Could it be that Hyde is more concerned about image than it's willing to admit? When I was at Hyde I heard staff lecture students about how they needed to be less concerned about image. Me thinks Hyde doesn't practice what it preaches. I'm shocked!
I have never seen a place more obsessed with "image" than Hyde. A bit ironic, don't you think, given their professed ideals? They are obsessed with the image of Hyde as perceived by the public, and they are obsessed with the image of the kids as they presumably see themselves.
When I was at Hyde, a multitude of criticisms re. my so-called concern for my image were leveled at me and I beat myself up something awful about it. It wasn't 'till years later that I realized that faculty at Hyde had had absolutely no clue as to who I was in the first place, and that the criticisms, such that there were, had absolutely zero basis in reality. Moreover, said criticisms were nothing but pro-forma verbiage leveled at
everyone in my class (save perhaps the "chosen ones"), and had never been unique to me! Shame on me for being so obtuse as to not figure that out earlier! Shame on Hyde for stigmatizing kids so unnecessarily!
Show me a teenager who is NOT concerned about their image, and I'll show you a teenager who is either extraordinarily mature for their years (and thence not someone whose parents would opt to send them to Hyde anyway), or a teenager who is utterly out of sync with themselves or in denial. It is almost a matter of definition for teenagers to fret about their image. And whether or not anyone points this out, they will grow up and out of it in a few years simply as a function of becoming an adult!
What I
do find abnormal, however, is
adults in their thirties and older who are so concerned with "image" that they see fit to torture teenagers about the concept. Give me a break! Just
who exactly needs to "grow up" here?
Adults should first and foremost lead by example, eh? What kind of examples do we see held up as the epitome of good character
vis a vis good self image at Hyde? Superficial preoccupation with
prom transportation! Pah-leeez!
This is supposed to teach a good example of "image-consciousness?" Don't try to tell me it's a matter of more egalitarian finance considerations! Even if the limo was 200 bucks, split amongst 3 couples that comes to $33 and change per person! Surely Hyde could have found find something better with which to waste everyone's time!
