Fornits

Fornits Home for Wayward Web Fora
An open discussion about the troubled parent industry

With all the latest hubbub re. Romney Aide Jay Garrity predilection's for police paraphernalia, not to mention the questionable character of some of Romney's other associates, it is clear that Romney needs his own thread.

See also here for link to Romney fundraiser Robert Lichfield's antics.
http://wwf.fornits.com/viewtopic.php?t=21918

================================

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,286152,00.html
Romney Aide Takes Leave Amid Allegations He Impersonated a Law Enforcement Officer
Friday , June 22, 2007
AP

BOSTON —  An ever-present aide to Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney took a leave of absence Friday after he became the subject of investigations in two states for allegedly impersonating a law enforcement officer.

His attorney denied the charges.

Jay Garrity, who serves as director of operations and is constantly at the side of the former Massachusetts governor, is accused of leaving a lengthy message with the answering service of a plumbing company on Mother's Day, identifying himself as "Trooper Garrity" of the Massachusetts State Police and complaining about erratic driving by a company driver.

Click to Hear Romney Aide's Call from MyFoxBoston.com.

The district attorney in Boston is investigating the call, which was tape recorded by an after-hours operator. Impersonating an officer is a misdemeanor charge carrying a fine of up to $400 and one year imprisonment.

"Listening to the message, it sounded like he was calling control and speaking back and forth to people," said Dot Barme, whose Burlington company, Wayne's Drains, received the call. "I had my husband listen to it and he said, 'He's not talking to anybody; he's talking back and forth to himself," Barme told The Associated Press.

Stephen Jones, an attorney representing Garrity, said his client did not make the May 13 call, first reported by The Boston Globe, and has no connection with the cell phone to which it was traced.

"He has insisted since he's heard about this to have a voice analysis done to exonerate him or prove he did not do this," Jones said.

Jake Wark, spokesman for Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley, confirmed the investigation.

"We're looking into a phone call placed to an area business by an individual who represented himself as a state trooper," Wark said. "We do not believe the person who made that call is a state trooper and we are working to determine his identity."

Meanwhile, Garrity also has been accused of telling a New York Times reporter who had been following Romney's motorcade in New Hampshire last month that he had run the license plate of the reporter's rental car, and that he should break away from the caravan.

The New Hampshire attorney general's office is investigating that incident after the reporter, Mark Leibovich, recounted the May 29 events in a story about Romney last weekend. New Hampshire law prohibits citizens from accessing the state's license plate database.

"Jay has taken a leave of absence from the campaign to address these complaints," said Romney spokesman Kevin Madden.

Jones, the Garrity attorney, disputed the sequence of events. Leibovich has stood by his version of the story.

In 2004, Garrity was cited and fined by Massachusetts officials after a Ford Crown Victoria registered to him was found to have lights, a siren, radios and other law enforcement equipment — including a baton — after it was parked illegally in Boston's North End. At the time, Garrity was paid $75,000 annually as Romney's gubernatorial chief of operations.

"The Other Son" came out this past winter and is about one family's experience with an (allegedly drug-abusing) teenage son, and the family's subsequent choice of and dealings with Elan School.

Eva Pappas is a Clinical Psychologist and Psychoanalyst currently employed as a facilitator of parent groups at the Family Association of Daytop, and the Director of Education of the Daytop Family Association Board.

The excerpt details the "intervention" and transport of Jay Pappas to Elan...

===================================

http://www.theotherson.com/index.html
EXCERPT


*  **  ****  **  *

Outside, on the dark and empty sidewalk, Charles stands at the curb next to a fire hydrant, bags at his side.  He waits.  His eyes search for the car.  Down the street a car turns, moves toward him but then accelerates as it reaches him.  He looks at his watch, looks up the street again.  He takes a few steps before he realizes he's pacing back and forth.  

Five minutes pass.  He looks up toward our windows sitting in the face of the brick apartment building, hoping to see Jay's bedroom light out, even though he knows Jay's window is on the other side of the building and can't be seen.  He tugs at the arm of his coat, rolls his sleeve back.  His watch says 2:05.  They're late.    

