Author Topic: Information about NEASC investigation of Hyde?  (Read 4069 times)

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Offline Anonymous

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Information about NEASC investigation of Hyde?
« on: November 05, 2005, 03:45:00 PM »
I recently heard from a Hyde parent (I think a former Hyde parent) who told me that the organization that accredits Hyde (NEASC -- the New England Association of Schools and Colleges) -- has received some very serious complaints about Hyde and has spent a great deal of time recently scrutinizing Hyde, meeting with Hyde administrators, and negotiating changes in Hyde's practices, etc.  Apparently NEASC has a formal procedure it uses to process complaints about the schools it accredits.  

Does anyone have more information about NEASC's investigation of Hyde?  Is this information available to parents who are interested in Hyde?

UPDATE: I just checked NEASC's website: http://www.neasc.org.  Information about NEASC's complaint procedure is available at: http://www.neasc.org/cis/complaints.PDF
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Offline Anonymous

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Information about NEASC investigation of Hyde?
« Reply #1 on: November 05, 2005, 05:54:00 PM »
Quote
On 2005-11-05 12:45:00, Anonymous wrote:

"I recently heard from a Hyde parent (I think a former Hyde parent) who told me that the organization that accredits Hyde (NEASC -- the New England Association of Schools and Colleges) -- has received some very serious complaints about Hyde and has spent a great deal of time recently scrutinizing Hyde, meeting with Hyde administrators, and negotiating changes in Hyde's practices, etc.  Apparently NEASC has a formal procedure it uses to process complaints about the schools it accredits.  




Does anyone have more information about NEASC's investigation of Hyde?  Is this information available to parents who are interested in Hyde?



UPDATE: I just checked NEASC's website: http://www.neasc.org.  Information about NEASC's complaint procedure is available at: http://www.neasc.org/cis/complaints.PDF "


I am afraid the NEASC regulates boarding schools the same way that the Medical Association of different counties regulate doctors.  In the case of the medical association, it is an organization that doctors belong to.  Rather than trying to protect the patient, their goal seems to be to protect the doctors.  I had a malpractice situation once.  Rather than suing the doctor, (I didn't want to go through this)I contacted the County Medical Association.  They ignored me and put me off when insisting they investigate. They then gave some lame excuse about looking into the matter. I wish the NEASC were different but I am afraid they aren't or Hyde would have been closed down or at least be on probation.  According to the NEASC website, Hyde is in good standing! Maybe someone out there has more info on this.

These kids who go to Hyde need to know their rights.  They should know that all they need to do is pick up the phone and call the local Childrens Services Dept to report any kind of abuse, which would include sexual, neglect, etc.  I once knew a kid at Hyde who was beat up by another and taken to the hospital.  Hyde did not feel the need to report this.  I also knew a young girl, (15 years old) who ran away in front of a staff member.  Again, Hyde did not feel the need to report this and instead watched this young girl go off into the dark without contacting the authorities or the parents.

THIS PLACE IS DANGEROUS!!  BEWARE if you love your children!
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Offline Anonymous

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Information about NEASC investigation of Hyde?
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2005, 06:14:00 PM »
Quote
On 2005-11-05 14:54:00, Anonymous wrote:

"
Quote

On 2005-11-05 12:45:00, Anonymous wrote:


"I recently heard from a Hyde parent (I think a former Hyde parent) who told me that the organization that accredits Hyde (NEASC -- the New England Association of Schools and Colleges) -- has received some very serious complaints about Hyde and has spent a great deal of time recently scrutinizing Hyde, meeting with Hyde administrators, and negotiating changes in Hyde's practices, etc.  Apparently NEASC has a formal procedure it uses to process complaints about the schools it accredits.  







Does anyone have more information about NEASC's investigation of Hyde?  Is this information available to parents who are interested in Hyde?





UPDATE: I just checked NEASC's website: http://www.neasc.org.  Information about NEASC's complaint procedure is available at: http://www.neasc.org/cis/complaints.PDF "




I am afraid the NEASC regulates boarding schools the same way that the Medical Association of different counties regulate doctors.  In the case of the medical association, it is an organization that doctors belong to.  Rather than trying to protect the patient, their goal seems to be to protect the doctors.  I had a malpractice situation once.  Rather than suing the doctor, (I didn't want to go through this)I contacted the County Medical Association.  They ignored me and put me off when insisting they investigate. They then gave some lame excuse about looking into the matter. I wish the NEASC were different but I am afraid they aren't or Hyde would have been closed down or at least be on probation.  According to the NEASC website, Hyde is in good standing! Maybe someone out there has more info on this.



These kids who go to Hyde need to know their rights.  They should know that all they need to do is pick up the phone and call the local Childrens Services Dept to report any kind of abuse, which would include sexual, neglect, etc.  I once knew a kid at Hyde who was beat up by another and taken to the hospital.  Hyde did not feel the need to report this.  I also knew a young girl, (15 years old) who ran away in front of a staff member.  Again, Hyde did not feel the need to report this and instead watched this young girl go off into the dark without contacting the authorities or the parents.



THIS PLACE IS DANGEROUS!!  BEWARE if you love your children!"


Doesn't NEASC have an obligation to investigate valid complaints?  How many people who are distressed about Hyde have shared their views with NEASC?  Maybe NEASC would respond if they discovered how many people have been harmed by Hyde's practices.  I just looked at the NEASC complaint procedure.  My impression is that they take complaints seriously.  Perhaps the people who are providing details here about their horrific Hyde experiences should alert NEASC.
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Offline Anonymous

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Information about NEASC investigation of Hyde?
« Reply #3 on: November 05, 2005, 06:23:00 PM »
They can investigate all they want, but doesn't mean they will do anything about it!  Why is Hyde still in business if they truly make their members accountable?  

Shoot, all NEASC needs to do is go to the local hospital and see how many kids have been brought in from Hyde in the past, then go to the local social service agencies, police, and parents and ask if ANY of these incidences were reported.  When I was there Hyde tried to hide, (no pun intended) all that occurred on campus!
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Offline Anonymous

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Information about NEASC investigation of Hyde?
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2007, 01:01:40 PM »
Quote
These kids who go to Hyde need to know their rights. They should know that all they need to do is pick up the phone and call the local Childrens Services Dept to report any kind of abuse, which would include sexual, neglect, etc. I once knew a kid at Hyde who was beat up by another and taken to the hospital. Hyde did not feel the need to report this. I also knew a young girl, (15 years old) who ran away in front of a staff member. Again, Hyde did not feel the need to report this and instead watched this young girl go off into the dark without contacting the authorities or the parents.

THIS PLACE IS DANGEROUS!! BEWARE if you love your children!

That guy is lucky he got to go to a hospital even.  Most time I found Hyde judges whether injuries are bad enough themselves, and usually that means they "ain't so bad".  Sports injuries to.  Stress fractures that get worse with time.  My friends DR at home picked that 1 up and it was 3 months passed the injury even.  How fcked up is that?  She was called a baby.  bad attitude for complaining.
No the parents are never informed of what really goes on there and when you are there your afraid to say it.  You dont even know or think that that stuff might even be off.  you try to be tuff and that means being tuff on yourself mostly.
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Offline Ursus

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Information about NEASC investigation of Hyde?
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2007, 07:07:25 AM »
Quote from: ""Guest""
Doesn't NEASC have an obligation to investigate valid complaints?  How many people who are distressed about Hyde have shared their views with NEASC?  Maybe NEASC would respond if they discovered how many people have been harmed by Hyde's practices.  I just looked at the NEASC complaint procedure.  My impression is that they take complaints seriously.  Perhaps the people who are providing details here about their horrific Hyde experiences should alert NEASC.

The subject of NEASC (and AISNE) accreditation of Hyde and what that might actually mean (from the standpoint of holding Hyde accountable for their actions or inactions) is also discussed on a few pages in the 'Hyde's Mr. Burroughs' thread, starting at about here:
http://wwf.fornits.com/viewtopic.php?p=299958#299958

It does appear to me that Hyde feels that it has the authority to live by its own code of dishonor, rather than by standards ordinary folk presume to be in place.
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Offline Anonymous

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Information about NEASC investigation of Hyde?
« Reply #6 on: December 31, 2007, 06:09:48 AM »
They don't report everything to the authorities, but in all honesty it usually benefits the kids. There's a lot of shit they could report that they choose not to, which could land the kids in real trouble (drugs, etc.).

