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Local mother turns incident into mission
By DAVID YOUNG
The Gonzales Weekly
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
A mother whose son was involved in a traumatic hazing incident and whose family had become the brunt of jokes for some has turned the tables and taken her mission nationwide.
Karen Savoy, the mother of St. Amant High School student Jake Savoy, who was involved in the much publicized hazing incident at the school last year, told the press last week that she has formed MASH-Mothers Against School Hazing- and hopes to do whatever she can to alleviate this kind of incident from ever happening in the future.
Since appearing on local media outlets last week to announce her organization, Savoy said the reaction by the public has been “exceptionally positive.” The positive to negative emails to the organization’s web site, www.mashinc.org, have been running 100-1.
“I am excited and encouraged,” she said this week.
When speaking to the media last week, Savoy spoke in a quiet somber yet determined voice as she announced the formation of a national organization to end high school hazing.
The steady rain on the cold January day visible through Karen Savoy’s wide living room windows seemed timed to coincide with the seriousness of her announcement. Her living room was warm and quiet as she spoke.
“Hazing has become a serious problem” she said. ”Hazing on the high school level is almost overlooked and dismissed as mere tradition because students and parents and teachers, coaches and administrators do not understand the true definition of hazing and its affects on society.”
Savoy explained what lead to the decision to form Mother’s Against School Hazing or MASH. She credits Mothers Against Drunk Driving or MADD as her inspiration.
For a year, she and her husband parish councilman Jerry Savoy kept the incident of the hazing of out of the public. Their thinking, at first, was that they would allow the proper authorities to handle everything. After learning about information acquired by the District Attorney’s office, however, some of which she says has not been released to the media, they decided to file criminal charges.
But after being taunted by some fans at high school football games and after seeing the rapid rise of incidents around the country, Savoy said she “knew in my heart I could do more.”
After speaking with friends and experts, she said the group decided to form the non-profit organization.
Already the group has appeared in People Magazine and they are slated to appear on the Oprah Winfrey show later this month.
In addition, Mrs. Savoy plans to take her fight to the state capitol in Baton Rouge and to Congress in Washington.
Savoy referred to bullying at the high school level as having the potential to create a tragedy of unimaginable proportions if not addressed. Ironically, less than a week later, the Sheriff’s Office uncovered a plot at Dutchtown High School to allegedly kill students and teachers that was born because one student had been bullied (see related story).
Personal stories of hazing have been called in to her that date back to the 1960’s, Savoy said this week. “I believe it (hazing) has been going on for quite a while.”
In addition, she wants to take the school board to task for initially reporting the hazing incident involving her son as “horseplay that got out of hand. If indeed there is to be zero tolerance, how can this type of abuse be acceptable?”
Savoy readily admits that some, though not many, treat her and her family differently since they filed a lawsuit against the board. “I don’t plan to return the abuse,” she chimes in, “only get something done about it.”
It’s going to be a long and interesting journey, she concedes, but at least we’re on our way.
