<p>Okay, this is weird, but has anyone else heard about the recent controversy at Deerfield? From what my friends at Deerfield have told me, there was an incident in which seven Deerfield students were suspended and one was expelled for damaging the school's reputation. Supposedly a bunch of students were at a party and pictures were taken of two girls making out in their bathing suits in the shower. I guess these pictures were widely circulated around the prep school scene, and I guess Deerfield finally found out about them. My friends say that Deerfield administrators confiscated like 20 computers and tracked everyone on their internet server who possessed the pictures. They then forced everyone to delete the pictures in front of the deans. All evidence of the pictures were deleted... as far as the school is concerned.</p>
<p>Does anyone else find this really, really random and strange? My sister was accepted to Deerfield and now we're weighing our options ever since we've heard about this. I mean, I'd rather not have my sister go to a place with questionable student behavior, and, what seems to be a place with an overzealous administration. What does everyone else think? Should my sister still consider and visit Deerfield? She got into Andover, Hotchkiss, and Taft as well...</p>
<p>this is not strange at at all.....NO WHERE YOU, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE DELINQUENTS....as for you sister, if she a well mannered and intelligent person, she will know what type of cirle of friends to make.....and what to say away from...things like this will always happen, just make sure your not one of them who causes these things</p>
<p>Every school has students who exhibit "questionable behavior." And what the administrators did is on the same level as what many prep schools in my area did with myspaces and facebooks...made them delete stuff. If it's on the school server, they have the right to have it deleted. No biggie really. </p>
<p>Your sister can evidently make good choices and is a good student (the acceptances speak for themselves)...no school is perfect. She should still visit - maybe it's still the right place for her.</p>
<p>"Every school has students who exhibit "questionable behavior." And what the administrators did is on the same level as what many prep schools in my area did with myspaces and facebooks...made them delete stuff. "</p>
<p>Haha, my school had an emergency meeting when they und out so many students had myspaces. They basically told us 'you go to a private school, therefore here you have no rights'</p>
<p>Don't let a few students sour your opinion about what might be an excellent match for your sister. Still go to the revisit.</p>
<p>Yea, I guess she could go visit one more time just to be sure about what she thinks about Deerfield. It's just that I was forwarded the pictures from my friends as well, and, in truth, what the girls did wasn't that bad. They were drunk so they made out. Big deal. It's just the way that Deerfield handled the situation that kind of irks me. The fact that the administration can confiscate and track down everything you have on your computer is kind of like the Patriot Act on steroids. Also, for something that is not a big deal, SEVEN students were SUSPENDED and one was EXPELLED. For kissing on film? Come on.</p>
<p>Supposedly, there is a clause in the Deerfield rules that makes it a major school rule violation if you ever damage the school's reputation. I go to a local private day school, and a rule like that would be absolutely inconceivable. Is it just me, or is that extremely arrogant? If this is how Deerfield conducts itself, I'd much rather have my sister go elsewhere. I know she would make the right choices in the end in dealing with friends, but why would she want to put herself in an environment where doing something dumb and trivial would cause such a ridiculous amount of uproar? Might as well go to a school with a more stable reputation, no? I guess I'm just surprised to find out about this side of Deerfield; it seems like they do a good job of portraying an ideal picture of themselves. Whatever. I guess Deerfield isn't that bad of a school. I'm sure my sister will know what to think once she visits.</p>
<p>I think the first part has a lot to do with the school thinking it's a big deal. And if they're boarding, then since they use their computers while at school (on campus), the school can claim jurisdiction. (Most boarding schools claim in loco parentis, so they have the right to do that, or something like that.) Private school have a lot of leeway.</p>
<p>Remember, it's ultimately up to your sister (and your parents).</p>
<p>And sure, it's arrogant of Deerfield...but not it's definitely not atypical of top prep schools. Remember, they're supposed to convince parents to entrust their children to the school--their reputation is important to maintain that trust, so it's good business.</p>
<p>Being drunk and exhibiting this behavior on computer is no small violation. I think the school was right in the way it responded. There should be no tolerance for this type of behavior...it does damage the school's reputation, because parents will not want to send their kids to any school where this type of behavior is tolerated. These girls were underaged, and under no circumstances should they have been drinking. I applaud Deerfield for sending a message that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.</p>
<p>OK I completely disagree with Deerfield here. First of all, their problem was not that underage kids were drinking. If that was the problem than that's fine, many more people should be getting in trouble because I'm sure they could easily catch many students drinking. It is not the girls' faults that they were caught on camera. Seems to me that the main issue here was that 2 girls were kissing, and- drunk or not- there should be no problem there.</p>
<p>Perhaps you saw the recent mammoth threads here about a CC poster who recently died of alcohol poisoning.</p>
<p>I, too, applaud an administration that responds in an energetic manner to underage drinking. Kids who are drunk do dangerous things, and are surrounded by other kids who are generally drunk themselves and who typically lack the judgment, maturity, courage, and knowledge of danger signs to call for help. Therefore, dangerously drunk kids are entrusting their lives to people who are typically incapable of justifying that trust.</p>
<p>I urge you and your sister to read "Smashed", an enlightening book by a young woman about the effects of high school and college drinking on her and on young women generally.</p>
<p>I know some teenagers don't see underage drinking as a problem, but as a parent, I see it as a big problem. First of all, kids who drink excessively tend to do things they wouldn't otherwise do were they not drunk. I'm not saying the girls should have been suspended solely because they were kissing. But to be taped drunk and making out barely dressed is quite another matter. Would they have been behaving this way were they not drunk? I'm sorry, but parents do not want to be paying upwards of $35,000 per year to send their children to a school that tolerates this type of behavior. In the end, its the schools' reputation and computer network, and they have the right to control what's displayed on that network.</p>
<p>Did the girls give their sober consent to this liaison?</p>
<p>Did the girls give their sober consent to be drunk and in a shower, a most dangerous place for someone who is drunk?</p>
<p>Did the girls give their sober consent to be photographed in this liaison and in this manner?</p>
<p>Did the girls give their sober consent to the distribution of these photographs for the titillation of a, presumably, primarily male audience?</p>
<p>Did the girls give their sober consent to the humiliation and mocking sure to ensue upon the wide distribution of these photographs?</p>
<p>I doubt it.</p>
<p>Therefore, IMO the taking and distribution of these photographs constitute demeaning and sickening violations of the girls--fully worthy of an energetic response from the administration.</p>
<p>I think I have been misunderstood. I understand the administration acting, but think that some of the above posters disagree with me on why the administration should act.
-People should get in trouble for underage drinking. I am sure people drink all the time, and if they are concerned with that, should be cracking down on it in different situations as well. It seems iffy to me that the first time they crack down is when they see sexual activity between 2 girls
-ADad- Yay, I agree with you completely!! The girls were violated. The pictures should be taken down because I'm sure the girls do not want those pictures circulating.
My problem is statements like this: "Every school has students who exhibit "questionable behavior."" The girls didn't do anything questionable! Yes, they were drunk. So they broke the law. They can get in trouble for that, but I'd hardly call it questionable behavior. People have less inhibitions when they're drunk. They wanted to make out, so let them make out.</p>
<p>They were drunk. The school claims en loco parentis. You sign a legal document with the school upon entry. </p>
<p>I see no problem whatsoever. Don't kid yourself if you think kids go to these schools for just an education. I can educate myself to near the level of many of these schools just studying on my own. It's the schools reputation that plays a huge factor. Similarily, our school(NCSSM) is actuallly 3 joint corporations.</p>
<p>Chocolateluvr, how do you know this is the first time Deerfield is cracking down on underage drinking? My understanding from speaking to Deerfield parents is that the school has suspended other students for drinking and/or drug violations. Just because the girls were "making out" while they were drunk doesn't exempt them from being suspended. And just because other students also get drunk doesn't mean the school shouldn't punish the ones who get caught. I'm glad to see at least one school saying no to this mentality where getting wasting and letting you inhibitions so is considered admirable.</p>
<p>I can't even believe we're talking about this as though it doesn't all happen at all schools (OK, maybe there are a few convent schools in the Alps) public or private, boarding or day. While I think the good boarding schools do a very good screening job to get honorable, respectful students, of course all kinds slip in. To think you'll find less of this at Andover or Taft is just silly.</p>
<p>Dabost- I don't know. What I do know is that the OP posted this one incident and made no mention of others. I said that the girls should not be exempt and should get in trouble for drinking, as should the other drunk students. If the school stands strongly behind not allowing underage drinking, they should be looking for drinkers and cracking down.</p>
<p>It could be if the schools would enforce the rules. Infractions happen at all schools..........leadership at the top is what keeps the reputation in place.</p>