3 Band Members at Florida A&M Face Hazing Charges in Woman’s Injuries

December 12, 2011, 10:26 pm

Authorities have charged three band members at Florida A&M University with hazing in connection with injuries to a fellow band member whose legs were so severely beaten that her thigh was broken, the Associated Press reported. The injured woman, Bria Shante Hunter, was beaten with fists and a metal ruler in incidents on October 31 and November 1 as part of an initiation into the “Red Dawg Order,” a group within the band, Tallahassee police detectives said. Two of the accused students face charges of battery as well. All three reportedly were in jail on Monday night.

The incidents involving Ms. Hunter occurred about three weeks before the death of a drum major, Robert Champion, which is also believed to have stemmed from hazing and which state law-enforcement officials are investigating. The university has postponed disciplinary actions in relation to that case, and its president has been reprimanded by its board.

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tptrekker

Everyone knows the fame of the Florida A&M band and its close identity with the university itself. But when fame becomes infamy and transgressions become systemic, it is time for transformative action. Shut down that band! Where, for pete’s sake, was the adult supervision in all this?
katisumas

You’re so right. But I am horrified because by the time you reach college age you’re no longer a kid, so these band members don’t need adlut supervision, they are adults and rightfully treated as such. Surely they should have known that beating someone the way they did would result in injuries?

..and then they killed someone 3 weeks later. If I was Robert Champion’s parents I would be all the more upset because it’s obvious that the band hazing should have stopped after Bria Hunter had her hip broken (and do hips even heal properly? And would she ever again be able to march in a band? And how much time from her studies would she lose recovering?)

Sadly, this is yet another instance of the abundantly documented process whereby human beings who start torturing can’t stop themselves and escalate (see Elaine Scarry, THE BODY IN PAIN)…
sweeting2011

I would’nt shut it down but stern examples may be neccessary. I am sure this behavior went on during Dr. Foster’s reign…but did it ever go this far?
darccity

This is but a tiny tip of the hazing iceberg. We only hear about hazing rituals at Greek initiations. However, sports hazing is and always has been the rule, not the exception in college. We all ignore or are clueless about such activities because of the huge, intentional social and informational divide between faculty, employees, and students at most colleges.