What are central Ohio school districts' policies about hazing?
The focus on high school hazing comes after videos of an alleged hazing incident – dubbed "the kidnapping" – were revealed showing Olentangy Orange High School girls soccer players
binding younger team members' wrists, blindfolding them, wrapping their arms close to their bodies in plastic wrap, and force-feeding them raw hot dogs and sardines.The school reported the situation to the sheriff's office, which said it conducted a criminal investigation but has filed no charges due to insufficient evidence and a lack of cooperation from "involved parties." However, when The Dispatch asked for the files on the case, the sheriff's office said it was still investigating the matter and later
said it was talking with the Delaware County Prosecutor's Office about the matter.
Every central Ohio school district has rules regarding hazing in their board policies, although there is no law requiring K-12 school districts to have a hazing policy, unlike at the collegiate level under the Colin's Law, which increased the legal penalties for hazing in Ohio.
However, school employees are still required under state law to be mandatory reporters for hazing, which is defined by the Ohio Revised Code as doing "any act or coercing another ... 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, including coercing another to consume alcohol or a drug."
A majority of central Ohio districts use a model policy provided by North East Ohio Learning Associates (NEOLA), an independent provider of policy services to school districts. Some of the regions largest districts, including Columbus City Schools, Olentangy Local Schools and South Western City Schools have a NEOLA policy on the books.
What do common district policies about hazing say?
The NEOLA model policy says that "hazing activities of any type are inconsistent with and disruptive to the educational process," and is prohibited on and off school grounds if it connected with a board-sponsored activity like a team sport or club.
It also says that no "administrator, employee, faculty member, teacher, consultant, alumnus or volunteer of the district shall encourage, permit, authorize, condone, or tolerate any hazing activities."
If a district employee is alerted to hazing or planned hazing, they should order students to end all hazing activities immediately, and report the issue to the superintendent. Additionally, anybody acting in an official and professional capacity as a district employee should inform law enforcement. Employees who fail to do this could face discipline and liability.
Student handbooks lay out punishments for hazing
In many central Ohio student handbooks, if the school finds a student has hazed another, it will result in disciplinary action. Olentangy Local Schools handbook, for example said that hazing will lead to "prompt and appropriate remedial and disciplinary action."
"This will include suspension or up to expulsion for students," the handbook said.
Columbus City Schools handbook says that students determined to have hazed or bullied another student following an investigation should face remedial action action after an investigation and parent/guardian notification.
Olentangy Orange at center of hazing controversy
Videos of alleged hazing were obtained by The Dispatch reviewed, and were recorded by Olentangy Orange girls soccer team members and shared on social media. The team bonding activity happens every year before the school year begins, a source with knowledge of the event said.
According to the videos, seniors drove to younger varsity team members' houses after 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 11 and got the girls out of bed. They had them take their pants off and wear adult-sized diapers, zip-tied their wrists and wrapped their arms to their chests with plastic wrap. The girls also wore diapers on their heads and goggles covered in duct tape over their eyes.
The girls were piled into cars and driven around town, sprayed with Silly String, shaving cream and glitter. Seniors asked their younger teammates sexually explicit questions and forced them to eat the hot dogs and sardines.
The school reported the situation to the sheriff's office, which conducted a criminal investigation.
A Delaware County Sheriff's incident report states that "a criminal offense did occur, but no charges are being filed." A sheriff's spokesperson said the office will not pursue criminal charges "due to insufficient criminal evidence, but also, in part, the level of cooperation we received from the involved parties."
In a statement, Olentangy Local School District declined to share any details.
"Because student matters are confidential, we cannot discuss specific details," the district said in the statement. "We remain committed to communicating directly with the students and families involved regarding the outcome and moving forward."
The district also said hazing "has no place in Olentangy Schools" and that it is "committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all students."
Cole Behrens covers K-12 education and school districts in central Ohio. Have a tip? Contact Cole at cbehrens@dispatch.com or connect with him on X at @Colebehr_report
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: As Olentangy case stuns some, see Central Ohio schools' hazing policies
