Published: August 17, 2007 12:00 am Hazing penalties off-base, says softball star’s family
By Dan Atkinson , Staff Writer
Daily News of Newburyport
Jacqui Waters, Ashley’s mother, said she and her daughter were shaken by the university’s decision, which they say is unfounded. The family agrees that Ashley drank at a party while underage but says the university falsely implied she helped haze other students.
“She was a freshman at a rookie party. She obviously wasn’t hazing herself,” Jacqui Waters said. “You’re basically ruining a kid’s reputation for being at a party and having a few beers.”
Ashley Waters said she could not comment on the issue.
Robert Dana, the university’s dean of students, said that anyone at a hazing event would be implicated as participating, even the people being hazed. If the students had come forward earlier, they might not have been punished as harshly, Dana said. But because they were found out, they have to deal with breaking the university’s rules.
“If a person is at the event, and they’re not stopping it or facilitating exposure (of the event) to the athletic director or our office, they’re complicit in hazing,” Dana said.
The incident was
Moderator's note: As moderator, I'll publish all relevant news stories, letters from activists, pro-hazing letters, and opinion pieces. Although hazing in fraternities, high schools, bands, camp, the military and overseas groups is a hot-button issue, civility is expected. If a letter needs editing for grammar or clarity, I'll edit and return for the letter writer's approval if an email address is attached. BIO: Hank Nuwer is the editor of The Hazing Reader (Indiana University Press) and High School Hazing (Grolier/Scholastic). My website is http://hazing.hanknuwer.com.
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