Author: Hank Nuwer

Attorney Richard Klein criticized aggressive media coverage of the Sayreville case.

 

Excerpt:

“My client never was in custody,” Klein said. “People have misstated where the kids are. Not all the kids are being held in custody. There’s different levels of culpability involved in this case. Everyone wasn’t necessarily the alleged perpetrator of the act.”

Klein said the seven players charged, who range in age from 15 to 17, had their first family court appearance this week and that all have been given a next court date. From Mycentraljersey.com

 

Video viewable here.

The Florida parents of Harrison Kowiak, the young golfer killed during a violent fraternity physical hazing incident at Lenoir Rhyne University, received unwelcome news today from Ben & Jerry’s executives.

The Burlington, Vermont ice cream giant known previously for its professed concern in social matters has rejected a plea from Brian and Lianne Kowiak to change the name of its “Hazed and Confused” ice cream flavor.

“Very sadly, Ben & Jerry’s moral compass is pointing the wrong way,” said Brian Kowiak after receiving the corporate giant’s decision in a conference call. “It is obviously pointing towards the motivation for corporate profits and not morality. “

The bad news was delivered by Ben & Jerry’s company spokesperson Sean Greenwood, but Brian Kowiak was hardly surprised, although disappointed, to learn that the flavor would continue to be packaged and sold without a name change.

This afternoon, the Global Leadership team and B and J Board of Directors Jeff Furman, Pierre Ferrari, Jennifer Henderson, Jostein Solheim and Terry Mollner let the Kowiaks know that Hazed and Confused will remain on its list of available flavors.

Ironically, high school hazing has been prominently in the news of late.

–In Burlington, Vermont, home of Ben & Jerry’s, embarrassed Milton School District officials apologized after conceding they had inappropriately addressed a hazing incident. Most disturbing, the parents of Jordan Preavy, 17, said his suicide came on the heels of a sexual hazing at the Vermont institution.

–In New Jersey, the town of Sayreville was thrown into anguish this month as the news spread that freshman players allegedly had been digitally penetrated by up to seven seniors who now face serious charges in court following their arrests.

–Hazing deaths have now occurred on college campuses every year from 1970 to 2014, according to my research as Hanknuwer.com.

“Sean’s entire focus was that B&J did not have a purposeful intent to promote hazing, so they will not change the flavor name,” conceded Brian Kowiak today. “The point he avoided was the unintentional implications of the chosen name.”

Following the conference call, the Kowiaks have requested that the company submit its reasoning for refusing to change its brand’s name.

In the opinion of the Kowiaks, a nationally respected corporate giant had the opportunity to take the high road and send a national message that hazing is no lighthearted matter, particularly with Jordan Preavy’s suicide in its own back yard.

It will take more than a spoonful of sugar to make this decision understandable for families like the Kowiaks who had hoped for a name change.

At least one former Ben & Jerry’s customer has said he’ll find an alternative corporate choice following the refusal of the corporate giant to budge. “I saw this flavor in the Indianapolis Meijer store on Southport Road when looking for high-carb, high-fat escapism,” said Ray Begovich of Franklin, Indiana. “I escaped to a different, and cheaper brand. You may quote me.”

The Death of Clemson Pledge Tucker Hipps

By Hank Nuwer

The death of Clemson University Sigma Phi Epsilon pledge Tucker Hipps, 19, understandably has torn apart the hearts of campus members at this close-knit institution of higher learning.

 

And I should disclose that I once taught at Clemson some 32 years ago and loved the school, its students, and my colleagues.  Hazing was not a big issue at Clemson in 1982-1983, but alcohol abuse and the school’s issues with fraternity parties and nearby downtown bars was a concern of administration and faculty back then. My condolences go out to the family of Tucker but also out to the extended Clemson community.

 

Unless toxicology results shed light on Hipps’ death, his death will join a small number of other pledging and initiation deaths that remain a mystery. For unless there is a cover-up by fraternity members, and the intense investigation of Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw has not uncovered one, only Tucker himself knows how he fell from a high bridge span into the rock-bottomed, relatively shallow waters of Lake Hartwell, where he and about 30 Sig Ep pledges and members were jogging around 5:30 a.m.

 

Here are a couple of the mystery deaths my research has uncovered. Link to https://www.hanknuwer.com/hazingdeaths.html

 

1)        In 1873, Kappa Alpha Society pledge Mortimer Leggett perished in a fall into a steep gorge while accompanied by members of the Cornell University chapter. A blindfold was found after the death, and the father expressed his suspicions, but the members stuck to the story that Mortimer wore no blindfold at the time of the mishap.

2)        Delta Kappa Epsilon pledge Stuart L. Pierson was struck by a train on the tracks near Kenyon College in 1905. No definitive answers about that episode ever emerged, though rumors in newspapers went wild, and the hard questions simply evaporated when the father forgave the brothers.

3)        Northwestern University student Leighton Mount disappeared after a traditional class rush in 1921, and his body was found beneath a pier two years later. Rumors were rampant, but hard facts were absent.

 

Sheriff Crenshaw has said he and his force

have not located any evidence that hazing or foul play occurred, but his investigation is ongoing and toxicology reports (such as whether alcohol or drugs were in Hipps’ system) typically will take some time to emerge.

 

Here are some of my thoughts on the tragedy.

