Many in the US associate hazing with college. Because hazing often serves as a form of initiating someone into a student organization like a fraternity or sorority, it makes sense to assume it exclusively occurs in settings where such organizations are active. You might guess hazing is relatively uncommon in high school.
That's an understandable assumption. However, research on hazing indicates that approximately 1.5 million high school students in the US will experience some form of hazing every year. In fact, nearly half of all incoming college students in the country report having already experienced hazing before starting college.
High schools in Oregon and throughout the country take hazing cases seriously. Your child could face significant penalties if they've been accused of hazing at an Oregon high school.
How high schools investigate and handle these matters can differ from criminal investigations in certain key ways. While you may already understand your child needs a lawyer, it's important to hire one with experience defending students in non-criminal cases.
That's exactly what you'll find at the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team. For more information about how we can protect your child's rights and future, submit your information through our online contact form or call us at 888-535-3686 today.
What is the Legal Definition of Hazing in Oregon?
According to Oregon's hazing law, hazing involves any of the following in connection with initiation into a student organization or similar group:
- Subjecting someone to physical brutality, such as whipping, beating, branding, striking, etc.
- Subjecting someone to unreasonable risk of harm or adverse health effects through such means as sleep deprivation, confinement to a small space, exposure to the elements, etc.
- Subjecting someone to unreasonable risk of harm or adverse health effects by compelling them to consume food, beverages, drugs, etc.
- Inducing, requiring, or otherwise causing someone to break the law or engage in hazing themselves.
Most schools in Oregon may base their definition of hazing on the legal definition. However, individual school districts might adopt anti-hazing policies that are stricter than the law. Private schools may also establish their own anti-hazing rules.
Your child's lawyer should be someone who understands the unique ways schools may handle cases like these. At the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team, our experienced attorneys can help your child navigate what might otherwise be an overwhelming process.
Common Forms of Hazing
Hazing takes many forms. In the digital age, some schools have updated their anti-hazing policies to reflect forms of hazing that may involve humiliation via social media or other such forms.
That said, surveys of college students indicate some forms of hazing remain more common than others. The most common forms of hazing in the US are:
- Participating in drinking games
- Being required to sing or chant in a public setting where such activities aren't expected or common
- Being compelled to consume large quantities of alcohol to the point of becoming sick or passing out
- Being compelled to consume large amounts of a non-alcoholic beverage
- Being verbally abused by other members of a student organization
Statistics on which forms of hazing are most common at high schools in the US are more difficult to come by. Because high school students lack legal access to alcohol, some forms of hazing may be less common at high school than in college settings.
The nature of a hazing incident can influence the penalties a student may face if they're accused of hazing. For example, a hazing incident that involves mild verbal abuse may result in less severe penalties than a hazing incident involving physical injuries.
Potential Consequences if Someone Accused You of Hazing at an Oregon High School
The penalties a student may face if they've been accused of hazing at an Oregon high school can vary depending on many different factors. Penalties a school may consider include (but aren't necessarily limited to):
- Probation
- Suspension
- Expulsion
- Loss of certain privileges or support, such as loss of the privilege to use a school's facilities or resources for a student organization's events or meetings
It's critical to understand why schools often punish students harshly when it's found they've participated in hazing incidents. Essentially, high school administrators and other such figures have a responsibility to ensure the safety of students. Penalizing those who engage in hazing is key to fulfilling that responsibility.
From a PR perspective, a private high school might also consider how failure to penalize hazing sends the wrong message to prospective students and their families. A private school might punish a student accused of hazing relatively harshly because they want to let others know this is the kind of institution that prioritizes student safety.
The Consequences of High School Hazing Accusations Can Follow a Student Throughout Life
Penalties for hazing don't just have a short-term impact on a student's life and education. Depending on the specific nature of such penalties, they can have long-term impacts that interfere with a student's life for years to come.
For example, maybe a student is suspended or expelled for hazing. This may prevent them from pursuing their long-term academic and career goals. It can be very difficult to gain acceptance into one's preferred university when your history indicates you've been seriously punished for putting other students at risk.
These points aren't meant to frighten you. However, if you're a student or the parent of one accused of hazing at an Oregon high school, you need to appreciate the potential seriousness of the situation.
You also need to act accordingly. Don't wait to determine whether it looks like a school will proceed with disciplinary action. Upon receiving notification of hazing accusations, promptly enlist the help of legal professionals who can offer an effective defense. At the Lento Law Firm, our Student Defense Team is prepared to serve your needs right now.
An Oregon High School May Not Follow Due Process Rules
A lawyer can assist an Oregon high school student in many ways after they've been accused of hazing. For example, an attorney can protect their client's rights and ensure that investigators and school administrators don't unreasonably ignore due process as a case proceeds.
