Monday, September 24, 2012

EDUCATION - Suppressing College Hazing

"For Perpetrators and Victims, Suppressing Temptation of College Hazing Rituals" PBS Newshour 9/21/2012

Excerpt

RAY SUAREZ (Newshour): Students, faculty and trustees at Florida A&M University, commonly known as FAMU, gathered yesterday for a town hall on hazing. It was their latest effort to deal with an issue that made headlines last November.

That's when drum major Robert Champion died after he was severely beaten in a hazing ritual by members of the school's popular marching band.

Eleven FAMU band members now face felony hazing charges. And, on Sunday, the school played its first football game in decades without the marching band. The band is suspended for a year.

Yesterday, the student body vice president said he hoped the town hall would mark a turning point.

MICHAEL JEFFERSON, Florida A&M University: We have had these before, but none like this. Today was different. Today was a conversation. Today was inclusion. Today, you saw students that were a part of it and that were excited about it, that were standing up saying, I commit to end hazing.

RAY SUAREZ: That may be easier said than done.

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