 

— The incident will not be hazing if, as USA Today writes, this is a volunteer run with elected pledges AND members as a group bonding experience.

— The incident could be hazing or possibly negligence if it is ever established that Hipps were sleep-deprived or under the influence of alcohol or both. The strongly anti-hazing national Sigma Phi Epsilon reiterated its anti-hazing values and promised its own investigation into the circumstances of death.

 

Two things trouble me in the news reports that have emerged.

1) Why did one or more of the young men notice Tucker having (in the words of one Sig p witness) “issues” during the predawn event and run on anyway, leaving him behind?  Were they callous, indifferent, or required to finish their run by someone in charge? Why were they not wearing reflective clothing?

 

2) It troubles me that the run ended at 6 a.m. and no call to authorities was made until 1:45 p.m., as chapter members tried to hunt for Tucker.  If they had nothing to hide, wouldn’t they have wanted assistance from police or other organized search-and-rescue units? Did any of the members insist no help be requested?
3) I have some problem with the term “voluntary” being used to describe the run in the dark. It is very unlikely a pledge would say no to a run even if he were feeling ill because of group pressure and the quest for camaraderie.

 

4)        Social groups of men, in particular, need to think twice before sending out members and/or pledges on a jog or fool’s errand in the dark or to remote areas. Over time, we have seen the deaths from those causes of a young sorority member at Eastern Illinois University, as well as young men from Tulane University, Grove City College and Skidmore University (which has been trying like Wesleyan University to mandate coed fraternities).

 

To be sure, not even having answers can bring back Tucker Hipps to life. In my gut and heart I do not know if this incident qualifies as hazing. But I suspect that every man in the Clemson University chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon knows this death could have been prevented had they stopped and helped Tucker when he was struggling. And that is one sad and terrible thing to live with the rest of their lives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve heard about the latest scoop from Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.

And we flatout don’t like the way the ice cream giant has come up with a new

flavor to be called “Hazed and Confused,” the same name a Boulder (Co.)-based

beer company chose for its new brand just about the time Colorado University was dealing with the hazing death of Gordie Bailey, Jr.

Ben and Jerry’s is located in Burlington, Vermont, once home to Jonathan McNamara who perished in a long fall from a cliff during a hazing incident.

This isn’t the first company to make a mockery of hazing with an unfortunate ad campaign. Pizza Hut briefly did so, then pulled its commercial when public opinion was deadest against it. Snapple was worst, stubbornly keeping its web ads showing Afro-haired brothers in a compromised hazing situation with a broken paddle on the floor.

Activists Lianne and Brian Kowiak lost their son Harrison in an inane and deadly physical hazing episode in North Carolina that ended his life with a serious head injury.

They protested to a front office staffer at Ben & Jerry’s who tried to convince the couple the ice cream name was all in jest.

Oh really, what other playful taboo subjects are next on the Board of Directors’ drawing board?

There is a glimmer of hope in the air, however. After all, Ben & Jerry’s swears up

and down on its web site that it is a values-based company. Consumer Affairs

Director Wendy Steager today announced to the Kowiaks a new position:

Ben & Jerry’s Statement on Hazed & Confused

–The naming of Ben & Jerry’s newest Core Concoction flavor “Hazed

& Confused” is a wordplay on the term “dazed and confused.” The

concoction is a hazelnut-based flavor, and Ben & Jerry’s often connects

popular culture to its flavors, hence the pun. The flavor Hazed & Confused

and Ben & Jerry’s as a company in no way condone – nor support in any

manner – the act of hazing or bullying.

Ben & Jerry’s has taken a position to support equality throughout its 36

year history. Aligning with the Occupy Wall Street movement, standing up

for children with the Call for Kids program, and B&Js perennial and global

support of same sex marriage in the United States, United Kingdom and

Australia all demonstrate the company’s ongoing vibrant belief and efforts

to support diversity, equality and peace.

Ben & Jerry’s believes that hazing and bullying have no place in our

society. No individual, group, or entity should benefit by marginalizing

others.

–Empathizing with those individuals and families who have unfortunately

endured the hardship of hazing, the company’s Global Leadership Team is

reviewing this issue at its next meeting.<b>

Here’s hoping that many of you for Hazing Prevention Week will send a stern

single sentence to Ms. Steager and the Ben and Jerry Board of Directors Jeff

Furman, Pierre Ferrari, Jennifer Henderson, Jostein Solheim and Terry Mollner.

I’ll let Lianne Kowiak have the last word. “As parents who have lost their 19

year old son from something so senseless as hazing, we would like to

see Ben & Jerry’s change the name of an ice cream flavor “Hazed and

Confused”. For all the families that have lost a son or daughter or loved

one to hazing and for all the individuals who have been harmed physically

and emotionally , and out of respect to them, this action would support the

core values and attention to social issues Ben & Jerry’s represents.”

The board meets in mid-October. Make your voice known.

Hazed and Confused?  Here’s my new motto. “We’re not buying it…nor any other Ben & Jerry’s product. Not so long as they put out that offensive flavor.”

Send a letter of protest to Ben & Jerry at Wendy.Steager@benjerry.com.

Then send a CC to Lianne and Brian at kowiak@hotmail.com.

Do the right thing. Pull “Hazed and Confused” out of production.