Bonnie Allen, a 12-year-old girl from Wilmington, Delaware, struggled with mental health issues from an early age. Her parents found the New School, an unorthodox private institution in Newark, Delaware, as a potential solution. The New School did not have traditional classes, grades, or teachers, emphasizing a more individualized and self-directed approach to education. The school attracted families seeking a progressive and independent educational environment for their children. However, between the late 1990s and 2012, the New School underwent a significant transformation under the leadership of founder Melanie Hiner and her husband, “Big John” Hiner, allegedly devolving into an institution marred by neglect, misogyny, and homophobia.
Former students and parents associated with the school reported the deterioration of the New School, with incidents of violence and FBI investigations occurring. Alumni came together to share their experiences, revealing a shift from the promised hippie and free-thinking environment to what some described as a cult-like atmosphere. The Hiners and the New School community declined to answer questions posed by Rolling Stone, emphasizing the protection of student privacy.
Despite the school’s initial promise of providing a unique and progressive educational experience, former students and parents expressed disillusionment with the school’s transformation. The New School, once seen as a haven for free thinkers, independent minds, and students who struggled in traditional educational settings, had allegedly become a shadow of its former self, raising concerns about the treatment of students and the values being imparted to them.
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