Maybe not.  

A white Lincoln town car turns into the service road, its headlights bouncing through the shadows of parked cars.  Yes, he sees two big men in the front seat as the car comes closer, slows down, and then stops in front of the open space, at the hydrant where he stands.  

The driver steps out and walks to Charles with his hand outstretched.

"Charles?"

Charles reaches to take the man's hand in his.  "I'm glad you're here, I was beginning to worry."

"I'm sorry, we're a few minutes late.  It's nice to meet you.  I'm Brad from Giving Help," he apologizes.  "We had a good trip from Boston, made good time, but we got caught in some construction on I-95.  This is my associate, Peter."  

Charles hands the bags and the envelope with papers to Peter after shaking their hands.  Peter puts the bags and documentation in the trunk of the car, but places the letter in the front seat.  

"What happens now?" asks Charles, curious about what is to come.

"Don't worry about a thing.  We do this all the time," says Brad.  "We'll go up and if Jay's sleeping you'll wake him up and introduce him to us.  Then you and your wife will say your good-byes and leave the apartment."  

"What happens if Jay resists you?" asks Charles.  

In a confident manner that suggests he's been down this path before, Brad answers, "I can tell you with great confidence that 98% of the time after the parents leave, the youngster cooperates and comes with us willingly because he knows it's just him and us.  If he resists, we give him the truth: there is no choice about coming with us.  The choice is about how he comes with us.  We let him know that we have full authority from his parents and that he can either come willingly or he can come shackled, in plastic restraints.  When he hears that and he knows his parents aren't there, he'll cooperate.

"We'll call you every couple of hours on the trip up which should take about six hours, to let you know how Jay is doing.  Most kids sleep on the ride up.  He can stretch out across the back seat. If Jay needs a pit stop or a snack, we'll stop and all go in together.  Trust me, there's no danger of Jay bolting so don't worry about that.

"Some time during the trip, after we know that he's calm and cooperative, we'll give him your letter.  We want to be sure he's in the right frame of mind to read it, and won't just rip it up in anger. We do this because he'll regret it later if he does.  This letter will be his only contact with you for a while, once he enters his program."  

"O.K." Charles takes in a strong, deep breath of the chilled night air and moves forward, signaling them in a determined voice.  "Let's do it."

*  **  ****  **  *

The clock radio says 2:12 a.m. when I hear the front door lock turn, ever so softly, a tiny click.  I get up and see Charles tiptoe in quietly, leading the way for the two men behind him.  

It's finally happening!  

Help is coming for my son!

*  **  ****  **  *

Charles enters Jay's room first, still wearing his green L.L. Bean jacket.  I follow him, and Brad and Peter come next.  Brad is tall and stocky, the kind of man you'd see standing in front of a nightclub, a bodyguard type.  Peter is even taller but not quite as wide.  Our apartment seems to get much smaller.  

Jay is fast asleep by now.  

Charles turns on the light and begins to shake him gently.  "Jay, get up.  Wake up, we have someone here for you to talk to..."  

I hear myself thinking, Right, we have someone here for you to talk to, at 2 o'clock in the morning...

Jay slowly opens his eyes.  Groggy and saying nothing, he looks at Charles and then at the men. He looks very confused and draws back as if to protect himself.  

"Jay, this is Brad and Peter and they're here to talk to you."  

Brad directs us, "O.K., just say your good-byes."  

"Good-bye, Jay," Charles says softly.  

"Jay, we love you a lot, and we'll see you soon," I say as I turn and leave the room, hiding my tears.  My adrenalin is racing.

I remind myself that things are so bad that we have to do this drastic thing.  We have to say good-bye like this.  Everything has deteriorated.  We have nothing left but manipulations and intimidation.  

I put on my jacket and we leave the apartment.  We take the elevator downstairs where we let ourselves into the storage area and then the laundry room as planned.  We know that at 2 a.m. it will be empty and dark and we can sit there and look out at Jay and the men when they leave the building, without being seen.    

About ten minutes go by before we hear the elevator door open.  We watch as Jay steps out behind Brad, with Peter following, the three of them walking single file.

*  **  ****  **  *

"They didn't restrain him, thank God."

We run to the storage room door, open it a crack and try to position ourselves so we can both see the street outside.  We watch these two big men towering over Jay.   We can't hear what they're saying.  The two men stand by the car with Jay and talk to him for a while.  Then Jay gets into the back seat.  Brad stands by the driver's door, his hands animated in discussion with Jay through the open window.  

After about ten minutes of this both Brad and Peter get into the car, start the engine, and drive away.  Our son is on his way!  

Finally!  

Eight months have been spent trying to get help for Jay.  Effort after futile effort has been made, running here, running there, listening to "I'm sorry, we have no authority..." and "We have no jurisdiction..."  At last he is going to get help...

*  **  ****  **  *

Back upstairs in the apartment, it is so quiet.  Jay's light is still on.  We go in to turn it off, glad for the opportunity to be in his room and feel him.  It's not enough.  I feel empty inside, as if a piece of me is missing.    

As I look around a shock goes through me.  There on his chair are the clothes he wore that day. Jay was so disoriented that he left with the men in his pajamas! My heart goes out to him.  It wants to race the highways and take him his clothes.  My only son is in a car in his pajamas with two strangers!  

I remind myself that this is all necessary.  It has to be like this.  Didn't we try everything else? There was no other way...

*  **  ****  **  *

Neither Charles nor I can sleep.  We toss and turn in bed, each with our own thoughts, sleep nothing more than an elusive hope, waiting for the phone to ring.  At 4:30 a.m. the phone finally rings.  

"Hi, this is Brad.  We're traveling through Connecticut and I just wanted to let you know that Jay is fine.  He's been cooperating.  He's sleeping.  We'll make a pit stop when he wakes up."

"Great, thanks a lot for calling," I say.  "Has he read our letter yet?"  

"Not yet, but we'll give it to him when he wakes up."  

"O.K.," I say.  

"We'll call you again.  Bye."  

"Bye." We sleep fitfully.  

We both feel as though we haven't slept at all.  At about 7:30 a.m. there is another call.

"Hi, Brad here. Jay is fine, we're on the Mass Pike."

"Did he read our letter?" I ask.

"I gave it to him a while ago."

"Is he O.K. about it?"

"He seems fine, quiet."

"Do you know if he still has it or did he rip it up?"

"I didn't hear any ripping noises and I didn't see anything," Brad says.  

"Thanks so much, Brad.  I really appreciate the way you're calling."  

"That’s no problem."

"You know, he left wearing his pajamas.  Can you stop somewhere and let him get dressed before you get to the school?"

"We were planning to stop for breakfast soon.   We'll all go into the men's room and he can dress then.  Would you like to speak to him?"  

"Could I?" I ask.  

"Sure.  Hold on a second."  After a few seconds, Brad comes back on.  "Now I just want you to know this.  I've told Jay that if he shows you any disrespect or any funny business, I yank the phone."  

"O.K.," I say.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Jay, are you O.K.?"  

"I'm O.K., I guess."  

"Jay we had to do it this way.  We need you to get help."  

"U-huh," he says.  

"Do you know where you're going?" I ask.  

"Nooo...," he draws it out.  

"You're being taken up to a school that's not only a school but a place where they will work with you on your life.  You'll get counseling.  You need to work on yourself—your anger and your motivation.  I want you to know that we love you very much and we want you to be happy and we want you to be with us again.  The right way."  

"O.K., Mom."  His voice is tearing me up.  

"I love you.  Take care of yourself.  Hold on to the letter.  It might be our only contact for awhile," I say, struggling against the tears that I know will eventually have their way with me.  "We'll talk when we can."  

"O.K.  Bye Mom."  

And he is gone.  

I find out later that Jay has spoken to not only  Charles and me, but to our daughters Laura and Val along his journey north.  I am very satisfied. Every single one of us has gotten to say our good-byes to Jay with love and care in our hearts and voices.  Jay has heard from each of us how much we love him and how we all stand behind him, in full support.  Now, finally, after eight months of frustration, eight months of crying, pleading, trying to reason with anyone in power and meeting nothing but stone walls, I am hopeful again that my son will get what he needs, for the first time in a long time.  I love him more than I ever knew I could feel.  I have hope for my son.

Lying in bed, the light of a new day painting the walls of our bedroom, Charles and I are quiet. Together.  Not saying a word yet speaking volumes in a warm, comforting quiet, that covers us like a blanket.  The kind of quiet that battle weary soldiers share when there is a pause and they stop to breathe again.

I imagine our son in the hushed quiet, sitting in the back seat of a white Lincoln town car, speeding into the black night, wondering where he is going, alone with these two big strangers.  I imagine him watching the coming dawn.  I wish for the most beautiful colors to light the sky, so he might not be scared.

I picture him opening the envelope Charles delivered to the men.  I see him holding the letter.  I imagine how he must be feeling.  I read the words again, in my own mind, as I imagine them racing through his own.  I wish for our minds to meet out there on that highway.    

This is what the letter says:

Dear Jay,

By now you must be wondering what's going on.   Please don't rip this letter up because it may be your only contact with us for a while.  

We love you and we want you to have a good life and a good future.  We've tried everything but nothing  has worked.  This is our last resort.  We really want you in our family.  You are our only son.  It hurts us to watch what you are doing to yourself.

We love you very much.  We want to make sure that you have everything in life that you need.  You're a great guy.  We have great respect for you.  But it's like you're hiding behind a shell—a hard shell.

And you can't grow that way.

For a long time now we're just watching you not doing any of the normal things for your life, for your age.  We worry about you.  We're afraid for your welfare  and at times we've been afraid for your life.  We can't sit by and allow you to hurt yourself like this, watching your values go off.  We know you don't agree with us  right now.  You don't think anything is wrong.  

You're 16—you don't see the value of your life.  You don't see what we see.

Please be open to what's ahead of you and learn all you can.  It will help you to find out for yourself why you have so much anger and no interest in working for your future.  We look forward to the day when we can see you, who you genuinely are, with feelings and dreams.  You have a chance to make a good life for  yourself.  We want you to be together with us again and part of our family.  We all already miss you.

Always remember that

We love you,

Love,
Mom and Dad

[/i]
I was to learn six months later that this was an intervention, a fight for our son's life.

LINK to The Hill Article

Lawsuits hit a Romney money man
By Alexander Bolton
June 20, 2007

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) has collected hundreds of thousands of dollars through the fundraising efforts of a supporter targeted by several lawsuits alleging child abuse.

In a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, 133 plaintiffs have alleged that Robert Lichfield, co-chairman of Romney's Utah finance committee owned or operated residential boarding schools for troubled teenagers where students were "subjected to physical abuse, emotional abuse and sexual abuse."

The complaint, which plaintiffs amended and resubmitted to the court last week, alleges children attending schools operated by Lichfield suffered abuses such as unsanitary living conditions; denial of adequate food; exposure to extreme temperatures; beatings; confinement in dog cages; and sexual fondling.

A second lawsuit filed by more than 25 plaintiffs in July in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of New York alleges that Lichfield and several partners entered into a scheme to defraud them by operating an unlicensed boarding school in upstate New York. The suit does not allege physical or emotional abuse.

These are two active lawsuits against Lichfield. Several others suits have alleged child abuse on behalf of dozens of plaintiffs, but judges have thrown out the suits for procedural reasons. As a result, the merits of the allegations have not been weighed. In some suits, plaintiffs have settled their cases for undisclosed amounts of money.

The allegations could force Romney to re-examine his relationship with his Utah finance co-chairman or put pressure on him to give away the contributions Lichfield helped raise.

Lichfield helped to organize a February event in St. George, Utah, that raised about $300,000 for the Romney campaign.

Romney has six finance committee co-chairmen in Utah. Since the beginning of 2003, Lichfield has given money to at least seven other Republican candidates and also to the National Republican Congressional Committee and Bush-Cheney '04 Inc.

