Whether it's called “initiation,” “pledging,” or some other name, students involved in college fraternities can find their college careers brought to a sudden and unfortunate end if they participate in “hazing,” or activities that encourage pledging students to violate school codes of conduct. Virtually all colleges and universities now prohibit hazing and harassment as well as a wide range of other types of misconduct, which means participating in or even encouraging hazing-type activities can put your collegiate career in jeopardy. If you're a student who finds themselves in trouble with your school because of pledging activities, you need help if you want to stay in school and protect your rights. Contact the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team today at 888.535.3686 or by using our contact form to set up a confidential consultation.

Anti-Hazing School Policies

All colleges and universities have school codes of conduct in place that allow them to discipline students who participate in what the school defines as misconduct. Virtually all of these specifically prohibit “hazing” or “harassment” and have varying definitions of what those terms might mean. Generally, these prohibit students from committing demeaning acts against fraternity or sorority pledges, in particular, acts that could cause injury to the student. They may also prohibit asking or demanding that the pledges engage in demeaning or dangerous activity.

There are good reasons for these policies – students involved in hazing activities have been injured or have died as a result of initiation activities taken to extremes. Of course, it's never the intent of any fraternity or sorority member to put a pledge in serious danger, but students caught up in the moment of their fraternity or sorority's initiation ritual may not always be the best judges of when things have gone too far.

When Other Misconduct is Part of Pledging

Sometimes, a pledge activity might not rise to the level of prohibited “hazing” but can still involve prohibited conduct. For example, requiring a pledge to perform an illegal act, whether it's defacing a rival school's spirit mural, stealing snacks from a local grocery, trespassing on closed areas of school property, or something else, can lead to the same consequences as hazing.

Almost all student conduct codes prohibit students from engaging in illegal activities. In many cases, they apply both on-campus and off-campus. So when a student pledge is caught breaking a local law in response to the directions of a fraternity or sorority member, the school will, in many cases, discipline the student for violating the school's code of conduct. This can affect the pledge, the student who encouraged the pledge to break the law, and the fraternity or sorority itself.

If Accused of Pledge Misconduct, You Need a Strong Defense

The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team has helped students all across the country defend themselves against misconduct claims brought by their schools, including those relating to fraternity or sorority pledging. Our experienced student defense attorneys have also helped students accused of breaking local and state laws.

If you've been accused by your school of violating the school's anti-hazing policy, you need the help of our experienced student defense attorneys. We'll make sure your rights are respected throughout the school's disciplinary process and will use our experience and knowledge of the law to help you defend against the allegations and resolve the matter in as favorable a way as possible.

Whatever the problem is at school, call the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team today at 888.535.3686 or use our contact form to set up a confidential consultation. Your future is important to you. Let us help you protect it.