Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Hyde Schools
Former students - Our worst experiences
Lars:
I'd say the worst things I experienced there were...
1. FLCs/Family Weekends.
2. Performing Arts
3. Lousy academics
4. Sleep deprivation & the lack of free time to pursue anything not part of Hyde's program
5. Abusive/condescending/hypocritical faculty
6. "Brother's Keeper"
7. Public (in front of the whole student body) ridicule and humiliation and school meetings there in general
8. Wrestling and other sports where the emphasis on running/calisthenics until you puked ruined what could have been fun experiences
9. 2/4, attitude trips & other "attitude adjustment" activities involving pointless exercises.
10. Joe Gauld & the folks who really drank the Kool-Aid[ This Message was edited by: Lars on 2005-11-26 12:50 ]
Anonymous:
Lars,
Who are you?
It would really help us understand your postings!
I can't remember from your other posts...did you graduate?
Thanks!
Lars:
I spent a summer then three years at Hyde and graduated in 1990. I went to college and law school at Arizona State. I spent five years as a public defender and now have my own practice out in AZ.
I hadn't really thought much about Hyde for several years until one day I googled "hyde" and found this site. Sure brought back some lousy memories. But it's good to see that others feel the same way I do about the place.
Just got my pitch for the "annual fund." It went straight into the wastebasket. I only give money to ASU - I loved it there and they gave me quite a bit of academic scholarship money.
Anonymous:
--- Quote ---On 2005-11-26 12:48:00, Lars wrote:
"I'd say the worst things I experienced there were...
1. FLCs/Family Weekends.
2. Performing Arts
3. Lousy academics
4. Sleep deprivation & the lack of free time to pursue anything not part of Hyde's program
5. Abusive/condescending/hypocritical faculty
6. "Brother's Keeper"
7. Public (in front of the whole student body) ridicule and humiliation and school meetings there in general
8. Wrestling and other sports where the emphasis on running/calisthenics until you puked ruined what could have been fun experiences
9. 2/4, attitude trips & other "attitude adjustment" activities involving pointless exercises.
10. Joe Gauld & the folks who really drank the Kool-Aid[ This Message was edited by: Lars on 2005-11-26 12:50 ]"
--- End quote ---
Your experiences are very similar to those reported by many other Hyde students our family has had contact with during the past several years. We've had several Hyde kids visit our home and we've spoken with quite a few, in depth, during FLCs and family weekends. We've heard countless stories that are very consistent with your experiences years ago. I'm struck by the consistency of Hyde students' reports of (to reiterate your list) destructive FLCs, lame performing arts, inferior academics, sleep deprivation, abusive/condescending/hypocritical faculty, brother's keeper that bordered on the abusive and hypocritical, public shaming and humiliation, pointless exercises and mindless 2-4 activities, and . . . Joe Gauld.
Other Hyde students and parents we've encountered repeat this list and add one other major Hyde horror: So many of Hyde's students enter the school with overhwhelmingly complex mental health problems. A very common complaint (one that should scare off any parent considering Hyde) is that Hyde simply doesn't believe in providing on-campus mental health help for kids whose problems at Hyde (emotional crises, behavioral challenges, "attitude" issues) are a direct result of their psychiatric needs. Hyde throws these kids a bone by agreeing to refer them to a handful of counselors in the local communities (Bath and Woodstock). The families and educational consultants we've spoken to are shocked by Hyde's lack of interest in genuine mental health services and superficial contact with the kids' therapists. Many have come to the conclusion that Hyde is accepting the wrong kinds of kids given its model. The fact that Hyde accepts so many deeply troubled kids without providing appropriate supportive services is dreadful. Might it be that Hyde is so concerned about enrollments and cash flow that it's taking in kids who don't really belong there?
Joe Gauld's (and other Hyde staff's) belief that all this misbehavior stems from "attitude" problems is incredibly naive. Some kids at Hyde may benefit from so-called attitude adjustments, but I bet they're few and far between. Without question, Hyde is out of step with nationally recognized approaches to these sorts of struggling teens. Hyde seems to wear their out-of-step approach like a badge of honor. Hyde doesn't seem to realize that the school is surrounded by legions of people who view this as Hyde's badge of shame.
I suppose Joe Gauld feels a sense of pride in his invention. What he seems not to realize is that many regard his arrogance and self-centered, cocky demeanor as delusional: the epitome of denial.
Anonymous:
--- Quote ---On 2005-11-26 13:39:00, Lars wrote:
"I spent a summer then three years at Hyde and graduated in 1990. I went to college and law school at Arizona State. I spent five years as a public defender and now have my own practice out in AZ.
I hadn't really thought much about Hyde for several years until one day I googled "hyde" and found this site. Sure brought back some lousy memories. But it's good to see that others feel the same way I do about the place.
Just got my pitch for the "annual fund." It went straight into the wastebasket. I only give money to ASU - I loved it there and they gave me quite a bit of academic scholarship money."
--- End quote ---
The fact that you Googled Hyde and found this website is VERY significant. There has been so much recent dialogue about Hyde on this website that it now shows up on Page 2 when you Google Hyde. That is the strongest possible evidence that word about Hyde is getting out (for quite some time this website was much farther down in the Google listings for Hyde).
Any parent considering the school who Googles Hyde is likely to find this website. If you're one of those parents, I would encourage you to read as many postings as possible, focus especially on the thoughtful comments, stay away from the angry diatribes that seem impulsive, and come to your own conclusions about Hyde. I think that any reasonably objective, thinking parent would read these postings and decide to avoid Hyde completely. I can't imagine reading the credible commentary here and even bothering to call Hyde to inquire, much less fill out an application and go for a visit.
Parents who are searching for a school for your struggling teen: Please find a skilled, well informed, and principled educational consultant who knows the landscape. There are some terrific schools out there, and Hyde isn't one of them. Any educational consultant who encourages you to seriously consider Hyde is waving a big red flag. I strongly recommend finding a highly recommended educational consultant who knows better.
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