Overall, Romney has raised $2.7 million in Utah for his presidential campaign, far more than any other candidate, according to data compiled by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has raised the second most in the state, $113,000.

"Mr. Lichfield is one of 6 Co-Chairman of our Utah finance team,” said Romney spokeswoman Gail Gitcho in a statement.  "He has donated to numerous Republican candidates and committees. The Romney campaign will continue its policy to make our fundraising efforts as transparent as possible."

Lichfield did not respond to requests for comment made through the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWASPS). WWASPS is his co-defendant in several lawsuits and Lichfield sits on its board of directors.

Plaintiffs represented by the Dallas-based Turley Law Firm claim Lichfield and WWASPS helped to run boarding schools where staff abused students and "acted in concert" to "fraudulently conceal the extent and nature of the physical, emotional, mental and sexual abuse occurring at its [member] schools," their complaint states.

The plaintiffs include former boarding school students and their parents.    

The president of WWASPS, Ken Kay, said in an interview the lawsuits are a ploy to get money and dismissed the credibility of former students making allegations.

"Most of them are ludicrous," Kay said of the claims made against his organization and the boarding schools. "A certain percentage of the kids [who participate] are never going to be happy. They weren't happy with public schools, they weren't happy with law enforcement, and they have a long history of lying, fabricating and twisting the story around to their own benefit.

"Many of them have done poorly and have filed suits [since leaving the schools]," he added. "They have had problem with their families, churches, public schools and outpatient therapy. A large percentage of these kids have been [in] other treatment programs."

The legal disputes shine light on the obscure world of boarding schools for troubled teens.

Years ago, parents set their troublesome teenagers to military schools. In recent years, boot-camp boarding schools, where staff emphasize discipline, have become popular. The schools affiliated with Lichfield and WWASPS fit this mold.

The parents suing Lichfield sent their kids to WWASPS-affiliated schools such as Cross Creek Center for Boys in LaVerkin, Utah; Majestic Ranch Academy in Randolph, Utah; and The Academy at Ivy Ridge in Ogdensburg after they got into trouble for insubordination, drug use or petty theft.

The parents learned of the boarding schools through Teen Help, a business owned by Lichfield that matched parents and their children with boarding schools around the country and in Mexico, Costa Rica, and American Samoa. Lichfield had consulting relationships with nearly all the schools, according to Kay. In some instances Lichfield rented property to the schools, said Kay, who did not name the properties specifically.

Plaintiffs have alleged that Lichfield made millions from the schools.  

Former students allege they were transported against their will — sometimes in handcuffs — by operators such as Clean and Sober Solutions and Teen Escort Services to far-away locations.

Once at the boarding schools, they say they were subject to harsh treatment. Some students say they never attended classes and simply received books to read on their own without supervision. Others allege that staff at the schools threatened them with cattle prods and punished severely violations of school rules. Several students alleged in legal complaints that they were forced to lie face down on the floor for hours at a time, forbidden from moving their arms or legs.  

Kay said WWASPS worked only with the schools and never had direct contact with the students. He also said only a very small percentage of former students have brought complaints.

Kay also said that the vast majority of former students never alleged abusive treatment.  

A survey by The Hill found at least nine lawsuits filed in the last nine years against specialty boarding schools affiliated with Lichfield. Judges threw out more than half of the complaints because of procedural objections.

For example, a suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court in 2005 on behalf of more than 20 plaintiffs was dismissed by a judge who found California did not have jurisdiction over the matter, according to Henry Bushkin, the plaintiffs' attorney. Bushkin said he would gather more evidence to show a California court could hear the suit.

One of the lawyers making allegations against Lichfield is Thomas M. Burton, by his own account, a relative of Romney through marriage and a one-time friend of the ex-governor's late father, George Romney.

Burton said he has filed six unsuccessful suits against Lichfield. He said judges have thrown out his complaints because of various procedural difficulties.

Citing an example, Burton said one case could not proceed because his client, Clayton Bowman, a resident of the state of Washington, could not bear the psychological anguish of testifying about his experience at one of the WWASP-affiliated schools.

Lennox Black, Jeffrey Black, and Judith von Seldeneck all work together on the Hyde Board as well...

Link to TELEFLEX article here.

Teleflex Announces Changes to Its Board of Directors

LIMERICK, Pa., Mar 27, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Teleflex Incorporated (NYSE:TFX) announced that Lennox K. Black, Chairman of the Board of Directors has announced his intention to retire as Chairman and as a member of the Board, effective with the election of his successor at the company's Annual Meeting of Shareholders on May 5, 2006. The Board of Directors has appointed Jeffrey P. Black, President and Chief Executive Officer of Teleflex and a Board member since 2002, to the additional position of Chairman of the Board, which he will assume beginning at the Annual Meeting. William R. Cook, who has been an independent member of the Teleflex Board since 1998 and is the current Chairman of the Audit Committee, will be named to the newly created position of Lead Director of the Board. Mr. Cook will serve a one-year term as Lead Director commencing with the company's 2006 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

Lennox Black, who has been Chairman of the Board since 1982, is the former Chief Executive Officer of Teleflex. He has been associated with the company for over 47 years and has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since 1971. In 1982 he was named to the additional position of Chairman of the Board. During his tenure, Teleflex has grown dramatically from a small niche player focused primarily on the aerospace market to a diversified global company serving medical, aerospace, marine, industrial and automotive markets. In 1971, when Mr. Black became President and Chief Executive Officer, Teleflex had annual revenues of $25 million and operations in 3 countries. Today, Teleflex has over $2.5 billion in annual revenues, operations in 24 countries, 20,000 employees and provides highly engineered products and services to customers worldwide.

Jeffrey Black was named President of Teleflex in 2000 and Chief Executive Officer of Teleflex in 2002. Mr. Black has been associated with Teleflex for over 22 years.

In addition, the company announced nominees for election to the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors has nominated John J. Sickler for election for the remainder of Lennox Black's term, which expires in 2008. Mr. Sickler has served as Vice Chairman of Teleflex since 2000, and has been a Teleflex executive since 1972.

For election to the class of directors with terms expiring in 2009, the Board has nominated: Jeffrey P. Black, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Teleflex Incorporated; Sigismundus W.W. Lubsen, Retired Member of the Executive Board, Heineken, N.V.; Judith M. von Seldeneck, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Diversified Search, Inc.; and Harold L. Yoh, III, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Day & Zimmerman Group, Inc. All of the nominees for the term expiring 2009 are current members of the Teleflex Board of Directors.

Teleflex Incorporated (NYSE:TFX) is a diversified company with annual revenues of over $2.5 billion. Teleflex designs, manufactures and distributes quality engineered products and services for the commercial, medical and aerospace markets worldwide. Headquartered in Limerick, Pennsylvania, with operations in 24 countries, Teleflex employs more than 20,000 people worldwide who focus on providing innovative solutions for customers.

SOURCE: Teleflex Incorporated

Teleflex Incorporated
Julie McDowell
Vice President
Corporate Communications
610-948-2836

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/ ... rside.html

Suit alleging abuse names GOP donor
By KEVIN WACK, Staff Writer Maine Sunday Telegram Sunday, May 6, 2007

Robert B. Lichfield, the donor linked to a $250,000 contribution to the Maine governor's race, is facing allegations that teenagers were mistreated at youth treatment centers associated with him.

Lichfield is currently a trustee in the World Wide Association of Specialty Schools and Programs, a Utah-based organization affiliated with numerous residential treatment centers in the United States and abroad.

The facilities market themselves to the parents of defiant teens, advertising what is often described as a "tough-love" approach aimed at modifying adolescents' behavior.

But the facilities are also a magnet for critics who believe the centers' tactics go too far.

A lawsuit alleging abuse filed last December in U.S. District Court in Utah names as defendants Lichfield, the association, and two other businesses connected to Lichfield.

