Hazing Prevention Deserves Attention, Too

School Administrator, Oct, 2000 by Douglas E. Fierberg

The school and district must develop a comprehensive anti-hazing policy that provides specific illustrations of prohibited conduct. For ideas, start by reviewing your state law if you're in one of the 41 states that have criminalized this type of conduct. The laws of Alabama, Maryland and Ohio are especially good examples.

Annual Reminders

The anti-hazing policy should be linked with schoolwide codes of conduct that authorize officials to expel wrongdoers and terminate tolerant coaches or faculty. Communicate the anti-hazing policy at the beginning of each school year and athletic season to staff, students and parents and require coaching staffs to report all alleged incidents of hazing to school officials. Consider requiring students to sign pledges to refrain from hazing.

For implementation ideas, review the January 1999 guidelines created by the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education and the National Association of Attorneys General (available at www.ed.gov/pubs/Harassment/complaintl.html), which provide guidance to elementary and secondary schools on protecting students from unlawful harassment.

Finally, the district must improve its understanding of and develop policies for responding to incidents of hazing. Young people joining a team face overwhelming influences based on feelings of acceptance, perseverance, loyalty, failure and fear. These can be exploited through group pressure and coercion.

These same concepts are at play when a young person is humiliated, hurt or forced to leave a team or school as a result of hazing. Victims of hazing may have physical injuries, suicidal impulses, nightmares and other emotional problems, and you can be sure they have angry family members who want their questions answered promptly and the problems solved properly.

Anticipate and prepare for a divisive controversy involving coaches, parents, friends and teammates because all sides will be drawn in as people move to protect or blame those involved. The school and district must demonstrate leadership, responsiveness and support by enforcing its school policies and affirming students' rights to learn and join teams in a safe environment.

Douglas Fierberg is a partner in the law firm of Sherman, Meehan, Curtin and Ain, 1900 M St., N.W., Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20036. E-mail: dfierberg@smcalow.com. He has represented plaintiffs in several hazing cases and provided training and risk management for educational administrators, coaches and student groups.