Florida A&M Student’s Death Turns Spotlight on Hazing

[SOM]

Before they even arrive at Florida A&M University here, the freshmen who are hand-picked for the famous marching band know all about the hazing, an unsanctioned tradition that goes back decades.
In the ultracompetitive atmosphere of the Marching 100, as the band is called, the verbal, emotional and physical pain that is doled out is viewed as an extra source of pride and strength among the relatively small number of band members who participate in hazing, former members say.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/01/us...?_r=2&emc=eta1

[DrPhil]

Yes and anyone who has relationships with HBCUs or even seen Stomp the Yard knows that bands come with hazing. Even being part of the Bakery Club can come with hazing.

R.I.P. to this young man.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Yes and anyone who has relationships with HBCUs or even seen Stomp the Yard knows that bands come with hazing. Even being part of the Bakery Club can come with hazing.
R.I.P. to this young man.

My stepfather attended an HBCU and once told me that there was hazing to join the gospel choir and glee club. Crazy.

[Honeykiss1974]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Yes and anyone who has relationships with HBCUs or even seen Stomp the Yard knows that bands come with hazing. Even being part of the Bakery Club can come with hazing.

This is true (or at least is was at my HBCU).

[DrPhil]

Okay, they punched him on the bus (a bus that was supposed to be locked) until he vomited and passed out. Damn shame.

I'm glad the band director has been fired and there are four separate investigations, including one by the Governor. Hazing (or some would call an extreme form of pledging) is considered part of band culture for some schools. It is probably the case that the band director knew about hazing (or some would call an extreme form of pledging) but was assuming that it did not involve that level of brutality. Then again, if being "jumped in" was a decades old practice, the band director probably knew about that.

[Low C Sharp]

Here is a counter-example to the notion that hazing gets no attention outside the GLO context, or that organizations other than GLOs don't face across-the-board consequences for the actions of a few individuals. That band is going to be a whole different animal after this scandal -- as well it should be. Collegiate music was my whole life when I was in school, but if they have to scrap the band altogether to keep people from being KILLED, then I say so be it.

[Kevin]

For every band hazing death there are a lot more GLO hazing deaths. We deserve the attention we get. We earned it.

[victoriana]

This is ridiculous. I'm absolutely shocked. As a former member of both high school and college marching bands, this saddens me. Marching band is a wonderful experience, and it's such a shame that the hazing culture goes right along with it at some schools. I won't share my personal experiences, but this is an issue that happens more than people thing. My prayers go out for this young man's family and friends.

[etadrisophila]

Michele Martin of NPR ("Tell me More") ran a piece on hazing this Tuesday. The Florida A & M University incident was a launching point for this commentary. Hank Nuwer, author of several books on hazing was a guest on the show.

http://www.npr.org/2011/11/29/142895...unity-disgrace

[DeltaBetaBaby]

The article in our local paper actually defended the band director (White), saying he has produced significant documentation that he tried to curb hazing and enlist other administrators in his cause.

[AGDLynn]

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world...s-1248063.html

[Ch2tf]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

The article in our local paper actually defended the band director (White), saying he has produced significant documentation that he tried to curb hazing and enlist other administrators in his cause.

It was on a national news program last night. I was too busy to focus in on it, but apparently the band director had documentation to prove he had let the University know of hazing incidents and had recently (can't remember if it was over the summer or last school year) kicked a large group of members out of the band because of hazing. Based on the rest of the interview it seems that school admin was very complicit in allowing the hazing culture of the band to continue and didn't want to sanction the band from the Florida Classic after hazing had recently been reported.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Is there a difference between hazing in traditionally black and traditionally white organizations? It seems as though, when something makes the news for a black org, it is generally physical violence, while the white orgs seem to make their pledges drink themselves to death.

Purely anecdotal, just thinking about what I've seen, but could be way off.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Is there a difference between hazing in traditionally black and traditionally white organizations? It seems as though, when something makes the news for a black org, it is generally physical violence, while the white orgs seem to make their pledges drink themselves to death.

Purely anecdotal, just thinking about what I've seen, but could be way off.

See my attempt to quantify this and the responses and results that I found at http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...d.php?t=105396

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by naraht

See my attempt to quantify this and the responses and results that I found at http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...d.php?t=105396

Because that topic had been researched long before you started that thread.

And you ask a lot of questions.