The plaintiffs allege in court papers that former residents of youth facilities in Utah, Montana, South Carolina, New York, Jamaica, Mexico, Costa Rica and American Samoa were subjected to multiple forms of physical and mental abuse.

The defendants have argued through their lawyers that the case should be dismissed, according to court records.

Lichfield did not respond to calls seeking comment. In a 2003 interview with the Los Angeles Times, he defended himself against allegations of wrongdoing regarding the treatment centers.

"We're here getting kids off drugs and other evils," he said. "Do I believe, being a God-believing person, that the adversary to all good is going to sit back and let that happen without a major unleashing of dark forces? No, I don't."

Joe Gauld's book Character First: The Hyde School Difference is published by ICS Press, described as a publication of the Center for Self-Governance.

The Institute for Contempory Studies (which runs ICS Press), based in San Francisco, is described by Media Transparency as a conservative think tank.  According to Media Transparency, over a span of 20 years (1985-2005), close to $8.3 million in grants has been funneled into ICS from a small number of conservative philanthropies, the primary one being the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin (to the tune of over $5.6 million).  

Other philanthropies listed are the John M. Olin Foundation, Sarah Scaife Foundation, the Carthage Foundation, and the William H. Donner Foundation.  Remember this last one?  They've come up here before in these threads at Fornits.  These are the same folks that gave Hyde School $275,000 over the course of 4 years (2001-2005).

The involvement of the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation is of interest as, according to Media Transparency, with "$706 million in assets (2005), the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the country's largest and most influential right-wing foundation. As of the end of 2005, it was giving away more than $34 million a year [Bradley Foundation 2005 IRS 99-PF].  ...Bradley supports the organizations and individuals that promote the deregulation of business, the rollback of virtually all social welfare programs, and the privitization of government services. As a result, the list of Bradley grant recipients reads like a Who's Who of the U.S.Right."  Yo, these are the folks that played in John Birches back yard, and that brought us The Bell Curve.

See also:

Media Transparency's recipient profile on ICS:
http://www.mediatransparency.org/recipi ... ientID=166

Media Transparency's recipient profile on Hyde School:
http://www.mediatransparency.org/recipi ... entID=3539

Media Transparency's funder profile on The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Inc.
http://www.mediatransparency.org/funder ... funderID=1

Note the funder ID # for this last link.  Yes, these are the very people that provided the incentive to start the Media Transparency website in the first place.

Anyone else been following the fire at Hidden Lake Academy?  This happened a few days ago, in the wee hours of Thursday morning, May 24th.  The academic building burned to the ground, under probably less than accidental circumstances.

http://wwf.fornits.com/viewtopic.php?t=21718

Made me think of the Mansion fire in the summer of 1975.  Said to be two disgruntled students.  Crazy actions in response to even greater craziness.

The following review of Laura and Malcolm's book The Biggest Job We'll Ever Have: The Hyde School Program for Character-Based Education and Parenting (Amazon.com) gave me pause.  The portion that gave me pause has been highlighted in red.

Useful but . . ., February 10, 2004
Reviewer: A reader

This book, written by the daughter-in-law of the founder of the Hyde Schools, espouses a character-first philosophy of education. This philosophy has much to recommend it, although as other reviewers have pointed out, "The Biggest Job . . ." repeats many of the same old cliches as other books. But it does have its place.

Nonetheless, this book should be used with caution IF you are using it to evaluate the Hyde schools. Because it is given out during family interviews, it functions as a recruiting tool. Of the current eight reviews, three of the most glowing are written by parents of Hyde students. Several earlier negative reviews by former Hyde parents have been removed. What those earlier reviews said, in essence, is that the emperor had no clothes and that Hyde's methods did not always mirror their philosphy.

The bottom line is that if you're looking for help raising your childred, then this is as good a book as any. BUT if you're thinking of sending your child to Hyde, it's only part of the picture. Talk to other parents--including those who have had negative epxeriences with the school.
link to book and reviews on Amazon

Did Amazon remove the negative reviews, or did the reviewers?  And if the reviewers removed their reviews, why?  Did Hyde contact them and pressure them?