HIGH SCHOOL: HAZING

1. HIGH SCHOOL: HAZING By B. Elliot Hopkins

2. Hazing Disclosure Advocate for Students Content is from professional and academic research. Images and topics are disturbing. If you have not had this discussion with your child, team or club…now is the time to think about what you will say to them and share your expectations of them. We can end hazing now!

3. Hazing Origin • Traced back to 387 B.C. during the time of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato • During the Middle Ages • Craftsmen unionized to protect jobs and control the marketplace and knowledge • Created Guilds (i.e. goldsmithing, blacksmithing, carpentry groups) • Became the model for modern day group interaction

4. Hazing Origin First fraternities in high schools were literary organizations that were educationally based. College fraternal organizations, secret societies, voluntary organizations in the US began in the 1800’s. In the late 1800’s and the early 1900’s high school fraternities were joined by secret societies with rituals, passwords, symbols, and special handshakes.

5. Hazing Origin • 1904 • 40%-50% of US high schools had at least one fraternity • more social than educational • By the 1960’s most US high schools had eliminated fraternities, sororities, and secret societies but not the rituals, passwords, symbols, and special handshakes.

6. 1,500,000 students are hazed annually. 200-250 hazings a week!

7. Hazing Definition “Hazing is a process by groups who maintain a hierarchy, repeats a tradition, has developed a process and is conducted with the intention of bringing the prospective new members closer to the existing group.”

8. Hazing Veteran members typically, act in secrecy away from adult supervision (but not always) and typically away from school property. Regardless, of the victim's consent, the rituals or traditions require individuals to participate in activities that are physically, psychologically, exhausting, humiliating, demeaning, disrespectful, intimidating, and stressful.

9. Hazing Belief System Tradition Attitude Process Context

10. Video: “Fry you little freshman piggies!”

11. Hazing • Tradition • History of process and acceptance • Attitude • Assigns the rights and responsibilities to team/group members

12. Hazing • Process • Proving worth/acceptance • Filtering out who will not represent or maintain group’s culture/tradition • Context • Validate group’s belief system • Stronger, better, attain more status • Everybody wants to be a part of something

13. Hazing Victim’s Belief System Earn respect/approval, position or “rep” on the team Prove toughness - earn team’s trust and acceptance Avoid breaking tradition Participation was not perceived to be voluntary, felt behavior was “typical” Felt that non-participation would lead to dismissal Avoid anger/rejection/isolation from group Get it over with to avoid making the experience worse

14. Three Types of Hazing • Social • Subtle • Embarrassing clothing, singing or chanting • Psychological • Mental • Harassment • Physical

15. Video: “Welcome to High School Honey”

16. Hazing Methods • Deprivation • Sleep • Food • Water • Showers • Freedom to speak • Freedom to move

17. Hazing Methods • Humiliation • Inappropriate and demeaning acts • Dressing up in clothes of the opposite sex • Singing or chanting in front of school assembly or local mall • Psychological degradation • Treating the rookie like a servant or slave • Bark like a dog or moo like a cow

18. Hazing Methods • Calisthenics • Push-ups, sit-ups, run laps, swim sprints, jump rope • Alcohol, Binge drinking • Beating, Paddling, Whipping, Punching • Cheese graters fastened to a stick, socks full of rocks or marbles, wood paddles, broken end of car antenna, piece of a truck bed liner, belt buckles, hockey sticks

19. Hazing Methods • Unlawful Restraint • Taping someone to a bench, tree, goal post • Confinement • Car trunks, lockers, closets or basements or sheds • Exposure • Extreme temperature, heat exhaustion, hypothermia

20. The Effects of Hazing • Physical effects • Blunt force trauma • Suffocation • Third-degree burns • Psychological effects • Ashamed • Concealment • Humiliated

21. The Effects of Hazing Who does it affect? • Victim • Bystander • Active • Passive • Perpetrator • HIDDEN HARM

22. Video: “Hazing started off with a few pranks.”

23. Hazing Incidents

24. Hazing Incidents • August 2003 • W. C. Mepham H. S. in Bellmore, NY • 3 Freshmen (Five days) • were beating with plastic bags filled with ice • Sodomized with: • Broomsticks • Golf balls • Pine cones (all dipped in Mineral Ice)

25. Hazing Incidents

26. Hazing Incidents August 2014 Lakeridge High School, Lake Oswego, OR Pacer Dance Team Initiated new members by having them wrestle each other in a “mosh pit” full of syrup, oatmeal and soap while other students were drunk/high and squirted them with water guns filled with ketchup

27. Hazing Incidents Friday, November 4, 2017 Federal Court awarded the teenage Pacer dancer $70,000 in damages Found school district negligent Also named in the suit: Superintendent, Principal, Athletic Director, Dance Team Coach and staff

28. Hazing Incidents

29. Hazing Incidents July 2008 Morton Ranch High School, Katy, TX 14 varsity cheerleaders, 1 student manager and team mascot Bound and fondled 13 j.v. freshmen teammates and threw them in a pool Season cancelled 7 varsity cheerleaders charged as adults

30. Hazing Incidents

31. Hazing Incidents September 2012 Maine West High School, Elk Grove, IL Warriors Soccer team upper classmen tackled and sodomized freshman players with fingers and tree branches Coach threatened the freshmen that the upper classmen would “take care of them.” Same thing occurred in 2008 with tennis team.

32. Hazing Incidents

33. Hazing Incidents September 2010 Darrion Denson – Freshman Football player Dr. Phillips H.S., Orlando, FL 14 years old, 140 lbs Chairs thrown at him Punched, kicked, choked into submission(like MMA) until he lost consciousness, suffered a concussion and neck injury Robbed of $30 and his rosary

34. Hazing Incidents

35. Hazing Incidents July 2011, during Hoop Mountain Basketball Camp at Stonehill College Andover High School, Andover, MA Boys Basketball “Ookie Cookie or Wet Biscuit” 7 Students suspended from school and the team 2 expelled from school

36. How Do We Stop Hazing? Trust Respect Transparency Communication Accountability Change the belief system

37. Parents Reinforce child’s self-worth and importance Don’t send mixed messages Instill that no on has the right to embarrass, inflict pain or humiliate them Work with the school and administration Network and talk with other parents in the program Most hazing does not occur until the age of 12

38. Coach and Adult Advisor Understand the school district’s anti-bullying/hazing policy Be available for the members of your classroom/team/group to listen and react to their concerns Create an environment of trust, respect, and sincere concern Observe, Observe, Observe then share with other teachers/administration

39. Coach and Adult Advisor • Know leadership responsibilities • Explain your position on bullying/hazing and the consequences, “Say the words.” • Set and communicate classroom and team rules. • Define any special privileges that upperclassmen receive in school, on the team or group • Explain that such privileges come with responsibility for appropriate behavior!!!

40. Coach and Adult Advisor Incorporate examples of groups (races, gender, religious) that they overcame bullying in the curriculum. Openly discuss the group dynamic. Send a clear message that you will not tolerate any bullying or hazing in school. Establish and maintain open communications between the students, parents, school administration, and community.

41. Coach and Adult Advisor Generate strategies to build classroom unity and team pride with positive methods and practices. Eliminate any old traditions with questionable practices. Lead the team/group in developing new traditions that involve hard work for positive and desirable results. Some examples:

42. Strategies Participate in a Ropes Course or Team trip Preseason Team Activities Adopt a local charity and dedicate a game or contest to that group Participate in team dinners and/or sleep-overs Dress up for team functions or for away contests

43. Strategies Participate in a cross-age mentoring program with the local middle school or elementary school. Participate in a community service project that they have to work together in order to get the tasked accomplished.

44. School Administration • Investigate if your state has anti-bullying/hazing laws statutes • If not, work with your school corporation legal counsel to develop an anti-bullying/hazing policy for the entire school district • Differentiate the difference between bullying and hazing behavior. It is imperative that your school accurately defines them

45. School Administration Adopt a “zero-tolerance” of any type of bullying and hazing based upon your school corporation’s or state’s definition. Include the policy along with your expectations in all discussions with existing and potential teachers, coaches and adult advisors. No more “boys will just be boys.”

46. School Administration Share with them (coaches and adult leaders) that any humiliating or demeaning experience will not be acceptable. Any episode should be considered a grave and serious matter that will not be explained away as an antic, silly prank or normal part of the school experience.

47. School Administration Explain that you hold them (coaches and adult leaders) accountable Responsible Prosecute Public Transparency Ongoing and consistent messaging Investigation procedures within policy

48. School Administration Utilize local law enforcement Mental health professionals Local state legislators Local college or university representatives to speak to that audience. Any public opportunity Reward programs Local businesses

49. School Administration Request the local print and electronic media to broadcast public service announcements to promote your policies and ask their support against hazing Publicize the policy through the district website and through those same media outlets

50. Now What? • Be Respectful • Be Observant • Be Responsible • Be Vocal • Be Courageous