Hazing: Fun-Filled Nightmare People of higher authority choose to haze others for a myriad of reasons. From inside the hazer’s mind, they may feel that what they are doing is not wrong and is tradition. Other reasons for hazing may include: keeping the new pledges under control, creating a rite of passage, and showing that a person is strong enough to endure the process (“Preventing Hazing – Reasons Not to Haze” 2). Furthermore, the hazer may not feel confident enough, resulting in bullying others in order to feel more powerful (“Hazing Fratricide of Brotherhood” 5). Paul Ruffins suggests television shows, such as Survivor, illustrate competition of who can best tolerate activities similar to hazing the longest and the best (6), thus suggesting to college students that hazing is acceptable. Girls in some sororities take pride in their hazing. During a Pig Run at Southern Methodist University in Texas, a young girl pledging her favorite sorority spoke, “Sororities are a completely different world, but especially in the South, you don’t even question the tradition. You just do it.” (Robbins 2-7). Hazing will never end because it is a vicious cycle of “we had to do it, you do too,” so hazees learn to accept it. When choosing to join Greek Life, students make a decision to be a part of a bigger society. Most times, hazing is a part of sororities and fraternities. College life can be intimidating for any new student, and joining a group such as a fraternity or sorority can decrease the intimidation (“Preventing Hazing – Reasons Not to Haze” 1). Engaging in hazing tends to be regretted by many who participate in it, even though they feel they do not have a choice. Adam Zwecker, a 2004 graduate of Cornell University, was hazed in his f... ... middle of paper ... ... Campus Health and Safety.org: Home Page. 1994-2005. Web. 17 May 2011. “Hazing: The Fratricide of Brotherhood.” Kappa Alpha Order. 10 Apr 2003. Web. 7 May 2011. Peluso, Alyson R. “Hazing in Sports: The Effects and Legal Ramifications The Sport Journal.” vol. 14 The Sport Journal. Web. 7 May 2011. “Preventing Hazing – Reasons Not to Haze and Why Hazing Sill Exists.” Preventing Hazing – Harvard U – Home. Web. 6 May 2011. “Research & Theory.” Hazing. 2011. 8 May 2011. Robbins, Alexandra. Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities. New York: Hyperion, 2004. Print. Ruffins, Paul. “Hazing Refuses To Go Away.” Diverse Issues Higher Education. 29 Oct 2009: 6. Print. Waldron, Jenifer J., and Christopher L. Kowalski. “Crossing the Line: Rites of Passage, Team Aspects, and Ambiguity of Hazing.” Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. 80.2 (2009): 291-302. 13 May 2011.
Scrivo, K. (1998, March 20). Drinking on campus. CQ Researcher, 8, 241-264. Retrieved from http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/
Day in and day out we hear about high school and college students wanting to pursue a sorority and/or a fraternity based on the stereotypes these organizations uphold, well I chose to differ. I told myself if I ever decided to become a member of a sorority it would be based solely on their ethical standards, history, and values they are founded upon. Alpha Kappa Alpha, Incorporated consists of ladies of distinction and exemplary character who excel in scholarship, leadership, and service, which are qualities I have chosen to uphold. From my perspective, I encourage myself to maintain a respectable appearance and reputation which doing so inspires me to embrace my self-concept; which helps me confidently excel academically and professionally as a “lady of distinction” and “exemplary character.” Most importantly, I continuously remain involved in community service, being involved allows me the opportunity to learn and understand the lives and circumstances of others by opening my mind, heart, and soul. Overall these qualities strengthen my passion to be a member of the prestigious Alp...
In recent years several high profile national cases have brought hazing to the forefront in American society as a real issue and a problematic one at that. According to recent statistics from the University of Maine, 1.5 million high school students are hazed each year. Of the athletes who have reported hazing, 40% have reported that a coach or advisor was aware of the activity. 22% report that the coach was actually involved in the activities. (Allan & Madden, 2008). Moreover, 36% of students say they would not report hazing primarily because “there’s no one to tell,” and 27% feel that officials or coaches won’t handle the situation right. In additional research a survey was conducted in which coaches were questioned about whether they believe that hazing goes on in their community; 50% responded yes, that hazing was in fact going on. Of the coaches who responded 25% admitted that they themselves were hazed in some form at a younger age (“InsideHazing”, 2010). In light of these findings, the question of who should be responsible is raised. Specifically, it brings up the legal question of “whether a coach has a valid qualified immunity defense to a student athlete’s constitutional rights violation claim when the student is involved in a hazing incident.”
It receives much more attention than academics. Football players are often treated like celebrities, yielding confidence, and at the same time creating pressure. High school sports are approached with clashing opinions. Some of these opinions are positive, and supportive of athletics. “Athleticism, among many activities, offers teens a physical outlet to express their troubles, anger, emotions, and other feelings” (Chen 1).
Howard-Hamilton, Mary F., and Julie Sina. "How College Affects College Athletes." New Directions for Student Services (2011): 35-43.
The journal article, “What does sport mean to you? Fun and other preferences for adolescents’ sport participation” claims that fun, social aspects, masculinity, and identity are the main reasons youth participate in sports (Skille and Østera˚ s, 360). Oftentimes, athletes forget they are on the same team, and they start to form cliques or groups based around who has the best bench press or 40 meter dash time. As a result, teammates start to compete with each other instead of working towards the same goal. For instance, one coaching journal article claims that “moral reasoning” in youth is determined through “collective norms” or group behaviors that the coach has a hand in influencing (Shields, LaVoi, Bredemeier, Power, 748-749). A proper coaching environment should therefore revolve around a fun, supportive, and collective environment where success is encouraged through the full support of the team. This support can further be developed through proper positive mindfulness and code of conduct guidelines set forth by the coach; for instance, hazing should be discouraged and proper communication and helpfulness among teammates should be
College is a time for young people to develop and grow not only in their education, but social aspects as well. One of the biggest social scenes found around college campuses are athletic events, but where would these college sports be without their dedicated athletes? Student athletes get a lot of praise for their achievements on the field, but tend to disregard the work they accomplish in the classroom. Living in a college environment as a student athlete has a great deal of advantages as well as disadvantages that affect education and anti-intellectualism.
Hazing is an issue that has attracted much attention over the last few decades. College fraternities, high school programs, professional sports, and the military have all had their fair share of attention. The military is frequently held to a higher standard than these other organizations and has developed a bit of a black eye since the 1991 “Tailhook” scandal. Motion picture portrayals like that in the 1992 film “A Few Good Men” showed the public, not inaccurately, the dark side of command sponsored hazing. Hazing is not in keeping with the high standards of conduct that the U.S. Military aims to uphold and the ethical implications of these behaviors are diverse.
At parties on university campuses, drinking games are a way for students to leisurely interact while usually drinking more than they normally would. Although the objective of most students during these games may be harmless, there some students that have a hidden agenda. Thomas J. Johnson reports in a current article that “Drinking games are a popular context for college student drinking and appear to be strongly associated with incidents of sexual victimization” (304). He goes on to note, “As many as 80% of students may participate in a drinking game at some point during their college career” (304). It is clear that sexual aggression is an issue that affects every college student, whether he or she is dr...
Meaningless insults and unnecessary abuse occurs often while growing up. No matter what age, sex, or race a person maybe it is hard to escape the nastiness of others. Today children are growing up in a society that knows how to haze before they know the meaning of the word. Hazing ranged from little humiliating actions to something more serious such as drunken activities. There are many hazing incidents that go too far but for the most part hazing is silly tasks that does not seriously harm anyone. Some hazing cases include isolation, drills, not letting the pledges shower, and depriving them from sleep for a day or so. Hazing comes in many strengths and variations and in every way it will help build the ...
This case poses the ethical dilemma of hazing; a dilemma that can be found throughout sports teams at all levels in today’s society. Hazing, as defined by the Hazing Prohibition Act of 2003, is “any assumption of authority by a student whereby another student suffers or is exposed to cruelty, intimidation, humiliation or embarrassment”. Moreover, the term hazing describes the rituals and other activities used as a way of initiating a person into a group that involves performing excessive exercise, committing dangerous activities, or consuming offensive foods and alcohol. In many circumstances, hazing is directed by team leaders, such as captains or seniors.
Hazing is illegal in 44 states, but students do it anyway. Hazing breaks laws and many policies in schools. Serious outcomes are forced on hazers like lawsuits, disciplinary control, and legal consequences. Hazing is considered an illegal act which could lead hazers to jail. Devastating lawsuits are charged to anyone who hazes and could affect the rest of your life. People who are caught hazing have trouble into getting into colleges, clubs, or sport teams. Hazing can also become criminal if it involves alcohol, improper touching, physical abuse, or beating someone. Hazing can also affect government applications and people that trust the person who hazed, may not trust them anymore. These consequences could harm hazers throughout their life, so think before you haze someone. There are many ways that people haze, and most can be really
Rees, Roger C. “Bullying and Hazing/initiation in Schools: How Sports and Physical Education Can Be Part of the Solution.” Journal of Physical Education New Zealand (2010): 24-27. Print.
He sprints up and down the court, as sweat pours down his face and on to the hardwood. The player’s legs are in severe pain, and he is out of breath, yet he continues to run, utilizing every last portion of energy that he maintains. He desires to better himself, not necessarily for his own benefit, but for the benefit of his team. He knows that every single member of the team, including himself, must work as hard as they possibly can on the court to reach their potential and achieve success. Organized sports teach athletes some of the most powerful moral values and life lessons that any individual can attain. Despite the opposing opinion that students who take part in organized sports suffer academically due to time deprivation and focus misdirected away from the classroom, involvement in sports teaches young men and women to maintain imperative values, such as hard work, selflessness, and commitment, which ultimately improves student-athletes’ academic performance.
Americans take pride in their sporting activities; be it the endeavors of American football or even the gentleman’s game, golf. What a majority of individuals do not know is that many players, especially rookies, are subjected to incidents of bullying and hazing. These incidents are thought to be a ceremonial act of welcoming to signify one’s readiness for being part of the group. In the mainstream media and for most of society, bullying and hazing are signs of exerting authority and seeking to enforce one’s influence over others. It is never the right thing to do considering it reeks of insensitivity, an outright condescending attitude, and thinly veiled hate and distaste. Bullying is not a new phenomenon in American society. In fact, a majority of institutions have reported numerous cases of bullying and hazing. If left unchecked, these activities are self-damaging and do serious and severe harm to the victims at whom these acts are targeting. The question that arises among all these arguments is whether American institutions are doing enough to curb this vice and protect innocent individuals who fall victim to such acts. Recent incidents in American culture have proven that bullying and hazing have escalated from a form of initiation that upholds tradition, to a malicious form of personalized bullying that needs dire attention.