In many educational institutions, including high schools, hazing is a longstanding tradition. Unfortunately, it also has a reputation for seriously hurting the students who participate, which is why many states have made it illegal, and their schools actively discourage it. That's certainly true in Utah.
If your student has hazed someone else, their future may not look the way you hoped. You can save it by arranging for the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team to advocate for them against the school district. Schedule a consultation with the Lento Law Firm offices by calling 888.535.3686 or filling out this contact form.
Why is Hazing So Serious in Utah?
Hazing is well-documented for harming students physically, emotionally, and mentally. This is because many hazing rituals require students to endure spoiled food, toxic substances, sleep deprivation, verbal abuse, bondage, public humiliation, and even sexual coercion.
All these activities are risky and even deadly, both to the students involved and bystanders. Some of them are also illegal in Utah, raising the possibility that students who haze will become criminals under the law. Students who resist hazing may become targets for bullying and harassment, so they might still experience mental, emotional, or physical harm.
In all these cases, hazing can have a direct effect on a student's health, relationships, and academic career. Utah high schools seek to prevent and punish hazing to support and protect their students.
Utah State Laws on Hazing
Utah codified its definition and penalties for hazing in 1993 and has kept updating the law since then. As of 2022, hazing is defined as any action that threatens a person's mental or physical health as a requirement to gain or retain membership in a group or organization. The law covers a few specific examples of hazing, such as beating, whipping, shocking, branding, isolation, consuming drugs or alcohol, and exposure to harmful substances or elements, among others. Per the law, consent from the victim is not an adequate defense.
Punishments for Hazing in Utah High Schools
Utah school districts emphasize parental collaboration for hazing incidents. If the school administrators receive reports about hazing, they are obligated to notify the parents or guardians of all the students involved. Depending on the school district, the parents or guardians may have to attend a conference with school instructors or authority figures to discuss the problems and how to solve them.
Typically, school district administrators will also organize investigations to verify the incident and confirm the details. The accused students will likely have a chance to defend or explain themselves during a hearing with district authorities.
During or after the investigation and hearing, teachers and administrators may be required to form and implement discipline plans tailored for each situation and individual, congruent with the most current research. The plans may include any of the following:
Adult Supervision
To encourage proper behavior, protect victims, and observe the accused student's actions, the school district may assign an instructor or paraprofessional to supervise them. Even a parent may act as a supervisor.
The level of supervision may vary depending on the circumstances, but it could apply to anything the student wishes to do on the school campus. It may not be lifted until a certain period of time has passed or until the student meets specific improvement milestones.
Off-Campus Suspension
District administrators may decide that the accused student needs to leave the campus temporarily to protect hazing victims or restore order to the school more efficiently. Utah school districts usually allow up to 10 days of off-campus suspension; if it lasts longer, their parents or guardians may have to take over the student's education until they can return.
Besides the fact that a suspension looks unattractive on a school record—and could, therefore, impact your child's chances of getting into a college they like—a disruption in their school routine could lead to confusion, discouragement, and a slip in their grades. You may be surprised what a difference just ten days away from school can make.
In-School Suspension
If teachers or administrators are concerned that an off-campus suspension would cause the accused student to be unable to keep up a good pace for their schoolwork, they may opt for in-school suspension instead. The student would spend each day of the suspension doing coursework in an isolated classroom, securing the rest of the student body without interrupting the offender's education.
Even so, your child's absence would not go unnoticed by their peers. Once the in-school suspension ends, they may find that their reputation or relationships have changed, which may, in turn, affect their motivation and self-esteem. Their schoolwork and grades could suffer as a result.
Expulsion
In Utah K-12 schools, students can be expelled indefinitely or for a prolonged but predetermined period of time. They can only return if they meet a certain set of conditions outlined by the district administration. The district superintendent will review the student's case annually to decide whether they're allowed back.
Either way, an expulsion is even worse than a suspension on an academic record. Whether you enroll your child in another school or they apply to colleges upon graduation, expulsion might increase their rejection rate.
Possible Loss of Privileges and Aid
Scholarships, study abroad programs, competition attendance, and other privileges are sometimes contingent on good behavior. Utah high schools don't always choose who loses such privileges, but if your child is in their junior or senior year, the possibility is worth considering. To keep their options open, ask the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team to defend them from hazing accusations.
Why Does Utah Handle Hazing So Strictly?
