Hazing

Family Service Center chief comments on hazing

Glenview—A new school year is beginning, with high hopes and fresh enthusiasm. But this fall the disturbing events of last spring’s hazing incident are still being discussed, not only because of continuing media coverage, but because issues were raised that extend beyond one school or community. I know that I am not alone in hoping that the hazing event can be used to bring about a greater understanding of ourselves and our community.

We have heard a lot about “who’s to blame.” Blame is an emotianal response which seeks to place the cause of a problem in an individual or group, i.e., a child, spouse, coworker, school, etc. Finding someone to blame prevents consideration of the many factors that cause any event and limits our capacity to leam from such events. When we find someone or something to blame, the effort to fix the problem is usually a short-term Band-Aid approach that alleviates anxiety rather than addressing underlying causes.

When we see ourselves as participants in our families, communities or society, the tendency to blame declines. Self-assessment is needed as well as acknowledgment of the range of factors contributing to any problem. When individuals move beyond seeing the problem as “out there” or in “the other,” it becomes easier to assess responsibility and identify options more objectively. This view recognizes the fundamental interdependence of human beings, bothe in their families and communities. The question of “who’s to blame” changes to “What’s my part in the problem? What can I do? What are my values, beliefs and responsibilities in relation to this problem?”

Fall is a time of new beginnings, giving each of us the opportunity to make a greater attempt to be a part of a thoughtful, long-term solution to the problems revealed by the hazing last May. None of us is immune from getting caught up in emotionally charged events. The effort to recognize this very human vulnerability in ourselves can be an important step in addressing such problems, leading to a more active and tolerant community.