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Hazing victim goes national
By DAVID YOUNG
The Gonzales Weekly
Friday, January 30, 2004
The national broadcast of a St. Amant family’s plight following an alleged hazing incident at St. Amant High School has brought their fledgling organization responses from around the country.
Karen Savoy, who founded Mothers Against School Hazing, appeared Monday on the Oprah Winfrey Show, along with her son Jake and husband Jerry.
A tearful and emotional Savoy recalled the October, 2002 incident. Jake was taped to a bench in what was described as a “birthday celebration,” while some players performed leud acts and others beat him.
Following the incident, Savoy quit her job and became determined to change the way society views and treats high school hazing.
“The response has been overwhelming,” she said following the broadcast. She said emails have flooded into her organization’s Web site. In addition, Savoy said she has arranged a meeting with one of America’s most noted authors on hazing, Hank Nuwer. She is also planning meetings with members of Congress in Washington.
“This has opened a lot of people’s eyes,” she said.
Savoy said volunteers have stepped up to help and one of them is working on a compilation of hazing laws in all 50 U.S. States.
“It’s amazing how different each state treats hazing,” Savoy said. Savoy added that she and Assistant District Attorney Robin O’Bannon are reviewing other state’s laws before making any suggestions to Louisiana lawmakers.
Savoy said they have created a form that appears on her website, (www.mashinc.org) that allows hazing incidents to be reported.
“We couldn’t be more pleased,” she said this week.
