Whereas, The definition of hazing is; any willful action taken or situation created which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health, including death, of another; and

Whereas, Hazing continues to be a wide-spread issue at all levels of education across the United States. Institutions across the country face hazing related injuries and deaths; and

Whereas, Hazing has resulted in many documented deaths and numerous mental and physical impairments in the United States; and

Whereas, 46 states have at least some type of hazing law on the books. These laws range from criminal laws with sanctions for individuals and universities, to educational codes that threaten to withdraw funding from institutions for failure to investigate fully, therefore be it

Resolved, That the National PTA encourage state PTAs to seek and support legislation that will make hazing that can result in bodily harm, mental trauma, or death a crime punishable by law, and be it further

Resolved, That the National PTA urge institutions at all levels of education to review policies and procedures to address hazing incidents and ensure they comply with specific state law, and be it further

Resolved, That the National PTA urge institutions at all levels of education to communicate policies and procedures to students and their families, and be it further

Resolved, That the National PTA inform and educate its members as to the possible dangers that may occur in hazing incidents, and be it further

Resolved, That this resolution shall be in full force and effect until the last day of June 2030.

Adopted: by the 1988 Convention Delegates
Reviewed: by the 1993, 1998 and 2022 Convention Resolutions Committee
Amended: by the 2023 Convention delegates

Hatch, B. (2022). The death of a student in a fraternity house sparked an anti-hazing bill in Virginia. It failed. Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-death-of-a-student-in-a-fraternity-house-sparked-an-anti-hazing-bill-in-virginia-it-failed

McCreary, G. (2021). What can campus leaders do about a surge in fraternity hazing? The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/article/what-can-campus-leaders-do-about-a-surge-in-fraternity-hazing

Tylock, A. (2021). A 50 state summary of hazing laws. SUNY Student Conduct Institute. https://system.suny.edu/media/suny/content-assets/documents/sci/A-50-State-Summary-of-Hazing-Laws.pdf