Skip to main content

High Schools Work to Build Awareness of Hazing

By WTOP Staff

Earlier this month, school officials at a high school in New Jersey canceled the remainder of the season for its championship-winning football team following allegations of hazing.

Upperclassmen on the football team at Sayreville War Memorial High School in Parlin, New Jersey, have been accused of sexually abusing freshmen players, according to a report on NJ.com.

Reports of high school hazing are widespread. According to a 2009 report from the Stop Hazing organization, 47 percent of college students surveyed said they were hazed while in high school .

One major issue is that hazing isn’t always recognized as a problem, says Elizabeth Allan, a professor of higher education at the University of Maine and an author of the report.

Many so-called traditions or initiations meet the definition of hazing, “but people don’t see it as hazing,” says Allan, who is also the president of Stop Hazing.

[Find out what to do if your teen is a bully.]

Her organization defines hazing as any “activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses or endangers them, regardless of a person’s willingness to participate .” High school hazing occurs among sports teams, ROTC, band and performing arts groups, among other activities.

“Some people think of it as a type of group bullying, but that can be misleading,” Allan says. Both share common dynamics concerning power and consent, but a key distinction is that hazing is about inclusion, while bullying is about exclusion.

High school officials should make sure they have a policy against hazing and not assume that their bullying policies will cover hazing, too, she says.

There are currently 44 states with anti-hazing laws, though Allan notes that some specifically target hazing at the college level.

Elliot Hopkins, a board member for the group HazingPrevention.Org, says that hazing prevention at high schools needs to involve the entire community. Efforts should include explaining what policies the school has in place to protect students, he says, because if more people understand them, more will speak up.

Coaches and other adult leaders need to make it clear that hazing will not be tolerated, says Hopkins, who is also the director of sports, sanctioning and educational services at the National Federation of State High School Associations, which helps oversee high school sports and activities.

“If you don’t say the words to your kids, kids will take it, ‘Hey, coach didn’t say I couldn’t beat the snot out of little Jimmy or make him drink urine or give him a wedgie or hang him outside the bus window. Coach didn’t say we couldn’t do it, so that must mean we can do it,”’ he says.

Hopkins says that coaches have a responsibility to set an example because parents are mostly on the sidelines at the high school level.

[Read about how bullying risks increase with popularity.]

At Warren Central High School in Indianapolis, students in the community are encouraged to attend an education program to help prevent hazing and bullying from happening in the first place, says Marques Clayton, the school’s athletic director, who started the program.

“We felt like, instead of waiting for something big to happen here at our school, that the time is right now,” he says. “We wanted to create those procedures, protocols, educate our base here ahead of time.”

Hopkins of HazingPrevention.Org says it is essential for hazing prevention to start early.

“We focus on colleges or the pros — where do you think they learn that from?” he says. “If you don’t get it in check or take care of that business at the junior high, high school level, then we don’t have that discussion once you get to college or professional sports. But if you leave it unabated, it just escalates.”

Have something of interest to share? Send your news to us at highschoolnotes@usnews.com.

More from U.S. News

Cyberbullied Teens Can Connect Online, In Person to Get Help

How to Tell if Your Kid Is In Trouble

Bullying Linked to Suicide, Depression in Adulthood

High Schools Work to Build Awareness of Hazing originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote