Principal George Kenney Investigated For Hypnotizing Suicide Victim

When Wesley McKinley went to his principal George Kenney for help in becoming more focused and outgoing in school, Kenney performed the solution he typically called upon to help students: hypnosis.

But something different happened this time.

Mckinley, 16, committed suicide the next day. The student from North Port High School in Florida's Sarasota Schools District was found dead in a vacant home near his own on April 8, the Sarasota Herald Tribune reports.

There's no clear link between the hypnosis and the suicide. Scott Ferguson, spokesman for the school district, tells ABC News that the well-liked principal and the situation is currently being investigated. Ferguson says that the district allowed Kenney to hypnotize kids as demonstrations in psychology class, and parents and friends were even invited to sit in. But the district didn't know he was doing one-on-one sessions.

Ann Brandenberger, a North Port teacher and parent told the Herald Tribune she never raised an eyebrow.

"I observed him in different demonstrations," she said. "It was nothing nefarious or unusual."

Kenney, North Port principal since 2001, had been performing the practice for years to help students focus on academics and athletics. He's a licensed hypnotherapist and published author in the field and even had permission from the 16-year-old boy's parents.

But the Herald Tribune reports that Sarasota Schools Superintendent Lori White released a statement saying Kenney's techniques are very worrisome.

"Dr. George Kenney has been an effective administrator in the Sarasota County School District for many years. However, his use of techniques that are outside the scope of normally accepted student counseling practices is cause for serious concern."

McKinley's parents say they didn't want the investigation to happen, but they did believe Kenney should stop hypnotizing students, ABC reports.

A Facebook page has been set up by students to show support for the principal.

After a year in which the school has been rocked with multiple student suicides and deaths, many write that Kenney is the foundation of the school community. Student Marissa Fiata posted on Facebook:

"He is an amazing man and has kept our spirits high. He is what holds our school together. We need him back!"

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Comments

[arliobserver]

06:30 AM on 07/05/2011

Huffipost - please edit this article - you have sensationalized a tragedy needlessly, and in a misleading way. There have NOT been multiple sucides in this school population. One -(1) only. Sucides cluster up on the young and the elderly.

[arliobserver]

06:22 AM on 07/05/2011

I had Arthur Janness for a professor in my psych major at Wesleyan. He could hypnotise 30 persons at once. Previous to his post with us he had worked with JB Rhine at Duke. It is well accepted that you cannot place a post hypnotic suggestion in the mind of a subject that is inconsistent with their normal behavior. Upon investigation of this unfortuante young man you are going to find a serious depression was a work. Hypnosis did not kill this young man.

[Betty2 Work4]

11:40 AM on 06/30/2011

How can we believe the students and others who say the man is such a great guy - MAYBE He Hypnotized Them To LOVE HIM no matter what.....
-- I mean, can anyone really say he didn't do this???

[Thomas J Phillips]

07:15 PM on 07/01/2011

It is better to remain silent be thought a fool than to open your mouth and be known a fool.

Your written comment is just as valid as if it were a vocal statement. Perhaps it would help if you were to educate yourself about hypnosis and the kind of hypnosis that was used from a valid position before making such an ignorant comment. Yes anyone who practices or even knows a little bit of the reality behind hypnosis can say this is not what he did. Hollywood and romance novels do not qualify as educating oneself from a reality perspective.

[SLivermore]

08:36 PM on 07/12/2011

I am not trying to attack you for defending ethical hypnotists, but I can't help but assume that there are at least some unethical ones out there, which I think is the point the OP was getting at.

For my part, I would imagine that the principal is sufficiently competent within each of his fields, but I think that merging them is itself unethical.

[Betty2 Work4]

11:39 AM on 06/30/2011

There are too many questions about hypnosis. Personally, I'm a Christian and understand that to open yourself to such as hypnosis - also can open up your Spirit to demonic spirits. Yeah, I know many of you will boo hoo this - But Unless You Understand The Spirit World - You Will Not Understand demonic spirits OR the Holy Spirit.
--
I'm certain the man did not intentionally do anything to hurt the boy Or the other students - BUT HYPNOSIS DOES NOT BELONG IN A SCHOOL.

[Thomas J Phillips]

07:06 PM on 07/01/2011

As a minister and a person who has used hypnosis with many people over the past 30+ years I can say you are extremely misguided in your ideas. The hypnosis that was used is not the therapeutic hypnosis of medical persons but rather relaxation, concentration and motivational hypnosis. This is done at a very light level which many people reach when they partake of their religious practices or other common activities such as meditation, watching television, dancing and even along with the congregation in church. This form of hypnosis is helpful in schools, business and in general life situations.
As for opening to demonic spirits, you are correct and I do "boo hoo" your misinformation. The problem with your comments about understanding the spiritual world is I do as a minister with a PhD in religion and another PhD in metaphysics along with being a practitioner of various methods of hypnosis.