They are pretty tough about sports injuries, but a lot of kids are fakers. I had a hard time with them when I genuinely injured my shoulder for a week or two from wrestling. I was barely given pass, since I had never given them a reason to doubt my honesty.
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Offline Ursus

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Information about NEASC investigation of Hyde?
« Reply #7 on: December 31, 2007, 03:04:49 PM »
Quote from: ""Guest""
They don't report everything to the authorities, but in all honesty it usually benefits the kids. There's a lot of shit they could report that they choose not to, which could land the kids in real trouble (drugs, etc.).

They are pretty tough about sports injuries, but a lot of kids are fakers. I had a hard time with them when I genuinely injured my shoulder for a week or two from wrestling. I was barely given pass, since I had never given them a reason to doubt my honesty.

Here are my concerns about sports injuries vs. "faking":  What are the consequences of taking a "faked" injury too seriously?  Somebody's "character education" gets delayed?  On the other hand, what are the consequences of presuming a real injury is nothing more than overt complaining?  Perhaps some real long-term damage that could otherwise be sanely avoided?

Also, what about the environment that is created by those kinds of judgments?  Kids are less apt to bring things up than they otherwise would.  It is not just the outer judgments that I am talking about, it is the inner ones – a kid's assessment of themselves – that I am concerned about here.  What about James Roman, who died there of a brain aneurysm, think maybe there might have been some symptoms which would have enabled Hyde to get him to a hospital on time?
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Offline Ursus

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« Reply #8 on: January 02, 2008, 07:40:23 AM »
Here's an old post I found, which is kind of pertinent to this theme.  I think this was a couple of years before we even had our own forum, but the thread got stuck in here afterwards, 'cuz it contained so many Hyde posts.

This person only made one post (at least when she was signed in), but it tells quite a lot.  Personally, I think it is pretty fucked up to conveniently "forget" a student's prescribed medications when they are sent out on outpost for an "attitude readjustment," not to mention trying to strong arm or coerce her out of seeing a prescribed psychologist (and when unsuccessful, telling her that in order to see the therapist she needs to sign away her doctor-patient confidentiality privileges).

Quote from: ""On Mon Jan 20, 2003, melindafromhyde""
Hi, I am glad to see that this issue is being discussed on the web. Where to start... I attended the Hyde school in Bath, Maine in the 90s and had many experiences similar to what tommyfromhyde had in the 70s. My parents decided to send me to the school after I was diagnosed as bipolar and attempted suicide the previous spring. The program promised to "build character" with "the five words and principles" through academics, sports, and performing arts. Besides the sports, I found the aspects of the program Hyde advertises to be quite lacking. The academics were very poor--especially the American history, math and science programs. History was a review of Jr. High, we did not do proofs in our geometry class, and did not balance any more than basic chemical equations (no acid base or redox reactions).

Hyde requires all of their new students to attend a 12 week summer program before entering for the fall term. During my summer at the school I witnessed many acts of both physical and emotional abuse, including a male student being forced to run three miles on a rough dirt road with a broken foot. Only after the run was he allowed to go to the doctor; when he came back he had a cast on for the remainder of the summer. In addition, they sent all of the "really bad kids"--i.e. the kids who were resistant to the program-- to secluded Sequin Island off the coast of Maine. I was sent there and had to clip a 1/2 mile long trail with garden shears, run up and down the same trail at least five times, move boulders 1' in diameter off of the beach, and swim out to a buoy and back in 50* ocean water. When I was allowed to come back to the school campus, I had pneumonia. The faculty at the school ignored all medical complaints from the students--many times resulting in the worsening condition of the child.

During the regular school year, I was disciplined for having sexual relations with my boyfriend (admittedly a bad thing for a 16 year old to do). Instead of addressing the reasons behind my promiscuous behavior (low self-esteem and feeling abandoned and unloved by my parents) they humiliated me in front of the whole school by publicly discussing my actions and setting me apart from the rest of the student body cleaning and participating in harsh workouts (called "2-4") in silence instead of attending my classes. Finally, after a couple of days I refused to participate further with my punishment, and just sat down.

The faculty responded by sending me out to the woods in a program called "outpost"--which is similar to, but not quite as severe as a wilderness program (they work you just as hard but feed you more than S.U.W.S., a wilderness program I attended in Idaho when I was 14). Besides going through further emotional abuse by the faculty member leading the outpost program, I was also deprived of my lithium, an anti-manic drug prescribed to me by my psychiatrist. This made me even more susceptible to their abuse.

