Outline of the state of Delaware
State
Delaware
Required

Category
Hazing Policy

Category
Hazing Policy

State law requires districts to adopt hazing policies.

Delaware Administrative Code 14-1007-1.0 Definitions and Sportsmanship

1.2.1.5.1 The School Administrator and Athletic Director shall:

  • 1.2.1.5.1.8 Develop and implement policies for their interscholastic athletic programs to discourage acts of bullying, hazing, and taunting. […]

1.2.1.5.2 Coaches: The function of coaches is to educate students through participation in interscholastic athletics. An interscholastic program shall be designed to enhance academic achievement and shall never interfere with opportunities for academic success. Each student shall be treated with the utmost respect and his welfare should be considered in decisions by the coach at all times. Therefore, coaches shall:

  • 1.2.1.5.2.11 Enforce school policies regarding bullying, hazing, and taunting and never tolerate any of these actions by team members or others. [...]

  • 1.2.1.5.3 Participants (athletes and cheerleaders) shall:

  • 1.2.1.5.3.8 Refrain from participating in or encouraging the acts of bullying, hazing, and taunting. [...] 1.2.1.5.4 Officials: Officials at an interscholastic athletic event are participants in the educational development of high school students. As such, they must exercise a high level of self-discipline, independence and responsibility. Therefore, officials shall:

  • 1.2.1.5.4.7 Refrain from participating in or encouraging the acts of bullying, hazing, and taunting. Do not tolerate nor let go unpenalized any of these actions. [...]

1.2.1.5.5 Spectators shall:

  • 1.2.1.5.5.6 Refrain from participating in or encouraging the acts of bullying, hazing, and taunting.
Policy Type
Regulation

Delaware Code 14-9301 Short title.

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Anti-Hazing Law."

Policy Type
Statute

Delaware Code 14-9302 Definitions

The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Hazing" means any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student or which wilfully destroys or removes public or private property for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in, any organization operating under the sanction of or recognized as an organization by an institution of higher learning. The term shall include, but not be limited to, any brutality of a physical nature, such as whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the elements, forced consumption of any food, liquor, drug or other substance, or any other forced physical activity which could adversely affect the physical health and safety of the individual, and shall include any activity which would subject the individual to extreme mental stress, such as sleep deprivation, forced exclusion from social contact, forced conduct which could result in embarrassment, or any other forced activity which could adversely affect the mental health or dignity of the individual, or any wilful destruction or removal of public or private property. For purposes of this definition, any activity as described in this definition upon which the admission or initiation into or affiliation with or continued membership in an organization is directly or indirectly conditioned shall be presumed to be "forced" activity, the willingness of an individual to participate in such activity notwithstanding.

Policy Type
Statute

Delaware Code 14-9303 Hazing prohibited.

Any person who causes or participates in hazing commits a class B misdemeanor.

Policy Type
Statute

Delaware Code 14-9304 Enforcement by institution.

(a)  Anti-hazing policy. -- Each institution shall adopt a written anti-hazing policy and, pursuant to that policy, shall adopt rules prohibiting students or other persons associated with any organization operating under the sanction of or recognized as an organization by the institution from engaging in any activity which can be described as hazing.

(b) Enforcement and penalties. --

  • (1) Each institution shall provide a program for the enforcement of such rules and shall adopt appropriate penalties for violations of such rules to be administered by the person or agency at the institution responsible for the sanctioning or recognition of such organizations.
  • (2) Such penalties may include the imposition of fines, the withholding of diplomas or transcripts pending compliance with the rules or pending payment of fines and the imposition of probation, suspension or dismissal.
  • (3) In the case of an organization which authorizes hazing in blatant disregard of such rules, penalties may also include recision of permission for that organization to operate on campus property or to otherwise operate under the sanction or recognition of the institution.
  • (4) All penalties imposed under the authority of this section shall be in addition to any penalty imposed for violation of paragraph (b)(3) of this section or any of the criminal laws of this State or for violation of any other institutional rule to which the violator may be subject.
  • (5) Rules adopted pursuant hereto shall apply to acts conducted on or off campus whenever such acts are deemed to constitute hazing.
Policy Type
Statute