[mom2alex2008]

03:18 PM on 05/24/2011

Sounds like a WITCH HUNT to me.

[Ricky Strode]

08:32 PM on 05/22/2011

Hello, I am a Hypnotist in Orlando, Florida and I can say that there is a good chance that the work Dr. Kenny was doing with that young man contributed to his suicide. If you have more questions about hypnosis, then stop by my website Your In-Trance to Success http://yourin-trance.com. Thanks for your time.

[Thomas J Phillips]

07:35 PM on 07/01/2011

LOL the vultures are circling. Just what is needed, an advertisement to sell your hypnosis training at a special discount price.

With 30+ years of experience in various methods of hypnosis I can say there is nearly no likelihood of connection to the work that Dr. Kenny was doing and the suicide. The hypnosis was for PMA (Positive Mental Attitude), relaxation and motivational. It was not what would be considered therapeutic or even at deep enough levels to do stage hypnosis. That level was reserved for demonstrations in the psychology classes.

That you are willing to jump on this tragic situation to advertise your site leads me to question your moral position or if your training is solely a money making scheme and if you have no reservations about what you do as long as it makes you a profit. As stated you are showing that you are willing to use this tragedy to make a profit.

[Ricky Strode]

10:57 PM on 07/01/2011

Wow, whoever owns this website changed my original message, I said that the work Dr. Kenny was doing most likely had nothing to do with the young mans suicide.

Actually, my intent was not to sell anything to those interested to know more about hypnosis. That way they would not be persuaded by the negative things circling this case. If I wanted to make a buck off of others misfortunes, then I would be in a different business. Many people do not understand what hypnosis is. I spend more time dispelling myths about hypnosis, than I do making anything off of it. Hypnosis can be used in so many other ways than just helping people quit smoking and so on. It should be used in schools, it should be used to help teach and everyone should know more about hypnosis. I spend more time dehypnotizing people than I do hypnotizing people.

Everyone does a form of hypnosis whether they know it or not. So, if they are going to do it, than they should know what they are doing, so we can begin to do new and better things. If you have 30+ years in hypnosis, then you could understand exactly what I am talking about. However, I guess making an accusation and trying to make someone look bad makes more sense, than asking them. I help many people understand hypnosis more without them attending any of my trainings. This can be confirmed by many other hypnotists of hypnothoughts.

[Ricky Strode]

11:05 PM on 07/01/2011

Wow, they messed with my actual post. What a surprise. I stated that the work he did most like had nothing to do with the suicide.

Oh and Thomas, maybe it would help if you asked instead of assuming. I was not trying to sell anything. When I posted that I meant and I still mean what I said. If anyone wants to know more about hypnosis, then go to my website. All of my contact information is on there. I have no issue with telling people about hypnosis. I do it all the time for free on hypnothoughts along with many other hypnotists. I think hypnosis should be used in more places, like school and so on. They already do a form of it anyways, so they might as well do it in a way that helps people more. However, for that to happen people are going to have to know more about it, so they are not afraid it it, because of what they see in movies and on stage.

[GraniteSkyline]

05:15 PM on 05/22/2011

This is ridiculous--hypnosis doesn't make anyone suicide! I can't believe how many people's minds are still in the Dark Ages.

[hculliton]

11:08 AM on 05/22/2011

This story makes me angry in several ways. According to the story, Principal Kenney was licenced, published, and had the consent of the parents, student & school board to use hypnosis. Indeed, I wouldn't be surprised if one of the school board superintendents, at a conference somewhere, probably bragged about having such diversity in their school admin team. But then suddenly there's a tragedy. And - big surprise- the school board's throwing the principal to the wolves. By all accounts, this man's a good principal: based on the community, student and staff support he's recieving. This makes the School Board's cowardly behavior look even worse, and does a disservice to both the family of the victim as well as the principal. To the School Board: grow a spine.

[dwilsonfl]

01:53 AM on 07/01/2011

He was told by his superior 3 times to not use hypnosis.