In general, Hyde had a very backwards viewpoint on the advances in medical treatment of chemical imbalances, including medication and therapy. They did not monitor whether or not students took their medication, "forgot" to pack my medication both times they sent me to outpost (I was sent again in the spring), and made it very difficult for me to see a therapist off school grounds. In order for me to do so, my psychiatrist had to write a note to the school telling them I had to be allowed to see a psychologist and that their own visiting psychiatrist (who came three times a year) was grossly inadequate for an adolescent who recently was diagnosed as bipolar and had attempted suicide. Even after they reluctantly let me go, they sent me to a therapist of their choosing and wanted me to sign away my doctor-patient privileges, threatening that I had to do so in order to see the therapist. I refused. The faculty didn't push it for too long--we both knew it was illegal for them to require such a thing.

In general, the Hyde School in Bath, Maine participated in many cult-like practices. It was a totalitarian closed system with the head of the school as the sole authoritarian leader with the faculty as his minions. Since most of the FACULTY as well as students had had histories of emotional and/or drug problems, they were susceptible to being controlled through cruel practices of only being shown love, appreciation, and good will if following the "words and principles" as determined by the head of the school through the faculty. A false sense of student participation in the organization of the school was created by so-called "student leaders", who were given special status as long as they helped to spread the "words and principles" and confront students who questioned or did not follow the system as it was determined. These "student leaders" were instilled with the fear of falling from grace by the faculty if they did not do enough confronting and "narc"ing, or if they questioned any part of the practices of the school themselves. This system created an almost political maneuvering within the student body, where no real friendships or other healthy relationships could survive for long. In fact, each student lived in complete isolation and fear of being singled out by their teachers, councilors, and peers--further scarring them and making them even less prepared to work out their problems and become a productive and successful member of society.

In short, instead of giving a troubled adolescent with emotional and/or drug problems a supportive and safe environment to work out their problems while getting back on track emotionally and socially through success in acedemics, extracurricular activities, and social interactions with peers, the Hyde school did the complete opposite.

In the end, the Hyde School only left me one thing: the knowledge that I can survive at least a year in a cult.

http://fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?p=8269#8269
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Offline Dove

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Information about NEASC investigation of Hyde?
« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2008, 03:34:24 AM »
They should definitely be more careful about student injuries; last year Lino Cowdrey got frostbite on outpost. He complained that he was in pain, but again he was basically ignored until they were done. He came back with black fingers, and couldn't use a pencil. He was basically in-and-out of class for a month or so. They didn't push him too hard or make him lose credit for schoolwork, as it wasn't his fault. I'm surprised they haven't learned to take the well-being of their students seriously.
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Offline Anonymous

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« Reply #10 on: January 03, 2008, 08:34:11 AM »
Quote from: ""Dove""
They should definitely be more careful about student injuries; last year Lino Cowdrey got frostbite on outpost. He complained that he was in pain, but again he was basically ignored until they were done. He came back with black fingers, and couldn't use a pencil. He was basically in-and-out of class for a month or so. They didn't push him too hard or make him lose credit for schoolwork, as it wasn't his fault. I'm surprised they haven't learned to take the well-being of their students seriously.


   I think they take the job of character education seriously.  What good is it to go through life with a major character flaw that you could be made to grow out of with the lose of a couple of finger tips to frost bite?
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Offline Ursus

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Information about NEASC investigation of Hyde?
« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2008, 09:22:42 AM »
Quote from: ""Guest""
Quote from: ""Dove""
They should definitely be more careful about student injuries; last year Lino Cowdrey got frostbite on outpost. He complained that he was in pain, but again he was basically ignored until they were done. He came back with black fingers, and couldn't use a pencil. He was basically in-and-out of class for a month or so. They didn't push him too hard or make him lose credit for schoolwork, as it wasn't his fault. I'm surprised they haven't learned to take the well-being of their students seriously.
I think they take the job of character education seriously.  What good is it to go through life with a major character flaw that you could be made to grow out of with the lose of a couple of finger tips to frost bite?

RIGHHHT...   :roll:
And time is of the essence, since only Hyde School knows what's best for your child!!  They, and only they, are the experts in character education, eh?

—•∞•—•∞•—•∞•—•∞•—•∞•—•∞•—

In all seriousness, I don't really believe that Hyde School is interested in creating a "character culture" per se.  Rather, I think they are interested in creating a culture that perpetuates their own reason for existence!  If you don't believe in Hyde School, and you let them know it, it doesn't really matter how stellar your character is; you will be psychologically disemboweled for your trouble, if you stick around for the response.

