WASHINGTON, December 1, 2011― Florida mom Pam Champion recalled the chilling phone call she received telling her that her son, Robert, a drum major at Florida A&M University, had died after performing in the Florida Classic in Orlando.
"I thought it was some kind of mean joke. ... Maybe it's the wrong kid, maybe it's somebody else," the distraught mom told reporters during a press conference. She said the last time she heard from her son was when he said he'd be coming home for Thanksgiving.
Parents send their children to college with hopes that their children will fit in to campus life and social groups, but not at the cost of their lives. But what happens when students are not prepared to love themselves and establish boundaries for what they should and should not accept?
The value of social clubs includes bonding with other students, sometimes for life, entering into a support system that fosters a sense of belonging, an appreciation for community service and lifelong connections. Unfortunately, getting into fraternities and sororities doesn't always come with an easy price.
With all the various social pressures in schools, it can be hard to break away from the group and think for yourself, especially when the group says you have to “pay the price” of hazing in order to gain entrance to the "best" clubs.
After the Penn State and Syracuse child sex abuse scandals, the death of young Champion seems to be just one more thing for parents to worry about, on top of college expenses that are growing much faster than the rate of inflation.
Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings has stated that hazing was likely involved in Champion's death. Reports are that the 26-year old began to vomit on the school's bus and complained he was unable to breathe. He died at a local hospital where he was taken after he collapsed.
Band director Julian White has been fired. However, White says he has been telling university officials for years that hazing was a pervasive problem with the band, but that he was ignored. Board of Governors Chairwoman Ava Parker asked FAMU Chancellor Frank Brogan on Tuesday to investigate.
Meanwhile, Champion's family have indicated they plan to sue the school.
Unfortunately, hazing is common in sororities and fraternities, even though it's against university rules and Greek society charters. The practice has spread to historically black colleges and universities, as well as to black social organizations at other schools.
Champion is not the first young person to die in a college hazing incident. Hank Newer, journalist and author of multiple books on hazing, lists 157 incidents of hazing-related deaths at colleges dating back to 1838 on his blog. The cycle is tough to break because those who succumb to hazing and survive often turn around and inflict the same treatment on those who follow behind them.
Hazing goes well beyond playful pranks like making new fraternity pledges or freshmen in the band or on athletic teams eat unsavory foods. Once it becomes institutionalized and ingrained in the culture, becoming a tradition, it's extremely difficult to eliminate.
During a news conference last Monday, Mr. and Mrs. Champion, along with their attorney Christopher Chestnut said there was a pervasive culture of hazing at the school and that university officials were aware of it, treating it as a "don't ask don't tell" issue.
"My thing is to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else," Pam Champion said. "Let people know, this is real."
Today, during Champion's funeral, controversy erupted over the fact he was laid to rest in his uniform, holding a baton, and members of his squad attended in their uniforms as well. A funeral attendant sent a photo of Champion in his casket over Facebook, and it became viral within hours.
Critics say he should not have been buried in the uniform of the culture that ended his life.
Earlier in the week, Robert Champion's mom told reporters, "He loved the band ― so much, I always called him Mr. Band. That was his life."
Read more Politics of Raising Children in The Communities at the Washington Times. Follow Jeneba Ghatt at @JenebaSpeaks. Her work can also be read at Jeneba Speaks and Politic365. She also co-hosts a Blog Talk Radio show called Right of Black which tackles current events and politics from a perspective not often seen in the mainstream media.
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