[Thomas J Phillips]

08:02 PM on 07/01/2011

The sort of hypnosis that he was told not to use outside of the classroom or off campus is not the same as he was working with when it came to the students in question. What he was doing could be just as well referred to as guided meditation and motivation. That he used hypnosis at other levels and wrote books on hypnosis simply allows the use of the term hypnosis to be applied. Had he not also used hypnosis or wrote books it would be nothing other than doing his job from a motivational perspective through relaxation and positive reinforcement. This can be compared to the motivational practices of a coach who tells his team members to relax and visualize being successful at shooting baskets, catching a football or whatever other activity they are involved with.
There is an extreme difference between stage hypnosis, hypnotherapy and motivational hypnosis. Any other teacher that could help students to relax and be motivated would not be questioned. They would be commended as being a good and effective teacher. I do understand the differences as I have used hypnosis for 30+ years, 25 of them with US Military persons and one must know what is acceptable to use in order to not violate security clearances.

[Ayla87]

12:45 AM on 05/22/2011

Contests HP. Your story rates a 9.5 on my WTF meter.

No seriously though it is impossible to be persuaded into doing anything you don't want to do via hypnosis. This teen was troubled before the hypnosis session.

[Ayla87]

01:23 PM on 05/22/2011

*Congrats

My iPhone likes to rewrite my comments for me. Sorry!

[MelodieSays]

04:02 PM on 05/21/2011

I have never known anyone, to use hypnosis, for anything other than seduction.

[daughterusmc]

04:53 PM on 05/21/2011

i've seen people make chicken noises and flap about...i'd have preferred seduction

[GinaPera]

01:32 PM on 05/21/2011

Why have you chosen to headline this story in the same sensationalistic way as the two-bit Florida TV station did on his website?

You are participating in a lynch-mob mentality, simply eager to get hits.

As if we don't have enough knee-jerk reactions in this country, you have to perpetuate it?

This is why I don't read Huff Post. It operates on the same philosophy as Fox -- whip up that limbic system; don't try to educate or elevate. Pfffft.

[grant06]

10:17 AM on 05/21/2011

"Suicide victim" sounds so odd. One would think that suicide is the epitome of a victimless crime, unless you assess the impact placed upon family and relatives, they are the victims.

[hculliton]

10:24 AM on 05/22/2011

It only sounds odd until someone close to you has killed themselves. Suicide is most certainly not victimless.

[grant06]

03:38 PM on 05/22/2011

Did you bother to read my post? I made your point abundantly clear.

[StirCrazy516]

07:26 PM on 05/20/2011

Don't rush to judgment. Let the investigation happen, then decide. Too many good people are ruined due to jumping to conculsions. It was a little unusual to use hynosis, but that may have had absolutely nothing to do with his suicide. Wait for all the facts. My condolences to his family. So sad.

[hculliton]

11:10 AM on 05/22/2011

Right on.

[DessLoch]

06:43 PM on 05/20/2011

"After a year in which the school has been rocked with multiple student suicides and deaths, many write that Kenney is the foundation of the school community."

I feel for the kids in the school, something must be going on. Why are they zeroing in on the principal, did he treat the other suicides also?

[hculliton]

11:12 AM on 05/22/2011

They're hitting him because he's an easy target: it's politics.

[Thomas J Phillips]

08:45 PM on 07/01/2011

One other student suicide.
One student died in a traffic accident after loosing control of the pickup truck he was driving.
One teacher died but I did not find the reason.

Treating is not exactly the correct word. He did not do hypnotherapy.
He used relaxation with positive mental attitude motivational techniques, a big difference.

[EFoster Herne]

06:15 PM on 05/20/2011

No one has disclosed what drugs Wesley was using, where he got the drugs and what was found in what amounts in his system, no mention of the "breaking & entering" into an abandoned home, nothing!! Children don't just kill themselves, and after seeing what's on Wesley's MySpace, paints a very different picture than the ones his family is describing. I don't understand why everyone is so quick to crucify a Principal, who only saw Wesley briefly each week, and why NO ONE IS QUESTIONING the family, them claiming his "zombie-like" state(which is often caused by drugs) or why he was allowed to "hang out" in abandoned properties with his friends. The only reason I know, is so kids can steal copper(for drugs) or to do drugs/party. And why is Sarasota allowed to change their story from only thinking the principal was demonstrating hypnotism once-in-a-while....to they knew....they they didn't know it was being allowed outside classrooms....they really need to get their stories straight. Hypnosis can't just "make someone" commit suicide--if he wanted to, or was on drugs....this needs to be disclosed before a good principal gets blamed!!

[crowepps]

04:39 PM on 05/21/2011

If this student had all the warning signs and problems that you describe, and the school has a recent history of sucides, why wasn't the student seeing a professional counselor experienced in working with youth? Why is the school district trying to solve these problems on the cheap by having the principal do amateur counseling? It seems to me that puts the principal in a terrible position, trying his best but not educated or trained as a psychologist.

[daughterusmc]

04:55 PM on 05/21/2011

why is it the responsibilty of the school system to attend to the emotional and mental well-being of this young man and not his family's?