Criminal cases involve certain requirements that apply to law enforcement, prosecutors, and similar parties. Such parties must follow the rules of due process to ensure someone accused of a crime gets fair treatment. Violation of due process rules can result in a case being dismissed.
School cases are different. This is particularly true at private high schools, which may not be beholden to some of the rules and requirements that apply at public school districts.
Schools may sometimes fail to follow due process when investigating cases of alleged hazing. The following are just a few examples of how a school might ignore due process rules or procedures:
- Not giving a student sufficient time to put together a defense when notifying them of the accusations
- Not informing a student of certain rights, such as the right to hire an attorney
- Making decisions about penalties without involving a jury of a student's peers
Not all due process rules apply to school cases. For example, a high school student is unlikely to successfully argue that a jury of their peers should decide their fate when a school investigates them for alleged hazing.
However, if there are instances when school investigators or administrators unfairly violate a student's rights, said student would benefit greatly from the support of legal professionals. At the Lento Law Firm, attorneys with our Student Defense Team are prepared to speak out if this happens in your case.
What Not to Do When Someone Accuses You of Hazing in Oregon
You may understandably be stressed if you're a student accused of hazing. The same can be said if you're a parent of such a student.
However, allowing stress to influence your decisions now could cause you to make mistakes that jeopardize the case's outcome. Common examples of what you SHOULD NOT DO upon learning of hazing accusations include:
- Confronting the accuser directly
- Discussing the case with others
- Posting about the case on social media
- Admitting fault
- Participating in hearings or interviews without lawyers present
Again, you may not be facing criminal charges as a high school student accused of hazing. Regardless, it may still be wise to treat the matter as seriously as you would a criminal investigation.
A smart person wouldn't speak to the police or try to address the matter themselves if they'd been charged with a crime. They'd hire a lawyer to represent them.
The same mindset is useful during a school investigation. If someone has accused you or your child of participating in a hazing incident involving other Oregon high school students, get in touch with the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team. We'll protect your rights and help you avoid making errors that could negatively influence how your case is resolved.
We Defend Students Accused of Hazing Through Oregon
We at the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team are available to defend students accused of such hazing in and near such major Oregon cities and metro areas as:
- Portland
- Salem
- Oregon City
- Eugene
- Bend
- Medford
- Gresham
- Hillsboro
- Beaverton
- Springfield
- Corvallis
That is in no way a complete list! Regardless of where you currently live in Oregon, if you need help with a case involving hazing allegations at an Oregon high school, our team can offer dedicated representation.
Potential Defenses in Oregon High School Hazing Cases
Personalized service is among our top values (and goals!) at the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team. Our experienced attorneys thoroughly appreciate that every case is different.
We tailor our defense strategies accordingly. We can't say how we'll handle your case without knowing the details. Once you discuss the specifics of your case with us, we can begin working on a defense strategy tailored to the details of your situation.
The following are examples of general defense strategies attorneys may consider when defending students accused of hazing. There's no guarantee we'll use any of these particular strategies in your case. However, reviewing them can help you better understand the various ways lawyers might approach the matter.
Common defense strategies when students are accused of hazing include:
- Lack of evidence: A lawyer can point to holes in the case against a student that a student themselves might otherwise miss. An attorney may also show how a school has failed to present sufficient evidence showing a student participated in a hazing incident.
- Establishing an alibi: False accusations of hazing can occur for many reasons. Sometimes, an accuser genuinely thinks someone participated in a hazing incident but has perhaps mistaken them for someone else. In other cases, students may falsely accuse each other of hazing because of grudges. Regardless, if a student accused of hazing has an alibi, their attorneys may help them establish it.
- No participation: Hazing often occurs in crowded parties and other social settings. Someone could thus be present for a hazing incident without being a participant.
- An incident was staged: Staging hazing incidents is unwise. However, some students stage these incidents and film them to generate content for social media. A lawyer might help to demonstrate how an apparent hazing incident was actually staged.
- Negotiations: In criminal cases, a lawyer may negotiate with the prosecution and judge to secure a plea deal for their client. This involves the client submitting a guilty plea in exchange for lenient sentencing. A similar option is also sometimes available in high school cases.
Again, the best way for us to determine the right defense strategy for you is to learn more about your case. The sooner we can get started, the better!
Oregon Student Defense Attorneys Can Help When You're Accused of Hazing
Don't let accusations of hazing derail your academic career or your child's future. At the Lento Law Firm, our Student Defense Team consists of experienced attorneys who offer a unique service to students that many other lawyers might not offer. Get started today by calling us at 888-535-3686 or submitting your information through our online contact form.
