LMACS strictly prohibits any form of hazing among organizers and participants of hazing in student groups, teams, and organizations. In accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, LMACS hereby provides a written copy of the law to all students and requires that students and staff report incidents of hazing to the Executive Director. It is the responsibility of the Executive Director to investigate and to take appropriate action, including but not limited to warning, suspension from school or work, expulsion from school, or termination from employment. If substantiated, the Executive Director shall make a written report to the Board of Trustees within fourteen (14) days of the initial reporting of the incident. Due process shall be followed to ensure the rights of all involved parties. Any discipline imposed will be guided by LMACS Disciplinary Policies. (see p 7)
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAWS CHAPTER 269 CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC PEACE
269, S.17. CRIME OF HAZING, DEFINITION; PENALTY
Whoever is a principal organizer or participant in the crime of hazing, as defined herein, shall be punished by a fine or not more than three thousand dollars or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than one year, or both such fine and imprisonment.
The term “hazing” as used in this section and in sections eighteen and nineteen, shall mean any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization,
Whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person. Such conduct shall include whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the weather, forced consumption of any food, liquor, beverage, drug or other substance, or any other brutal treatment or forced physical activity which is likely to adversely affect the physical health or safety of any such student or other person, or which subjects such student or other person to extreme mental stress, including extended deprivation of sleep or rest or extended isolation.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section to the contrary, consent shall not be available as a defense to any prosecution under this action. Added by St.1985, c.536; amended by St.1987, c.665.
269, S.18. DUTY TO REPORT HAZING
Whoever knows that another person is the victim of hazing as defined in section seventeen and is at the scene of such crime shall, to the extent that such person can do so without danger or peril to himself or others, report such crime to an appropriate law enforcement official as soon as reasonably practicable. Whoever fails to report such crime shall be punished by a fine not more than one thousand dollars. Added by St.1985, c.536; amended by St.1987, c.665.
269 S.19. HAZING STATUTES TO BE PROVIDED; STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE AND DISCIPLINE POLICY REQUIRED
Each institution of secondary education and each public and private institution of post secondary education shall issue to every student group, student team or student organization which is part of such institution or is recognized by this institution or permitted by the institution to use its name or facilities or is known to exist as an unaffiliated student group, student team or student organization, a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen; provided, however, that an institution’s compliance with this section’s requirements that an institution issue copies of this section and section seventeen and eighteen to unaffiliated students groups, teams or organizations shall not constitute evidence of the institution’s recognition or endorsement of said unaffiliated student groups, teams or organizations.
Each such group, team or organization shall distribute by copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen to each of its members, plebes, pledges or applicants for membership. It shall be the duty of each such group, team or organization, acting through its designated officer, to deliver annually, to the institution an attested acknowledgment stating that such group, team or organization has received a copy of this section and said sections seventeen and eighteen, and that each of its members, plebes, pledges or applicants for has received a copy of sections seventeen and eighteen, and that such group, team or organization understands and agrees to comply with the provisions of this section sections seventeen and eighteen.
Each institution of secondary education and each public or private institution of post secondary education shall at least annually, before or at the start of enrollment, deliver to each person who enrolls as a full-time student in such institution a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen.
Each institution of secondary education and each public or private institution of post secondary education shall at least annually, file a report with the regents of higher education and in the case of secondary schools, the board of education, certifying that such institution has complied with its responsibility to inform student groups, teams or organization and to notify each full-time student enrolled by it of the provisions of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen and also certifying that said
Institution has adopted a disciplinary policy with regard to the organizers and participants of hazing, and that such policy has been set forth with appropriate emphasis in the student handbook or similar means of communicating the
Institution’s policies to its students. The board of regents and, in the case of secondary institutions, the board of education shall promulgate regulations governing the
Content and frequency of such reports, and shall forthwith report to the Attorney general any such institution which fails to make such report. Amended by St. 1985, c-536; amended by St.1987, c.665.
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