Hypnotizing High School Principal

Down in Florida, the Sarasota County School Board has agreed to pay a settlement of $600,000 to the families of three high school students who died. One of the students was in a car accident, and the other two committed suicide. But all three had previously been hypnotized by George Kenney, the High School Principal. Kenney had been hypnotizing many students (about 75 in total) in the belief that it would help them with athletic and academic performance.

The case against Kenney is that the hypnosis may have been a causal factor in the deaths because it somehow messed up the fragile brains of the teenagers. Dr. Alan Waldman, a specialist in neuropsychiatry, testified that, "The wires that connect the neurons are still getting the fatty covering that insulates them. It doesn't stop forming till the early 20s. And they're a child's brain. That's a factor."

More info: gainesville.com, Huff Post.

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Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Posted By: Alex - Sun Oct 11, 2015
Category: Education | Hypnotism, Mesmerism and Mind Control | Psychology

Comments

Two out of 75 is 2.67%. The latest number I could find quickly was 17% in 2013. So, like I thought when I first saw this was a railroad job.

BTW, getting wiped out in an automobile accident isn't suicide so where does that fit in except to raise the WOW factor and increase the payoff.

Final question: How much are the lawyers collecting on this?

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 10/11/15 at 10:29 AM

Apparently the girl riding in the car with that boy has said he was acting peculiarly right before the accident. One of the things the boy was being hypnotized for was to deal with pain and he had a painful dental procedure before the wreck. When the story is told that way it intimates a connection whether one exists or not. You have a point though Expat, nothing is ever an accident or a tragedy without blame to assign. Because without blame to assign there is no money to collect off the back of the deceased.

Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 10/11/15 at 07:21 PM

@Expat47
The article listed 3 of 75. Still only 4% and quite shy of the 17% you noted in 2013. Sounds like the lawyers had just enough argument and back-up from Dr. Waldman to get the settlement, which at 600K doesn't seen like that much.
Surely the Principle was getting permission to perform this hypnosis, right?

Posted by GFnKS on 10/12/15 at 10:18 AM

By the way, looked up the good Dr's. Patient rating. It is 2.3 stars of 5. Not a very reinforcing view of his abilities, but the sample size was pretty small. All the reviews were similar in rating with no fives or fours in any category. Perhaps a mediocre expert at best?

Posted by GFnKS on 10/12/15 at 10:27 AM

Paid expert would be the bestest choice.

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 10/12/15 at 11:30 AM

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