5131.91 R- Administrative Regulations Regarding Hazing

Purpose and Philosophy 

Hazing and initiation activities that involve hazing are abusive and illegal behaviors that harm  victims and negatively impact the school environment by creating an atmosphere of fear, distrust  and mean-spiritedness. Because the District is committed to providing a safe and inclusive  environment for all students that promotes respect, civility, and dignity, it is the purpose of these  regulations to establish and preserve an educational environment free from any type of hazing or  initiation activities that involve hazing. 

Prohibition of Hazing 

The District strictly prohibits any person from engaging individually or collectively in any form  of hazing or related initiation activity on school property, in conjunction with any school activity,  or involving any person associated with the school, regardless of where it occurs. Consistent  with the District’s Conduct and Sexual Harassment policies, any person who participates in  hazing or related initiation activity, or conspires to engage in hazing, will face immediate  disciplinary action up to and including suspension, expulsion, exclusion, and loss of participation  in extracurricular activities. In addition, persons who participate in hazing will be referred to  law enforcement authorities and may face subsequent prosecution. 

A. No student, teacher, administrator, volunteer, contractor or other employee or agent of  the school district (here and after collectively referred to as “staff”) shall plan, direct, encourage,  aid, or engage in hazing. 

B. No staff member of the school district shall permit, condone, or tolerate hazing. 

C. Implied or expressed consent by a person being hazed does not lessen the prohibitions  contained in these regulations, and will not be considered as a defense or mitigation of any  alleged violation of these regulations. 

D. A person who engages in an act that violates school regulations or law in order to initiate  another person or to be initiated into or affiliated with a student organization shall be subject to  discipline for that act. 

E. The school district will investigate complaints of hazing and take appropriate action  including, but not limited to, discipline against any student or staff member of the district who  is found to have violated these regulations. 

F. Hazing activities are seriously disruptive to the education process. These regulations apply to behavior that occurs on or off school property and during, before or after school hours.” 

Definitions

“Hazing” means any action which recklessly or intentionally endangers the health or safety of  a person for the purpose of initiation, admission into or affiliation with, or as a condition for  continued membership in a student organization. Hazing includes, but is not limited to: 

● Requiring indecent exposure of the body; 

● Requiring any activity that would subject the person to extreme mental stress, such as  sleep deprivation or extended isolation from social contact; 

● Confinement of the person to unreasonably small, unventilated, unsanitary or unlighted  areas; 

● Any assault upon the person; or 

● Requiring the ingestion of any substance or any other physical activity which would  adversely affect the health or safety of the individual. 

Consent is no defense to hazing: i.e., the implied or expressed consent of a person or persons to  hazing shall not be a defense to discipline under this policy. 

“Related initiation activity” means any method of initiation, pre-initiation, or other activity  required as a condition of initial or continued membership in a school club, team or organization,  that causes or is reasonably likely to cause bodily danger or physical harm, severe mental or  emotional harm, extreme embarrassment or ridicule, or personal degradation or loss of dignity  to any student or other person associated with the school. 

The term “hazing” and “related initiation activity” do not include customary, school sponsored athletic events, intramural activities, or other similar school-sponsored student  contests and competitions. 

“Conspire to engage in hazing” means to plan, encourage, fail to take reasonable steps to  prevent, or fail to report hazing and related initiation activities by these regulations. 

Prohibited Conduct 

Activities that may be construed as hazing under this policy include, but are not limited to, the  following: 

● Any act that involves physical brutality or physical aggression that causes or is reasonably  likely to cause bodily danger or physical harm to an individual. 

● Any act that involves forced consumption of food, alcohol, drugs, or other substance, or  any other forced physical activity that could severely affect the physical health or safety of an  individual. 

● Any act that would subject an individual to extreme mental stress or emotional harm, or  any other forced activity that could severely affect the mental health or dignity of the individual. 

Reporting Requirement 

School personnel who become aware of hazing or related initiation activity shall report such  incident immediately to your immediate supervisor and/or the Principal so that the incident can  be promptly investigated and so that appropriate action can be taken.

School employees who fail to report it to the Principal or Superintendent will be subject to  appropriate disciplinary action. 

Dissemination of Administrative Regulations 

A summary of these Administrative Regulations shall be posted in a prominent place in each  District school. The policy shall be published in appropriate school publications as directed by  the Superintendent. 

Each District Principal, athletic coach, and other extracurricular supervisor shall inform his/her  students about this policy on a regular basis. At a minimum, such communication shall take  place at the beginning of each school year or prior to the beginning of each team or group’s  activities for the year. 

Administrative Regulations Adopted: