Comments on: Froshing http://www.garfieldmessenger.com/opinion/2009/09/11/froshing/ Mon, 30 Aug 2010 05:51:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: High School Counselor http://www.garfieldmessenger.com/opinion/2009/09/11/froshing/comment-page-1/#comment-340 High School Counselor Fri, 15 Jan 2010 05:42:00 +0000 http://www.garfieldmessenger.com/?p=4644#comment-340 I went to a large public high school where there was no hazing. We had tradition at our school but fortunately hazing wasn't one of them. I had a great four year experience and made many friends in high school. I am currently a high school counselor at a public high school. There is no hazing. There are rumors that incoming freshmen believe that seniors will throw pennies at them but when they arrive at the high school and find out that it is only a rumor, they are relieved. Students joining extra curricular activities helps build friendships among classes, not hazing. Things can go wrong during hazing and once the damage is done, it cannot be undone. Take for example a student who suffers from asthma who realizes that he is about to be "froshed" and goes into a panic and cannot breathe. The hazers do not know what is going on and if this student dies because of his panic induced asthma what happens then? I went to a large public high school where there was no hazing. We had tradition at our school but fortunately hazing wasn’t one of them. I had a great four year experience and made many friends in high school.

I am currently a high school counselor at a public high school. There is no hazing. There are rumors that incoming freshmen believe that seniors will throw pennies at them but when they arrive at the high school and find out that it is only a rumor, they are relieved. Students joining extra curricular activities helps build friendships among classes, not hazing.

Things can go wrong during hazing and once the damage is done, it cannot be undone. Take for example a student who suffers from asthma who realizes that he is about to be “froshed” and goes into a panic and cannot breathe. The hazers do not know what is going on and if this student dies because of his panic induced asthma what happens then?

]]> By: Jesse http://www.garfieldmessenger.com/opinion/2009/09/11/froshing/comment-page-1/#comment-291 Jesse Sun, 20 Sep 2009 02:52:03 +0000 http://www.garfieldmessenger.com/?p=4644#comment-291 I respectfully disagree with you Anna. I believe froshing is a ritual that needs to end at Garfield. It is not simply throwing, “…mustard, canola oil, flour, eggs...” on freshmen. Is this really an appropriate way to welcome new students to Garfield? At what point is hazing “OK” and “not OK?” Can GHS seniors distinguish the two when at the height of their excitement while they haze a freshman? Also, consider the numerous hazing experiences that lead to the deaths of many new students. There are numerous accounts of college freshmen who die while pledging a fraternity or sorority. In 2005, several fraternity brothers were sentenced to a year in jail because of a hazing experience that ended in a death of one of their pledges. Gabriel (a fraternity brother) states, “Hazing isn’t funny, it’s not cute. It’s stupid, dangerous. It’s not about brotherhood, its about power and control.” Ultimately, I have difficultly connecting the idea of hazing and making friends. Is subjecting someone to humiliating and potentially life threatening rituals an appropriate way to make friends? Can’t GHS seniors act like the educated and mature young adults their teachers, parents, and society expects? I respectfully disagree with you Anna. I believe froshing is a ritual that needs to end at Garfield. It is not simply throwing, “…mustard, canola oil, flour, eggs…” on freshmen. Is this really an appropriate way to welcome new students to Garfield? At what point is hazing “OK” and “not OK?” Can GHS seniors distinguish the two when at the height of their excitement while they haze a freshman?

Also, consider the numerous hazing experiences that lead to the deaths of many new students. There are numerous accounts of college freshmen who die while pledging a fraternity or sorority. In 2005, several fraternity brothers were sentenced to a year in jail because of a hazing experience that ended in a death of one of their pledges. Gabriel (a fraternity brother) states, “Hazing isn’t funny, it’s not cute. It’s stupid, dangerous. It’s not about brotherhood, its about power and control.”

Ultimately, I have difficultly connecting the idea of hazing and making friends. Is subjecting someone to humiliating and potentially life threatening rituals an appropriate way to make friends? Can’t GHS seniors act like the educated and mature young adults their teachers, parents, and society expects?

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