Did Lino Cowdrey's fingers ever regain full function?   Sometimes frostbite damage can leave lingering long term damage.
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Offline Anonymous

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« Reply #12 on: January 03, 2008, 10:44:36 AM »
>I don't really believe that Hyde School is interested in creating a "character >culture" per se. Rather, I think they are interested in creating a culture that >perpetuates their own reason for existence!

   I don't see the dichotomy.  IMHO Joe is sincere in his belief.  In the belief system in which he dwells, his kith and kind are entilted the fruits of their special place in the world, the bling that is their common unique potential.  His process of rationalization, I imagine, is not unlike the process of Popes, it is not preservation for preservation sake, it is the preservation to the mission to carry the message of salvation to future generations.
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Offline Dove

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« Reply #13 on: January 03, 2008, 07:20:46 PM »
As soon as Lino could grasp again, they sent him mountain climbing again in Maine, where he slipped and ripped open his right arm. They used what supplies and bandages they had from the first aid kit they had with them to attempt to stop the bleeding. He wore an improvised sling for two days, until they reached base camp and were able to drive him to a hospital. By then his arm had become infected and they were forced to amputate the limb. Lino maintained that he had been forced to hike in unsafe conditions and begged his parents to remove him from the school, but his concerns were not taken seriously and he is currently a junior at the school, often on 2/4 for his attitude towards Hyde. Lino complains that the one-armed push-ups he does are harder than the standard push-ups the other kids do, but he's been told that he uses his left arm while other kids alternate, so it should be strong, and he's just a weak complainer.

Actually, Ursus, he healed after a month or two and is fine now, and should still be a student. I get the feeling you want to hear about mistreatment of students at Hyde... ;)

I've posted here, but I don't feel bad about the place. I feel the time I spent there was beneficial. It might be a nightmare for some people, but if you follow the rules it can almost be tolerable. That is, if you don't allow yourself to be in a position to be punished. Which, I admit, not everyone is capable of, and it's certainly a hard way to live. I remember saying in my wilderness program I felt like I knew how it was being a prisoner of war. Hyde isn't that level (I was grateful for the three-hots-and-a-cot), but it is an uneasy environment where you have to be constantly aware. But if you can manage yourself there, you have definitely learned some skills. I won't say you'll go off prepared to take on the world, since a lot of graduates go on to college and PAAARTY! themselves out, but you'll build a tough skin which isn't that bad. Like in an army. :roll:

But yeah, Ursus, you will be penalized for talking back. You have to, as Hyde says "take hold and let go", which is a pretty ridiculous phrase I still joke about with my parents. But you have to learn to stop fighting and accept the fact that you're in the Hyde program, and try to get what you can from it. That's the state of mind they want you to be in. Unfortunately, accepting being a part of the program and doing your best is only enough to get by there, not enough to bask in their grace. You have to kiss ass for that. In fact, I was kept only in "good" standing because of my integrity. I refused to give them my signature committing myself to graduate from Hyde, explaining to them that not only was it my desire to not return to Hyde, but that it was unlikely that I would return, as my parents had already selected an alternate school for me. I was told point-blank by the headmaster that the only thing keeping me from being a student of privilege, Head's List, was my refusal to commit. No other students refused like I did. Many kids gave their word and signature (underage, so not legally-binding), and then left at the end of the year. I do not lie. I left the school honestly.

I guess it's just part of Hyde (and this forum) that almost every anecdote ends in a horror story, haha!
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Offline Anonymous

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« Reply #14 on: January 04, 2008, 07:10:51 AM »
Quote
I was kept only in "good" standing because of my integrity. I refused to give them my signature committing myself to graduate from Hyde, explaining to them that not only was it my desire to not return to Hyde, but that it was unlikely that I would return, as my parents had already selected an alternate school for me. I was told point-blank by the headmaster that the only thing keeping me from being a student of privilege, Head's List, was my refusal to commit.


    Your integrity prevented you from being recognized as a person of character by the character education school.  I don't need to point at the irony, do I?
   I tend to agree with you about Hyde.  IT is not that bad if you tack through it the right way.  Some people hit those waves the wrong way and it fucks them up.  I would say I profited from being there in some ways but still years later have some lasting side effects from the experience.  Let me know when you start to have nightmares set at Hyde with Hyde characters.
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