[Peaches-n-Cream]

Originally posted by AXJules
The thing is, no one has ever complained (at least in the past 8 years). So if they know we're spreading food on each other and everyone does it willingly, how can they threaten to expel or keep you from prom/graduation?????????
There are too many parents that are lawyers to get away with that. It all has to do with the honor code we sign. They can't control what you do thats not on school property.

Is the honor code a school thing or is it among these girls? If it is a school honor code, that cannot prevent students from being held accountable for their bad behavior.

A school can control what occurs off campus. If no one complained about it in the past and the school is unaware, then they can't prevent it. If a school knows that this occurs annually, they have an opportunity and a responsibility to speak out against it. If they were aware, they could have established a policy against hazing.

You mention that the parents are lawyers. Those students should have known better. Schools have a right and a responsibility to establish a policy regarding the conduct of its students both off and on campus. As I mentioned earlier, if a student drinks alcohol or uses drugs on or off campus, the school has a right to suspend or expel that student. This hazing ritual is no different to me.

I don't know this neighborhood or this school. I have gleaned from other posts that this is a rich neighborhood. I went to small private school with some students who have rich parents. If anyone behaved even remotely like this, they would be out. Students were suspended for wearing something outside of the dress code. The school didn't put up with this behavior. I guess that is the difference between private and public schools.

You asked

So if they know we're spreading food on each other and everyone does it willingly, how can they threaten to expel or keep you from prom/graduation?????????

The answer is by establishing rules of conduct. The problem is that by not addressing and condemning the hazing, the school is condoning it. Regardless of whether or not the participants did so willingly, the school ought to have established an anti-hazing policy if they knew about this event. The fear of a parent filing a lawsuit should not stop a school from punishing a student who breaks a rule.