rights. Their rights end when the parents sign the papers and pay the tuition. That's the legal basis for ALL the abuse at all the programs that we're concerned about on these boards, not just Hyde.

In God's wildness lies the hope of the world x the great fresh unblighted, unredeemed wilderness. The galling harness of civilization drops off, and wounds heal ere we are aware.
-- John Muir

"

Ah, but Hyde doesn't have any control over its students' efforts to express their opinions about Hyde when they're at home or at an Internet cafe, right?  I assume students can say whatever they want in those off-campus venues, assuming it falls under constitutionally-protected guidelines.

[Anonymous]

You people need to get a life.  If a Hyde kid wants to post the truth on one of these sites, they can.
You have this weird idea of what it's like at Hyde.
And Tommy...please just shut up, you have NO clue!

[Anonymous]

On 2005-11-04 10:21:00, Anonymous wrote:


Ah, but Hyde doesn't have any control over its students' efforts to express their opinions about Hyde when they're at home or at an Internet cafe, right?  I assume students can say whatever they want in those off-campus venues, assuming it falls under constitutionally-protected guidelines."

You're forgetting that Hyde puts people on work crew for "bad attitude". That can include a negitive comment to a parent. A net post surely counts. If Hyde figures out who posted that person's gonna get it.

[Antigen]

On 2005-11-04 10:57:00, Anonymous wrote:

"You people need to get a life.  If a Hyde kid wants to post the truth on one of these sites, they can.

You have this weird idea of what it's like at Hyde.

And Tommy...please just shut up, you have NO clue!

"

Uh, dude? Tommy was a Hyde kid. So which is it; post all ya' want or shut up?

Forgive, O Lord, my little joke on Thee and I'll  forgive Thy great big one on me.
--Robert Frost, American poet

[Anonymous]

I suppose it's possible that Hyde would get nervous about students posting comments on this website once they go home (or to some other off-campus location).  I would hope Hyde wouldn't try to suppress free speech.  But . . . if Hyde tries to prevent students' free speech and tries to interfere with their rights, a number of us who are active on this website are likely to hear about that since we're parents of current students and/or have close connections with parents of current students.  If we hear that Hyde is trying to prevent students from expressing their views, we can publicize that fact on this website and elsewhere -- that will simply add to the perception that Hyde is into cult-like, controlling tactics and is fearful of bad publicity via students' reports.  I know that many parents who once were considering Hyde are now pursuing other alternatives because of this website and other negative Hyde publicity.

[Anonymous]

On 2005-11-04 17:45:00, Anonymous wrote:

"I suppose it's possible that Hyde would get nervous about students posting comments on this website once they go home (or to some other off-campus location).  I would hope Hyde wouldn't try to suppress free speech.  

Free speach is not a legal right for minors, and Hyde serves "in loco parentis" for a parents rights in that regard.  

And Hyde, like any parent, has quite a legitimate interest (if not more imperative) in addressing this.

If you can't see that, I feel for your children.

[Anonymous]

On 2005-11-04 18:47:00, Anonymous wrote:

"

On 2005-11-04 17:45:00, Anonymous wrote:


"I suppose it's possible that Hyde would get nervous about students posting comments on this website once they go home (or to some other off-campus location).  I would hope Hyde wouldn't try to suppress free speech.  

Free speach is not a legal right for minors, and Hyde serves "in loco parentis" for a parents rights in that regard.  



And Hyde, like any parent, has quite a legitimate interest (if not more imperative) in addressing this.



If you can't see that, I feel for your children."

You're absolutely wrong: teenagers certainly have free speech rights.  Their rights aren't unlimited, but they do have the right to express their opinions on all sorts of matters (Are you not aware that lots of case law protects students' right to express a whole range of opinion in student newspapers, even though school administrators may not like what students have to say?).  

Also, Hyde has no control over students who are living at home on summer vacation, etc.  Do you really believe that teenagers living away from Hyde do not have a legal right to express their opinion about their Hyde experience?  Do you disagree that teenagers should learn how to express their opinions responsibly and thoughtfully, whether their opinions are critical or supportive of Hyde?  I think it's important to remember that this is the United States--not some totalitarian state that severely restricts citizens' right to express their views.

[Anonymous]

On 2005-11-04 18:47:00, Anonymous wrote:

"

On 2005-11-04 17:45:00, Anonymous wrote:


"I suppose it's possible that Hyde would get nervous about students posting comments on this website once they go home (or to some other off-campus location).  I would hope Hyde wouldn't try to suppress free speech.  

Free speach is not a legal right for minors, and Hyde serves "in loco parentis" for a parents rights in that regard.  



And Hyde, like any parent, has quite a legitimate interest (if not more imperative) in addressing this.



If you can't see that, I feel for your children."

Oh my -- Do you REALLY mean what you said: "Free speech is not a legal right for minors"?  This sounds like such a typical Hyde response in that (1) it is arrogant and (2) ignores what's well known in the outside world.  Teens have the right to say what they think so long as they don't infringe on the rights of others, disrupt the schools they attend or the schools' pedagogical mission, etc. Here's one analysis: http://www.nlg-la.org/student_rights.pdf

As the U.S. Supreme Court opined in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District, students do not "shed their constitutional rights...at the schoolhouse gate" (393 U.S. at 506)

[Anonymous]

Thanks for providing that!  Do those rules only apply to California?