Hazing: What Ohio High School Teachers, Coaches and Administrators Need to Know

Once thought to be primarily an issue of concern for university fraternities and sororities, hazing has emerged as a disturbing trend with an increase in the number of incidents involving high school student athletes. High school coaches, athletic administrators, and teachers must understand that initiation rites of sport teams can sometimes spiral out of control with grave legal and financial consequences for student athletes and school officials. The purposes of this article are to: Define hazing and review the history of anti-hazing legislation in the United States of America. Describe hazing laws in the State of Ohio. Review current research related to hazing specifically at the high school level. Discuss proactive strategies coaches, administrators, students, teachers, parents, and the community can use to prevent the harmful practices of hazing