Hyde School families speak out against ongoing lawsuit – A Parent & Community Perspective
- Allyson LaPierre - Staff Writer, WGME
- Jul 20
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 11
Publication | |
Author | Allyson LaPierre, Staff Writer WGME |
Publication Date | July 16, 2025 |
Link to Article |
Hyde School Parent & Community Perspective
This article by WGME is republished on Hyde Voices to share how families connected to Hyde School are responding to recent allegations. It highlights parents’ firsthand experiences and their belief in Hyde’s mission of accountability and character education.
Hyde School Parent Story
PORTLAND (WGME) - A lawsuit filed last Friday in U.S. District Court by former Hyde School student Jessica Fuller accuses the private boarding school of operating a "systematic child exploitation scheme."
The 47-page court filing alleges that the school, which claims to offer a character development curriculum for troubled students, instead engages in trafficking, forced labor and negligence.
"None of the things that are being alleged happened to our family," former Hyde School parent Pam Hardy said.
Hardy sent her then 14-year-old son to Hyde School from 1987 to 1991, believing he needed redirection.
"I knew my son had dreams for his life, but he was exhibiting attitudes that certainly weren't going to get him where he thought he wanted to go," Hardy said.
Hardy described the outcome as transformational.
"We didn't know how to hold him accountable, and the school did. I would say he learned there how to hold himself accountable," Hardy said.
Current Hyde parent Peter St. Philip also dismissed the allegations, calling them "preposterous." His son, Jack, currently attends the school.
"To suggest what Hyde is doing to discipline, to suggest it's human trafficking by way of forced labor, is preposterous." St. Philip said. "In connection with what's happening with my son, one of what happened in connection with his discipline, nothing is exploitative, or corrosive or improper, it's discipline."
The civil suit claims that students were put on work crews as punishment, often leaving them isolated and forced into grueling labor for no pay in extreme weather conditions.
"Jack has done work crew since he was there, they are light, picking up things around the campus. It's a very narrow period of time which this happens," St. Philip said.
The Lasting Impact of a Hyde School Education
Hyde Voices shares authentic perspectives from Hyde School alumni, parents, and staff. Each story demonstrates how Hyde School’s focus on truth, growth, and character creates lasting change. Explore more Hyde School stories, share your own reflection, or learn more about the school itself at the Hyde School website.
Comments