Many high school students haze simply because they're too young to fully comprehend the damage it can cause. You might think that these punishments are too severe for inexperienced kids like yours. However, Utah treats each hazing case with care and gravity because it hurts so many people, including:
The Victim
As previously discussed, hazing victims suffer significantly. In addition to serious physical injuries—like bruises, cuts, internal bleeding, tissue damage, lost teeth, and broken bones—they may experience mental and emotional trauma, leading to PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other disorders. These problems affect a victim's ability to work, study, and perform daily tasks.
Most students just want social acceptance and academic success. If they become hazing victims, they're more likely to lose the opportunities they deserve. Utah school districts try to support these students by dealing strictly with offenders.
Your Child
As a parent concerned about your child's future, you should know that hazing hurts offenders, too—just in different ways. Again, many of their academic and vocational opportunities could become limited if they're labeled as hazers. However, it can also impact their relationships with their peers and authority figures, which could lower their self-esteem and lead to depression.
Plus, although children who commit crimes don't usually grow up to be career criminals, consider that career criminals usually start as children. The reasons vary widely, but a lack of academic options and positive social circles are often motivating factors.
Utah school districts know all this. Their harsh disciplinary methods are meant to protect offenders as much as victims. Unfortunately, the results seldom look as intended, which is another reason you need the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team.
The School Environment
Hazing tends to make students feel unsafe, even if they aren't directly involved. It's also distracting and messy. Either way, the school environment can become more chaotic and less focused, causing many students to struggle with their classes and coursework. To help every student succeed, Utah school districts have zero tolerance for hazing.
The School District
Don't forget that school districts are made up of adults who are affected by hazing, too. Hazing incidents tend to tarnish a school's reputation, which may, in turn, motivate parents to send their children to different schools and Utah state legislatures to withdraw funding.
Schools must also spend money to fight or pay out lawsuits sometimes. One notable example is that of the South Sanpete School District, which faced a lawsuit in 2018 after a Gunnison Valley High School student was sexually assaulted as part of a hazing ritual. In December 2019, the courts ordered the school district to pay a total of $48,000 to the victim and the law firm that represented his mother in the suit.
Considering the potential decrease in social and financial support on top of compensating victims and their families, hazing could cause Utah high schools to lose staff and important resources. Naturally, they wish to prevent and punish hazing as severely as possible.
Why Should You Hire the Lento Law Firm to Defend Your Child?
As you can see, there are lots of good reasons why Utah school districts may treat every hazing incident as urgent. Unfortunately, in their haste to investigate and save face, school officials may not give accused students the due process they deserve. They might also punish your child disproportionately and compromise their future.
This is where the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team can help you and your child. They can offer advice, guidance, and even their presence at hearings and meetings with the school district, arguing on your child's behalf to guarantee fair treatment. With their assistance, your child can avoid suspension, expulsion, and other black marks on their record.
Why Hire the Lento Law Firm and Not a Local Criminal Law Attorney?
Hazing is a crime under Utah law, but hiring a local criminal law attorney isn't the best solution for your child. Place your confidence in the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team. They'll give you lots of reasons why.
Focuses on the Right Opponent
Despite the fact that it's a crime, most hazing cases are handled in civil court or directly with the school districts. Also, since Utah statutes use broad language about how to punish hazing, school districts can usually enforce whatever discipline they like. There are a few limitations.
In other words, a criminal law attorney won't help much in a hazing case. The Lento Law Firm Education Law Team understands that your real opponent is the school district. Hiring them will give your child support from a powerful advocate who has extensive knowledge about Utah school district policies and how to navigate them. They'll ensure the best possible outcome for your child.
Countrywide Fame
You might have heard of the Lento Law Firm before. That's because their lawyers have been featured in numerous national media news segments covering the challenging and interesting cases they've resolved. There may be lots of law firms in Utah, but the Lento Law Firm has earned nationwide respect and admiration. You'll see why if you hire them for your child's hazing case.
Preserves Your Child's Reputation
Hazing often causes such shock and distress that news outlets cover both breaking and ongoing incidents extensively. Your child could face public scrutiny and judgment, regardless of the outcome of the case. A conviction from the court of public opinion can damage them mentally and jeopardize their future even if the school is lenient.
Luckily, as mentioned previously, the Lento Law Firm has plenty of experience with the press. They can defend your child so capably that the public is likely to view them favorably. Your child can more easily move on from this case and live as well as they deserve.
Defend Your High School Student from Hazing Accusations in Utah
A mistake as serious as hazing at a Utah high school is bound to have some consequences, but that doesn't mean it must overshadow your child's life. In fact, if you want to help your child become a productive adult, they must be allowed to learn from it with their future still intact, which is unlikely to happen if no one defends them against the school district.
The Lento Law Firm Education Law Team understands this, so call them at 888.535.3686 or fill out a contact form to set up a consultation.
