A feeling of belonging is a basic need we all share. During our formative years, especially when we're discovering ourselves, exploring different interests, and shaping our values, wanting to belong to a community of like-minded individuals is incredibly important, normal, and healthy.
High school offers virtually limitless opportunities for students to join groups – whether band, theater, show choir, athletics, volunteer clubs, or other extracurricular activities. This is a unique time of life to form what will hopefully become lifelong relationships with peers over shared interests and passions.
It's also a time of life when teens' brains are still developing. That can be easy to forget, as teens grow so fast physically and gain responsibilities and privileges like getting a job or driver's license. They might seem like adults in some ways. But they are still maturing, mentally and emotionally, and still learning to differentiate positive, prosocial experiences and behavior from behaviors that might in fact be inappropriate, offensive, and unsafe.
Almost nowhere is this more visible than in the longstanding tradition of hazing as a way to gain acceptance into a variety of organizations. Many think about hazing mainly in the context of college sororities or fraternities. However, research shows that hazing is alive and well in nearly all high schools across the country, and its reaches go far beyond the football field or locker room, despite stereotypes.
If your student has been involved in a hazing incident, whether as an active participant or even a bystander, know that disciplinary consequences can be life-altering for high school students accused of this conduct, even if their involvement was peripheral.
The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team represents high school students nationwide, including throughout Iowa. This includes cities like:
- Des Moines
- Cedar Rapids
- Davenport
- Sioux City
- Iowa City
- Waterloo
- Ames
- West Des Moines
- Ankeny
- Council Bluffs
- Dubuque
- Urbandale
- Marion
- Cedar Falls
- Bettendor
- Waukee
- Marshalltown
- Mason City
- Ottumwa
If you are a parent or guardian of a student facing suspension, expulsion, or another penalty for conduct related to hazing, don't leave them to face accusations alone or without a strong legal defense. This is not a time in your child's academic career to let anyone's guard down. When making acceptance decisions, colleges and universities see a student's involvement in hazing as a major red flag. A mark on your student's behavioral record can upend their future plans. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team, experienced in helping students nationwide keep their high school record clean, can help. Call us today 888-535-3686 or schedule a consultation online.
Hazing is Illegal in Iowa and Prohibited in Schools
According to state statute, “a person commits an act of hazing when the person intentionally or recklessly engages in any act or acts involving forced activity which endanger the physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into, or affiliation with, any organization operating in connection with a school, college, or university.”
This includes “any brutality of a physical nature such as whipping, forced confinement, or any other forced activity which endangers the physical health or safety of the student,” regardless of whether the victim is a willing participant.
Some school districts in Iowa directly reference this language in their codes of conduct, like the Sioux City School District. However hazing rituals in high school aren't always physical in nature, and schools often have lacking or murky language and policies around hazing. The word hazing isn't found anywhere in Dubuque's Hempstead High School's Student Handbook, for example. Schools should adopt comprehensive and clearly defined language around what they classify as hazing and examples of it if students are going to receive fair due process.
In contrast to more concise verbiage, the Cedar Rapids Community School District goes into detail, making clear that hazing can take verbal, nonverbal, and written forms, not just physical. Prohibited hazing behavior includes victimization that has “the purpose or effect of causing injury, discomfort, fear, or suffering to the target.”
Similarly, the Des Moines Public School District's Discipline Code and Procedures document goes into detail about what hazing is as well as the procedures for reporting it. Beyond illegal forms of hazing, which are subject to criminal prosecution, such as physically harmful forms of hazing, the district also includes examples of non-physical forms of hazing, such as making a student wear “public apparel that is conspicuous or intended to embarrass or humiliate by drawing undue attention.”
Some school districts lump hazing and bullying together under the same category of offense, but one key difference, some argue, is the implied consent of “new recruits” as opposed to an unwilling bullying victim. They are seen as willing to endure the ritual in order to become a group member. But hazing isn't just “kids being kids,” as far as schools are concerned. Don't underestimate the pressure schools are under to punish students involved in hazing.
When Adults Enable High School Hazing
Unfortunately for teens, despite the seriousness with which many schools treat hazing, it's not uncommon to find adults – including teachers, coaches, advisors, or mentors – whose behavior downplays the gravity of it. This can send the message to young people that hazing is acceptable, which is irresponsible. Schools aiming to crack down on hazing should first take a hard look at the adults at school who might appear to condone it.
Schools are responsible for teaching students explicitly about hazing's potential dangers and consequences. Students need to be told that adults – especially those connected to school – do not condone behavior that crosses into offensive, dangerous, and harmful conduct.
Some school districts do better than others in making the role adults play in hazing explicit. Cedar Rapids Community School District makes it clear that adults connected to hazing – whether a teacher, coach, or volunteer – may be terminated and banned from school grounds.
Schools that fail to publish strong, clear anti-hazing policies and that fail to teach or enforce them are partly to blame when something goes wrong. It is the school's job to ensure that students are able to learn and grow in safe and positive environments and learn from their mistakes.
Representing High School Students Throughout Iowa
The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team is prepared to represent students throughout Iowa accused of conduct related to hazing, including students who attend public high schools such as:
- Lincoln High School, East High School, North High School, Hoover, and Roosevelt High School in Des Moines
- Pleasant Hill's Southeast Polk High School
- Marion's Linn-mar High School
- West Des Moines' Valley High School
- Johnston Senior High School
- John F. Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids
- Dubuque's Hempstead High School and Dubuque Senior High School
- Waterloo's West and East High Schools
- Bettendorf's Pleasant Valley High School, Bettendorf High School
- Davenport's Central, West, Mid City, and North High School
- North, East, and West High Schools in Sioux City
- Iowa City High School and West Senior High School in Iowa City
- Cedar Rapids' Thomas Jefferson High School
- Marshalltown High School
- Ames High School
- Ankeny Centennial High School
- Ottumwa High School
Hazing isn't just a public school issue. We also defend students attending private high schools in Iowa, including:
- Dowling Catholic High School
- Cedar Valley Catholic Schools
- Des Moines Christian School
- Xavier High School
- Wahlert Catholic High School
- Regina Catholic Education Center
- Rivermont Collegiate
- Maharishi School
- Bishop Heelan Catholic High School
- Storm Lake St. Mary's Schools
- Kuemper High School
From Soccer to Student Government
Many are surprised to learn how common hazing is. Believe it or not, nearly all types of high school student groups have been known to practice hazing, including honors societies, cultural clubs, jazz band, robotics clubs, sports, and church groups.
One frequently cited study on hazing in high school reports that:
- 48 percent of students who belong to groups reported being subjected to hazing activities.
- 43 percent reported being subjected to humiliating activities.
- 30 percent reported performing potentially illegal acts as part of their initiation. All high school students who join groups are at risk of being hazed.
- Almost every type of high school group had significantly high levels of hazing.
It's troubling that many high school students even report they find that participating in humiliating, illegal, and dangerous activities in order to join a group is “fun” and “exciting.”
What can we learn from this? Too often, hazing is interpreted as an accepted, traditional part of the high school experience.
Is Your Student Facing Unfair Accusations of Hazing?
Maybe your student has been identified by school administrators as having been involved in hazing when they weren't even there. Or, perhaps a teammate or member of a club they belong to was involved in an incident, but your student just happened to be in the vicinity or on the team.
Schools do make mistakes. Innocent students sometimes do face unwarranted allegations and punishments. There are also times when students may be responsible to a certain point, but a reasonable explanation exists for a behavior that may negate a penalty. Behavioral misconduct findings can mar a student's reputation and erase paths to future education and career opportunities.
If your student will soon face a major disciplinary event related to hazing, and you believe this is unfair, we recommend the following:
- Call your child's school right away and get the facts. Learn what the allegations are and what kind of disciplinary action your child is facing.
- Talk with your child about recent events that may be related to the accusations, and write down what they say.
- Find the school's disciplinary code or student handbook and the hazing rules your child is accused of violating.
- Keep records of communication with the school. Take notes on what is said and write down the dates the conversations take place.
- Keep hard copies of all letters, emails, or messages you receive from the school, as well as anything you send to the school.
Federal law requires public schools to grant students due process when they are being expelled or suspended from school for more than 10 days. Due process usually involves a hearing, at which the student (and you, as a parent or guardian) can hear what rules pertaining to hazing the school thinks your child has broken and what the possible next steps are. The school should provide explanations for the charges against your child, cite the parts of the code of conduct that have been supposedly violated, and provide evidence to back up their claims.
Defending Your High School Student
Every student deserves to be supported in their development, not just academically, but as citizens and community members. If you believe your student is facing irreparable damage to their record because of a hazing accusation, don't wait to take action.
Teenagers can be remarkably capable and confident individuals, but they are still minors, and their brains are not yet finished developing. When they are facing allegations of misconduct from their high school, it's up to you to learn everything you can about the issue and ensure they don't face accusations or investigations unfairly or alone.
Don't wait until it's too late to defeat false and unfair behavioral misconduct charges. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team is available to discuss what your student may be up against and the recourse you may be able to take in response to your school's actions. Call 888-535-3683 or fill out this brief online form to speak with our team.
