BHSD 4-2 File JFCF
Hazing
It is the policy of the Board of Education and School District that hazing activities, of any type, are inconsistent with the educational process and will be prohibited at all times.
Hazing is defined as doing any act or coercing another, including the victim, to do any act of initiation into any student or other organization that causes or creates a substantial risk of causing mental or physical harm to any person.
Permission, consent, or assumption of risk by an individual subjected to hazing does not lessen the prohibition contained in this policy.
No administrator, faculty member, or other employee of the School District will encourage, permit, condone, or tolerate hazing activities. No student, including leaders of student organizations, will plan, encourage, or engage in any hazing.
Administrators, faculty members, and all other employees of the School District will be particularly alert to possible situations, circumstances of events, which might include hazing. If hazing or planned hazing is discovered, involved students will be informed by the discovering school employee of the prohibition contained in this policy and will be required to end all hazing activities immediately. All hazing incidents will be reported immediately to the District administration.If reported, the information will be turned over to law enforcement for further investigation.
Administrators, faculty members, students, and all other employees who fail to abide by this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, and may be liable for civil and criminal penalties in accordance with state law.
The contents of this policy will be distributed in writing to all students and school district employees following its official adoption by the Board of Education. In addition, this policy will be incorporated into building, employee staff meetings, or in-service programs.
Approved: August 8, 2011
Legal References: SDCL 13-8-39; 13-32-1; 13-32-2; 13-32-4; 13-32-5; South Dakota Executive Order 81-08 Federal Title IX (1972 Education Amendments)