Author Topic: FLCs, Family Weekends and Regional Meetings  (Read 2565 times)

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Offline Anne Bonney

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FLCs, Family Weekends and Regional Meetings
« on: August 23, 2006, 05:13:15 PM »
Can someone explain how these work?  What the structure is?  Who leads these seminars?
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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Offline Anonymous

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Re: FLCs, Family Weekends and Regional Meetings
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2006, 10:25:42 PM »
Quote from: ""Anne Bonney""
Can someone explain how these work?  What the structure is?  Who leads these seminars?


FLCs are designed to compel parents and students to confront their core issues and, in the process, disclose very intimate detail about their lives.  I have no problem with people confronting their issues in a constructive way.  But, what I've witnessed at FLCs is nothing short of destructive.  No one can deny that what gets talked about in FLCs is very similar to intense group therapy.  I've heard complete strangers (Hyde students and parents) reveal the most incredible details about sexual abuse in the family, marital affairs, sex change surgery, drug abuse, suicide attempts, and so on.  In some cases the students are hearing these details in these groups for the first time!  Imagine that.

Here's one of the most remarkable things (among many): The group facilitators have zero training as mental health counselors or therapists.  The ones I've had have been a Hyde English teacher, history teacher, etc.  I've been appalled at their inept handling of some of the most challenging exchanges imaginable.  I've witnessed screaming matches, threats, and tantrums right smack in the middle of an FLC.  During one weekend I heard about a father who threatened suicide because of what happened in an FLC.  It amazes me that Hyde is able to function like this.  Isn't this like practicing medicine without a license?  

This is one of the major reasons we decided to leave Hyde.  We were absolutely shocked to see how this process works.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Anonymous

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Re: FLCs, Family Weekends and Regional Meetings
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2006, 11:19:02 PM »
Quote from: ""Guest""
Quote from: ""Anne Bonney""
Can someone explain how these work?  What the structure is?  Who leads these seminars?

FLCs are designed to compel parents and students to confront their core issues and, in the process, disclose very intimate detail about their lives.  I have no problem with people confronting their issues in a constructive way.  But, what I've witnessed at FLCs is nothing short of destructive.  No one can deny that what gets talked about in FLCs is very similar to intense group therapy.  I've heard complete strangers (Hyde students and parents) reveal the most incredible details about sexual abuse in the family, marital affairs, sex change surgery, drug abuse, suicide attempts, and so on.  In some cases the students are hearing these details in these groups for the first time!  Imagine that.

Here's one of the most remarkable things (among many): The group facilitators have zero training as mental health counselors or therapists.  The ones I've had have been a Hyde English teacher, history teacher, etc.  I've been appalled at their inept handling of some of the most challenging exchanges imaginable.  I've witnessed screaming matches, threats, and tantrums right smack in the middle of an FLC.  During one weekend I heard about a father who threatened suicide because of what happened in an FLC.  It amazes me that Hyde is able to function like this.  Isn't this like practicing medicine without a license?  

This is one of the major reasons we decided to leave Hyde.  We were absolutely shocked to see how this process works.


I am a former parent and I witnessed exactly the same thing as you.  To me it was a humiliating experience.  If you couldn't come up with some awful past, they put so much pressure on you that you felt compelled to make up something.   It reminds me of the forced confessions that are acceptable in third world countries.

As far as who runs these seminars, one of my facilitators was the same Larry Dubinsky that people are talking about on this board.  He has no formal education, but would sit in the seminars eyeing the pretty young girls.  He was a creep!  I had another sports coach facilitating once and she finally walked out of the room and admitted to some of us that she was not qualified for what she was put in charge of.  She said she did not want to be responsible for what was going on in the seminar.  I felt she was very sincere.  She ended up leaving Hyde at the end of that year.  She wanted to expose Hyde, but needed the recommendation so decided to stay quiet.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline tommyfromhyde1

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FLCs, Family Weekends and Regional Meetings
« Reply #3 on: August 25, 2006, 04:08:25 PM »
Weren't the parent seminars also pitches for donations as well?
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Anonymous

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FLCs, Family Weekends and Regional Meetings
« Reply #4 on: August 25, 2006, 04:54:35 PM »
Quote from: ""tommyfromhyde1""
Weren't the parent seminars also pitches for donations as well?


I wasn't solicited in the seminars.  But, I WAS solicited in the large auditorium when they gave their "fair share" speech about how all of us were obliged to pitch in financially on top of tuition, room, board, etc.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Anonymous

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FLCs, Family Weekends and Regional Meetings
« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2006, 06:57:34 PM »
You are being too kind.  I didn't feel like it was a pitch, I felt that if I didn't give more money, my kid would suffer the consequences.  They put a lot of pressure on all the parents and the faculty to "give back."  Funny, I thought we were giving when we were paying $35,000 a year for tuition.  

The whole weekend was pressuring parents to give.  They do this twice a school year and each day is another "rah rah" session trying to convince everyone how great Hyde and the prophet Joe Gauld is.  Of course we would get that same old speech about how he isn't doing this for the money, but that he is going to change the world!  The man took too many drugs!!
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »