I was a rebellious child. My parents decided to send me to the King George School, an “emotional growth boarding school” in Vermont. It was a CEDU school. CEDU was a company founded by members of the cult Synanon, who owned and operated several therapeutic boarding schools and behavior modification programs. Before its bankruptcy, the company’s schools faced numerous allegations of abuse. Here is my story. When I was taken to the school, I was not fully informed what it was. I was told it was an arts school and that I was going to be able to dance. Yes, [...]

I’ll cut right to the chase, and save you some time, I’ll tell you my story,  if you don’t mind the rhyme.    It started quite young,  I was three and then four,  I was in bed for a nap,  when he opened the door.    What happened next,  was so very profane, Just a child, just a baby,  it was so inhumane.   I’ll spare you the details,  from this all,  it was sick,  I zoned out,  I played possum,  teleported, quite quick(ly).   Fast forward 10 years, thought I was safe from abuse,  I was barely 15,  now [...]

2020… Where do we even begin? Part of me was dreading this year’s end of the year letter.  With all of the loss, separation, social distancing (do we hate that phrase yet?) and anxiety that we all felt, how do I even try to articulate the kind of year that The Humanity Preservation Foundation - HPF for the cool kids - had? For a lot of us, 2020 was about survival.  Whether it was surviving a conference call with your boss while the kids are having an epic lightsaber battle behind you.  Or going into the office every day because [...]

President / Co-Founder of HPF Rhett Hackett It was very early on when the path of my life was decided and probably earlier then the typical child. At the time, I really had no idea how the paths of life can change and change so quickly.  It was my 4th grade year of elementary school and I was very excited to have the teacher that I was going to have for the year.  My brother that was 3 years older then I had the same teacher for his 4th grade year.  I will call him Mr. A.  That’s [...]