New California Law

Football Fan · #1 06-13-2007, 01:03 PM

Yesterday I was checking the Panhellenic site at my alma mater. On the Greek recruitment page is a notice:
According to a recent California law conviction of hazing is now a felony in that state.

Tom Earp · #2 06-13-2007, 02:24 PM

Wonder how that will stop hazing until something very bad happens and then all hell will beak loose and someone goes to prison!

Maybe that will get the message through?

exlurker · #3 06-13-2007, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Football Fan

Yesterday I was checking the Panhellenic site at my alma mater. On the Greek recruitment page is a notice:
According to a recent California law conviction of hazing is now a felony in that state.

FootballFan, thank you for reminding Greekchatters of this. An earlier discussion of this change in California law is in another thread in this forum. The thread's title is "California Hazing Bill Goes to Governor":

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=80401

As always, I'd encourage chapter exec board members, chapter advisors, and regional and (inter)national staff with responsibilities for chapters in California to be aware of this law and its implications. Where necessary to understand the law, consultation with attorneys would be a good idea.

Kevin · #4 06-13-2007, 02:44 PM

Better yet -- don't haze.

Then you don't have to worry about a felony conviction.

How hard is that?

OO11 · #5 07-03-2007, 08:14 PM

good pt

AGDLynn · #6 07-03-2007, 10:14 PM

§ 16-5-61. Hazing

(a) As used in this Code section, the term:

(1) "Haze" means to subject a student to an activity which endangers or is likely to endanger the physical health of a student, regardless of a student's willingness to participate in such activity.

(2) "School" means any school, college, or university in this state.

(3) "School organization" means any club, society, fraternity, sorority, or a group living together which has students as its principal members.

(4) "Student" means any person enrolled in a school in this state.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to haze any student in connection with or as a condition or precondition of gaining acceptance, membership, office, or other status in a school organization.

(c) Any person who violates this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.

Kevin · #7 07-03-2007, 11:50 PM

That law sure is vague.

UGAalum94 · #8 07-04-2007, 12:31 AM

But at least it's limited to anything that endangers physical health.

If they used the same standards as most GLOs or even many colleges, you might be a felon for requiring new members to clean up after a party.

(I'm not pro-hazing. I just think some definitions go too far.)

Tom Earp · #9 07-04-2007, 04:26 PM

Since when did any or many State Laws especially in California make any sense with the legal BS wording that let any Lawyer have a nitch to discuss in a court of law?

jon1856 · #10 07-04-2007, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin

That law sure is vague.

True, too many are just that

Just as true, they get tested all to often. Or perhaps rather situations accrue that cause politicians to write bills in the heat of the moment.

To see most if not all state laws:
http://www.kappaalphapsi1911.com/fraternity/laws1.asp
http://www.stophazing.org/laws.html

Or just do a search using hazing and State.

If one takes a look into RM section past history, many threads on this subject matter already. Most have turned into train wrecks.

Mostly because of the vagueness of it all.

Tom Earp · #11 07-05-2007, 03:55 PM

Sorry to get so upset about this type of thing, but the reasons that States are enacting laws is because of the many deaths or bodily harm that has happened to "Pledges" of GLOs.

While I may call it a knee jerk reaction, it is and has been a fact of life for a period of time and it affects all of us.

Whether it is a State Law for felony prosecution, the suspension of a chapter, the cost of dues to Risk Management, the death or bodily harm, It will and can harm all of us!

Simple thing, do not do it and then there is not going to be a problem

jon1856 · #12 07-05-2007, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

Sorry to get so upset about this type of thing, but the reasons that States are enacting laws is because of the many deaths or bodily harm that has happened to "Pledges" of GLOs.

While I may call it a knee jerk reaction, it is and has been a fact of life for a period of time and it affects all of us.

Whether it is a State Law for felony prosecution, the suspension of a chapter, the cost of dues to Risk Management, the death or bodily harm, It will and can harm all of us!

Simple thing, do not do it and then there is not going to be a problem

Tom, I for the most part agree with you as well as the other posters in this thread as well as the many others.

However even those of us (99.9% give or take) with a level, clear head and a fair amount of common sense can get tripped up by the laws, regulations, rules and policies of the state, city, school or even the GLO itself.

Why? Because of the way they are written. Having been in or having read most of the prior threads I wonder if what we did back in the day was hazing. Some times I think yes and other times no. I know other GLO's at my school crossed way over the line and that was long ago.

Yes there are plenty of black and white points that just about everyone can agree on. However there are also all too many shades of grays. And those are the issues that hurt us all; figuratively as well as literally.

And what cause train wrecks here.

Off soap box I go...

Goldenphoenix · #13 07-05-2007, 07:38 PM

Please check out this "Trust Fall" video - the first young woman, especially. She's terrified and winds up weeping afterward. Had this been a GLO, the "hazing story" would have been splashed all over front pages of newspapers across the country. But since it's just a religious youth group, nothing happens. Talk about a double standard with respect to hazing and GLOs....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=wH_iySii-E0

- goldenphoenix

AnatraAmore · #14 07-05-2007, 07:52 PM

I don't think I get the whole point of that activity... they're supposed to fall?

jon1856 · #15 07-05-2007, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goldenphoenix

Please check out this "Trust Fall" video - the first young woman, especially. She's terrified and winds up weeping afterward. Had this been a GLO, the "hazing story" would have been splashed all over front pages of newspapers across the country. But since it's just a religious youth group, nothing happens. Talk about a double standard with respect to hazing and GLOs....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=wH_iySii-E0

- goldenphoenix

What kind of "trust" is this??????

I thought it was all about catching a person, not causing them to fall AND not catching them.

"Trust" G-D that they will not get hurt????

And you are very correct in your thoughts.

GLO's can be very easy targets for anyone looking to make one. We are International/National groups.

If Williams' Dorm has a fire that injuries and/or kills students it will make at least regional news. Any other problem may not even make local news.

A GLO chapter has National coverage.