<p>Thacher’s comments about their Independent School Gender Project (ISGP) results:</p>
<p>" …the survey asked students to estimate the number of their peers who engage in drug or alcohol use on campus. The average estimate was less than 1 percent. "</p>
<p>“Let’s get real.” Ok, Mainer95. What I said in my post is that the article on Thacher’s website references the studies. The ISGP study REFERRED to in the article examines many fine boarding schools, including its host school in 2008, Hotchkiss [The</a> Hotchkiss School - About Hotchkiss - The Independent School Gender Project Conference](<a href=“http://www.hotchkiss.org/AboutHotchkiss/isgp.asp]The”>http://www.hotchkiss.org/AboutHotchkiss/isgp.asp)). Among the other Schools included are Cate, St. Paul’s, Deefield, and Milton. If you choose to be skeptical of the results because the study itself is not made available publicly (at least that I can tell), or contains too few Schools to be meaningful, or because you believe that Thacher is lying or misrepresenting the results, or simply gilding the lily, then I can’t help you there. </p>
<p>The Pacific Consulting Group, which managed the other study you disparage, is a highly regarded Strategic Planning and Quality Assurance company that conducts studies for commercial, state and educational organizations. It was a School study, not a national study. In that regard, I stand corrected. Thacher hires this company periodically in order to test and tabulate the views of students and parents in a totally anonymous fashion. Dozens of schools and school systems employ Pacific to get unvarnished feedback on their strengths and weaknesses. It is an excellent tool for self-improvement. If you choose not to believe these results either, that’s up to you.</p>
<p>If you read this whole chain, you would see that initally I made the point that drug use at the top boarding schools is virtually non-existent, not just at Thacher. A student, I presume, said that I was being na</p>
<p>From thacher.org:</p>
<p>According to the 2009 ISGP survey results, The Thacher School is the very best of all 23 schools, with six grades of A and no grade of C. Earning one grade of A is unusual for a school. Earning six grades of A is truly outstanding and exemplary. The study surveyed students level of comfort at school; perceptions of equity, stress and health; body attitudes and behaviors; lack of pressure regarding substance use and sex; and respect and diversity. Among the 23 schools that participated in this years survey were Cate School, Deerfield Academy, The Hotchkiss School, Milton Academy, St. Pauls School, Taft School, and The Webb Schools. "</p>
<p>Congrats to Thacher!</p>
<p>Nice job Thacher… No end in sight to the sour grapes on this thread!</p>
<p>I like it, this is school spirit. You should hear my house at Thanksgiving.
We have: Eaglebrook, The Rectory, Indian Mt., Salisbury, St. George’s, Brooks, St Andrew’s, Groton, St Mark’s, Kent, Westminster and Deerfield all clamoring to make their point.
Hotchkiss, Exeter, Taft and Loomis show up later and then never leave.</p>
<p>You should videotape that and put it on YouTube, ops!</p>
<p>
So people commented “negatively” on Thacher/Cate because they couldn’t get in those schools? As I pointed out, Thacher appeared 3 times in the “2009 master list” - apparently not a very popular choice for the users of this forum at least. Or people are bitter because their school is not the number 1 in that survey? Really? </p>
<p>Other than that, I actually agree with you when you say “No end in sight to the sour grapes on this FORUM!”</p>
<p>Thacherparent, I hope you don’t mind me jumping in here…but Benley, for heaven’s sake, ThacherParent didn’t claim some kind of overall boarding school superiority. This was a thread about drug use. Someone accused TP of not having any data to back up the claim that Thacher has little or no drug problem. TP then provided some data, which another poster (from New England) subsequently trashed as being biased and insufficient. And then you jump in (again) with New England boarding school saliva dripping down your chin to claim that because Thacher only appeared on CC’s Master List 3 times it must not be popular. Oh yeah, then you add, “at least for the users of this forum.” How gracious of you! </p>
<p>Even if you’d never send your kid to Thacher or Cate, give some credit and congratulations where it’s due and don’t make the rest of us New Englanders look so thin-skinned and snobby.</p>
<p>Thacher/Cate is not a popular choice to the users of this forum because very few of them even apply. I have evidence and you can’t dispute that. Your reasoning of those who crticize ThacherParent’s statements are “sour grapes” is unfounded. That was my point.</p>
<p>Now, in response to you “saliva dripping down your chin” kind of language, let me say this - Parlabane, you yourself are the sourest grape in the history of CC!</p>
<p>Sounds like the early 70’s to me.</p>
<p>It is almost laughable that ThatcherMom refuses to accept truths. Plus if you interview, ask the students about going to the nearby town and how safe they are and read the police reports from the town. Look at past Cate school papers (about 3 years ago) where it warned students about wearing school logo material to town.</p>
<p>I was really saddened to read the report about drug use by the Cate freshman and hope that if it’s indicative of a problem at Cate, that it’s a problem on the mend. I think it’s a great school.</p>
<p>Princess’Dad, I apologize for disbelieving your oft-repeated comments about your tour guide at Cate. You may well have been right.</p>
<p>I still prefer not to be overly judgmental, Princess’Dad, because nearly every School mentioned on this site has problems that crop up now and again. I’m also not a fan of people who see the world in black and white terms, and who are quick to judge others.</p>
<p>This is a sad circumstance that caused two Cate seniors to be expelled and two freshman to be placed on indefinite suspension. It will undoubtedly be a hard lesson learned for these students. I hope they will be able to pick up the pieces, realign, and move forward with their lives in a positive way.</p>
<p>I applaud the Cate administration for taking swift action and dealing with the issue in a head-on and transparent manner. The entire student body was assembled and given full communication of the facts. Needless to say, it was a huge disappointment for everyone.</p>
<p>The actions of these few students do not define Cate. The school is and continues to be an extraordinary environment for bright young students to learn and grow. The school has done so much for my older son, and I hope my younger child can follow in his footsteps at Cate.</p>
<p>CP</p>
<p>To be fair, ThacherParent only applauded Thacher not Cate for “vitually no drug use”.
</p>
<p>It’s RakG who said
, which proves not true.</p>
<p>T.P.
Thacher seems like a great school (although takkng care of a horse was too much for my d). It was probably a shame that my tour guide turned me off to Cate. Her response about no kids being religious “oh you are one of them” probably turned me off more. I trust d enough that the drugs and sex would have been tolerable </p>
<p>But, I think you are naive if you think that drugs and sex (have you heard of the Harkness Club?) does not occur at all schools? The Vanderbelt student paper last week had a front page article on students taking stimulents (ie the Ritilan type). This type of drug usage is probably more common at private schools than at public schools due to the pressure to get an A. I think they are just as worrisome as marijuana, etc (but I guess you can get a Rx for both in Ca :)</p>
<p>My niece graduated form Cate last Spring and is currently a freshman at Northwestern. She loved Cate, survived, and flourished there. Believe me, ALL prep schools have their demons and temptations, which are to be avoided if at all possible. Thacher is no different. My niece knows quit a few recent Thacher graduates who partied like it was 1999 while there… on campus.</p>
<p>Sarum - totally inappropriate comment. There was virtually no drug use whatsoever on Thacher’s campus, certainly from 2004 - 2009. If someone wants to get on this board who is/was at Thacher and talk about partying on campus, they’re free to do so. But you? The worst kind of hearsay…I heard it from my niece who heard from her friends…give me a break. If you aren’t a part of the Thacher family or don’t have direct knowledge, please don’t make unqualified representations.</p>
<p>TP
the student’s post disappeared - but I guess there is no drugs at Thatcher - they are too busy having sex?! :)</p>
<p>I’m a thacher student and I can honestly say that i’ve never seen any drugs or alcohol on campus. i haven’t even heard of kids doing drugs on campus.
if you want the truth about any boarding school, cate or thacher, east or west, ask the students.</p>
<p>Thank you abrown. Great to see you on this board.</p>