Texas Southern University loses band to hazing incident.
Hazing consists of some type of physical and/or mentally injurious action against individuals attempting to become members of a group, organization, fraternity or sorority. By now everyone is aware of the incident that occurred at Florida A&M University last year where one of the school’s band members, Robert Champion, was killed during a hazing incident. Hazing is not the intended function of those leading the potential members into their organization and when it occurs there are normally extreme repercussions. Well, obviously no one learned from the incident that resulted in a death, the president of the university’s resignation, and the band director’s termination.
Texas Southern University’s band known as the “The Ocean of Soul” is now suspended because of a similar incident involving hazing, according to Houston’s channel 11, KHOU. The university was notified of the incident and immediately suspended the school’s band indefinitely. Some students are upset by the suspension and at last night’s game walked out of the football game at half-time. TSU student Didi Chiedu, said:
“Hazing’s probably never gonna stop. But it’s just embarrassing that it’s from the band. You know, you usually get this from fraternities and sororities, but from the band, which is a respectable organization at our school, it’s ridiculous.”
The hazing incident included paddling, but no other information about the suspension had been given. There are absolutely no words for this level of stupidity.
Check out the report.
-J.C. Brooks
September 28th, 2012 at 6:49 pm
Thank you for the information but there is a HUGE innaccuracy to your statement regarding Mr. Champion. In NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM was that young man involved with pledging ANY BAND FRATERNITY OR SORORITY. I hope you understand the difference between a band (which is an “Organization”), and Kappa Kappa Psi (a National Honorary Band Fraternity, which SERVES musical organizations, such as marching bands). Kappa Kappa Psi was NOT involved in ANY hazing activities, and Mr. Champion was NOT KILLED TRYING TO PLEDGE KAPPA KAPPA PSI or any other fraternity or sorority. Mr Champion was hurt during an overall BAND initiation NOT AFFILIATED NOR SUPPORTED BY THE BAND FRATERNITY OR SORORITY.
With that being said, the unfortunate “alleged” incident at Texas Southern is said to have involved members of the Band’s trumpet section. Again, NO MENTION OF INVOLVEMENT OF BAND FRATERNIES OR SORORITIES.
Lastly, Texas Southern’s band is called “The Ocean of Soul”, not “Motion of the Ocean” as you stated. Please be sure to fact-check before publishing in the future. I would appreciate if you would make the necessary revisions to this article at your earliest convenience. Thank you.
September 30th, 2012 at 9:57 pm
Hello Nikole and thank you for reading the EUR This ‘N That! We apologize for the inaccuracy of the band’s nickname and it will be revised. And you are correct, the hazing incident with Mr. Champion was not blamed on Kappa Kappa Psi directly, but his death was one of the key reasons why the band fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi’s chapter at Florida A&M University was investigated. The results of that investigation led to a five-year suspension of the chapter. Here’s a link to the information if you would like to confirm: http://www.blackamericaweb.com/news/top-news/famu-stripped-kappa-kappa-psi-fraternity-charter We are an African American owned website with African American writers whose intent is to deliver the facts as we have researched and fact-checked them. Sometimes mistakes are made, but we would never make the mistake intentionally or unintentionally to misrepresent our own. There have been several stories, including the one I provided from Black America Web that link Kappa Kappa Psi with the untimely demise of Mr. Champion. But, you are correct in that they do not directly link the fraternity to his death and we will revise accordingly.
And understand, I do not have a problem with owning my mistakes in my stories and there is no need to attempt to belittle or disrespect the writer in your quest for accuracy. And your mention of understanding the difference between a band as an organization and fraternities and sororities as not being organizations is insulting and inaccurate because fraternities and sororities are indeed community service based organizations…bands are not. But, I do appreciate your corrections and will make suitable revisions. Please keep reading the EUR. Thank you.