In some ways, hazing is a high-class phenomenon," Hoover added. "Among college athletes, for example, hazing is most common in swimming, diving, and lacrosse-- sports that are most common at more exclusive schools. The incidence of hazing among basketball players is very low.
"We need to raise awareness among kids and adults that excluding people is a problem," Hoover explained. "At the very least, we lose the talent of the people who are shut out. At the very worst, it leads to events like Columbine. When students are thinking about hazing, they need to be told that hazing shuts people out of communities, and our communities need to include everyone. That's how we create safe communities-- by welcoming everyone and utilizing their talents.