Editorial: Give Manzano, APS 3 cheers for hazing reax

Gimme an N, gimme an O, gimme a B-U-L-L-Y!

That was the resounding message from Manzano High School last week — with an echo from Albuquerque Public Schools brass — when news surfaced of hazing on the Manzano Majestics drill team.

The team was disbanded, most members were placed on five days of in-school suspension and banned from all “extracurricular performances.” The alleged ringleaders face long-term suspensions for crafting a list of “pranks” for other team members to complete in advance of the Spirit State Championships last month.

Pranks might be just what they were — most of us remember calling to see if a refrigerator is running — or that label might downplay what could have been crimes. The Albuquerque Police Department is investigating the to-do list, which included offensive messages left at two local Catholic schools.

In the meantime, APS is to be commended for quick reaction and action regarding something that should not be dismissed as kids being kids. School organizations need real leaders, not bossy kids who want to prove how far they can push the newbies. The Internet is full of such behavior that all too often turns tragic.

APS Superintendent Winston Brooks explains that “hazing is a form of bullying, of harassment, and it will not be tolerated by Albuquerque Public Schools. … We applaud the Manzano administration for taking a hard stance and making tough decisions when it comes to disciplining students who participate in hazing.”

And that zero-tolerance response fosters the kind of spirit that takes the B-U-L-L-Y out of public schools.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.