Our national field consultant was here and said our nationals dicourage paddles, and I was crushed. I still got one from my lil and I couldn't be happier, its the cutest thing ever, with letter, a picture of us crest, etc. Its no hazing, thats just rediculous, it hangs on my wall and its not going anywhere cause its a little big and way to cute.
PS we couldn't do a hunt either because of course its hazing, but another chapter at our school did, but we also couldn't have two different colored bid day shirts and this year everyone else did, go figure...

My pledgeclass made the paddle for the pledgeclass before us, our big bros give us T-shirts and we give them sweatshirts... paddles hazing... right... thier just decorations....

hazing loopholes
 

I know this is an old thread, but I just thought it was interesting that some houses ban paddles completely b/c they're thought of as representing hazing. My house has an official rule of making the paddles totally unpaddle-looking...they'd be wood cut in different shapes (like animals or flowers or anything you can imagine...you can even bring in a picture and they'll custom cut it for you!) and painted cutely and then have the wooden letters and big sis lil sis stuff. But you can still get away with traditional paddles, if that's what you want. I intend to have a totally traditional paddle-looking thing, with my letters as the handle maybe, and an angel cutout and maybe a teeny bell hanging from the cutout (like you know from "It's a Wonderful Life," where "everytime a bell rings, there's an angel getting its wings"). Ha ha, I feel a little sorry for my future little sister, but I will gladly help her make it! (Hey, I'm gonna have this thing for the rest of my life--surprise nothing. Like I don't know what a paddle looks like.) Some of my pledge sisters' bigs even made them detailed blueprints! With the hundreds of dollars you spend on your little, they can spend a little time on your paddle...:D

We have always made paddles, and since it it widely known that they are only for wall decoration, there is no problem with that.

Our chapter doesn't necessarily ban making paddles, but when we're supposed to make them for our bigs during I-week, they call it a "wood good." That way, it doesn't sound like hazing, and if a little doesn't want to make a paddle, they don't have to (though most of them do anyway). People have also made wooden frames and boxes and stuff. It's pretty cool, but everyone still wants a paddle.

And to go with what dzsaigirl said, they're mainly for wall decoration, so there's not problem.

~Holly

you guys spend hundreds of dollars on your little???
our HQ has a $75 cap on big sister gifts.....
my chapter still gives paddles to their bigs and one that we hang in the chapter room. It is important to note that HQ does not allow photos of them on our websites. We usually write a message to our big sister on the back of them! The New Member class paddles slowly make their way through the chapter room and then they are taken down, I'm kind of sad...mine is almost off of the wall!

Check here for the hazing laws in your state. In most states paddling is considered hazing, which is illegal.

http://www.stophazing.org/laws.html

Instead of paddles Tri Sigma has sailboats or triangles. Very cute and only for decorative purposes. And I came from the Pledge era.

My chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta also has paddle making traditions. Every sorority chapter on my campus makes them. They are not required, though, it is just done at your own leisure (along with shirts too!).
OH, the Phi Mu chapter at our school has an entire room with paddles in it called the Paddle Room. And we have ours in our chapter house in our rooms even during recruitment. The LC's don't like them, but they are a tradition and when we explain to them that we would be the only chapter without them they lay off. That does not mean they like them though.
Sarah

This is the perfect example of politicall BS! Our Associate Classes made Large Paddles that held the names of Their Officers and Class and was Hung in a place of honor in the house!

Since it shows a FORM OF HAZING, it is a NO NO !!!!!!!!

How in the hell do you beat a guys butt with a 5 foot paddle?

I do not agree but I am the biggest Peed on In the International!

I fight them when I feel something is wrong!

Trust me they know who I am!;)

We have to get a lot of stuff. I'd better start shopping!

I understand where paddles can create a negative view, however so can the shot glasses sold with our letters on them!!! I say make your paddles just dont paddle!!:)

We still make paddles. Little sisters give them to their big sisters on the day that they get initiated.

I'm sorry but some of the rules are a little out of control. Yes, smacking somebody on the ass is considered hazing....decorating a piece of wood is also hazing?!? Shit like this absolutely blows my mind. What if somebody WANTED to make a paddle for their big sister? If you told them that they couldn't wouldn't that be hazing?? Hmmm....

This is the perfect example of zero tolerance stupidity, with very little thought. We spent hours making paddles and being girly girls, they often had lace, pearls etc on them. Believe me no one is getting hit with that after we put all the work into it!

Tracie, the title of the thread is "paddles considered hazing?" not "paddling considered hazing?"

AOX81 - I agree. We had girls beg us to let them do interviews, signatures etc - but we had to tell them they weren't allowed to. I think it really cut down on their enjoyment of pledging knowing all these things were denied them.

and yes I know this is going to turn into another "has anti-hazing gone too far?" debate, and yes I know times are changing, and yes I know I've said the same thing over and over, but I got a whopping 2.5 hours of sleep last night and I really don't give a rat's ass.

I was hoping I was going to get a followup by 33girl :) What can I say?? You Rock! :) Get some sleep!