By Cinthia Rico
Recent allegations of hazing in Northwestern’s athletic programs from male and female athletes who reported misconduct within various sports shed light on an ongoing problem that in some cases seeps down to the high school level.
Northwestern has been added to the long list of American universities to face a scandal in athletics.
“If we needed evidence on a larger scale about the potential devastating effects of hazing within the athletics setting, the recent events at Northwestern University should cause all high school leaders to stand up and take notice,” stated Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff, chief executive officer of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
Hazing is, by definition, any degrading or perilous behavior that is required of a student to be a member of a group, regardless of the student’s willingness to participate. Any kind of initiation expectations should never be part of high school sports or performing arts.
Making freshmen undertake difficult chores, for instance, may seem like innocent fun at first, but it can occasionally get out of hand and result in coaches losing their jobs, kids and parents losing their lives, and the entire community experiencing shame.
“Year after year, events such as the football hazing scandal that jolted the Northwestern campus continue to occur – at the high school and college levels,” Niehoff noted. “Although we are shocked, distraught, disappointed, discouraged, and downright angry, progress over time seems limited at best.”
As middle schools and high schools begin classes, and as fall sports teams hit the practice fields, this is another chance – the next chance – for coaches and administrators to do what is right.
While ending long-standing customs may not be a popular choice in some contexts, it is typically the best choice for the student’s health and well-being.
“Over the past two years, a number of horrific hazing incidents have occurred during the first month of the school year. Last year, in the month of August alone, there were five highly publicized incidents across the country – one of which forced the cancellation of a school’s entire football season,” stated Niehoff.
“Now is the time to change. Establishing an anti-hazing culture is the first step as the new school year begins. And that culture may need to include a different plan for welcoming new members. Inclusion must be accomplished without a “requirement” for being a part of the team.”
To build a positive school culture, coaches and athletic directors must take proactive steps. Leaders at the school must keep an eye on student-athletes and make it known to all students that hazing will not be allowed.
An anti-hazing policy must be created and distributed to every student and parent before each sporting event. There should be a clear policy prohibiting any form of hazing.
A tremendous resource to help in establishing a positive school culture is the online education course, “Bullying, Hazing, and Inappropriate Behaviors,” which is available through the NFHS Learning Center at www.NFHSLearn.com. This course educates coaches about their legal responsibilities to provide a safe and respectful environment for the students in their care.
In addition, “Hazing Prevention for Students” is a free course designed to teach students how to identify hazing, when to step in, and why they should notify proper authorities.
The NFHS also offers several resources on hazing prevention for school staff, students, and parents on its website at https://www.nfhs.org/resources/student-services-inclusion/hazing.
