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EASTON AREA
SCHOOL DISTRICT
No. 247
SECTION:
PUPILS
TITLE:
HAZING
ADOPTED:
March 5, 2007
REVISED:
247. HAZING
1.
Purpose
The opportunity for students to participate in extracurricular and cocurricular
activities and interscholastic athletics sponsored by the district is a privilege
extended to district students, which may be suspended or revoked under certain
circumstances. The district shall strive to provide a safe and positive education,
which includes extracurricular, cocurricular, and interscholastic athletic offerings.
Hazing, as defined in this policy, regardless of the form it takes, shall not be
tolerated. Behavior, which constitutes hazing, shall be disciplined and governed by
the provisions of this policy.
2.
Definitions
For purposes of this policy, hazing is defined as any action or situation which
recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental and/or physical health or safety of a
student, or which willfully destroys or removes public or private property, for the
purpose of initiation or admission into (or affiliation with) or as a condition for
continued membership in any organization operating under the sanctioning of the
district.
Endanger the physical health shall include but not be limited to any brutality of a
physical nature, such as whipping; beating; branding; forced calisthenics; exposure
to the elements; forced consumption of any food, alcoholic beverage, drug, or other
controlled substance; or other forced physical activity that could adversely affect the
physical health and/or safety of the individual.
Endanger the mental health shall include any activity that would subject an
individual to extreme mental stress, such as prolonged sleep deprivation, forced
prolonged exclusion from social contact, forced conduct which could result in
extreme embarrassment, or any other forced activity which could adversely affect
the mental health or dignity of the individual.
Any hazing activity, whether by an individual or a group, shall be presumed to be a
forced activity, regardless of the willing participation of any individual.
247. HAZING - Pg. 2
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3.
Authority
SC 510, 511
Pol. 122, 123
The Board does not condone any form of initiation or harassment, known as hazing,
as part of any school-sponsored student activity. No student, coach, sponsor,
volunteer, advisor or district employee shall plan, direct, encourage, assist or engage
in any hazing activity.
The Board directs that no administrator, coach, sponsor, volunteer, advisor or district
employee shall permit, condone or tolerate any form of hazing.
The district will investigate all complaints of hazing and will administer appropriate
discipline to any individual who violates this policy.
4.
Delegation of
Responsibility
It shall be the responsibility of all district employees, including without limitation,
teachers, advisors, coaches, and administrators, and any sponsors and volunteers, to
protect the rights, safety, and welfare of all students and to ensure an atmosphere
free from all forms of hazing. Any and all information received by such individuals
and all knowledge or reports of hazing, or anticipated hazing, shall be reported to the
appropriate administrator.
If a student obtains information or hears about an actual or potential hazing incident,
the student shall immediately report this information to the appropriate adult
supervisor of the activity. The teacher, advisor, coach, sponsor, or volunteer shall
immediately notify the appropriate administrator who will, in turn, initiate
immediate measures to address the situation, as set forth in this policy.
The administration shall annually inform students, parents/guardians, coaches,
sponsors, volunteers, advisors, and district staff that hazing of district students is
prohibited, by means of distribution of written policy, publication in handbooks,
verbal instructions by the coach or sponsor at the start of the season or program, and
posting of notice/signs.
5.
Guidelines
Students who become aware of a hazing incident, or if they are personally
confronted with a hazing situation, should immediately make it known to the hazing
participants that this behavior is unwelcome and that they will not take part. Any
retaliation for a student's refusal to participate in a hazing event shall be immediately
reported to the appropriate adult supervisor of the activity. A student who willingly
participates in a hazing event, regardless of whether s/he initiated it, shall have
violated this policy and shall be subject to disciplinary action.
Upon receipt of information regarding hazing, the teacher, advisor, coach, sponsor,
or volunteer shall inform the appropriate administrator. The administrator shall
immediately inform the teacher, advisor, coach, sponsor, or volunteer of a hazing
event, should s/he be the first recipient of the information.
247. HAZING - Pg. 3
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District administrators shall immediately conduct a full, confidential, and thorough
investigation. Administrators shall notify the Superintendent of the pending
investigation and the circumstances surrounding it.
As a part of the investigation, the parents/guardians of any student(s) who may be
involved in the hazing incident shall be notified and apprised of the facts pertaining
to the student(s).
In the event the hazing incident involved, or will involve, illegal activity, the
appropriate policing agencies shall be notified.
The administrator shall provide a written report of his/her findings and the
disposition of any ensuing disciplinary measures to the Superintendent.
Pol. 218
The disciplinary measures imposed shall not be exhaustive and may be imposed in
addition to any other disciplinary measures which may be applicable and/or
appropriate, as provided for Board policy. The following disciplinary measures may
be imposed:
1.
A student found to be in violation of this policy shall be subject to disciplinary
measures set forth at the discretion of the administration including, but not
limited to, suspension or expulsion from school, indefinite suspension from all
extracurricular and cocurricular activities, and interscholastic athletics, for a
period of no more than one (1) calendar year from the date of adjudication,
and/or permanent expulsion from all extracurricular and nongraded cocurricular
activities, and interscholastic athletics, through the violator's senior year of high
school.
2.
A student found to have made false statements in connection with this policy
shall be subject to the same disciplinary measures as those found to have actually
violated the policy.
This policy shall be applicable to any and all incidents of hazing involving
district students regardless of whether they occurred on or off school grounds
and/or outside of the normally scheduled school year, including without
limitation during summer recess months and other nonschool days.
247. HAZING - Pg. 4
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If, as a result of the investigation, the administration concludes that a violation of the
policy has occurred, the involved students shall be notified, along with their parents/
guardians, and a meeting shall be held at which time the student will have an
opportunity to review and challenge the evidence substantiating the violation. If,
after the due process meeting, the appropriate administrators find that a violation has
indeed occurred, then the administration shall take such disciplinary action as may
be appropriate.