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LOGAN — Two students at Mount Logan Middle School could face misdemeanor hazing charges for allegedly binding a fellow student with duct tape.
According to the police report, an 11-year-old student was walking in the hall around 9 a.m. and "two big kids grabbed him and started to bind him with tape."
"We didn't want to hurt anybody," one of the 12-year-old students told KSL. "We were messing around."
Those "big kids" are two sixth-graders, both 12 years old, who took the boy to an area in the school where there was no surveillance camera, Logan Assistant Police Chief Jeff Curtis said. The boys then used pink duct tape to bind the other boy's feet and arms.
"Fortunately, a teacher saw the young man taped up and was able to get the tape off before there was any injury or anything like that," Curtis said.
The two perpetrators fled from the area when they saw the teacher approach, but not before the educator recognized them.
Off camera, one of the students involved told KSL they were just joking around and are friends with the victim. That 12-year-old boy said he held the classmate down while his friend taped the boy. He said he ran and hid in a bathroom when a teacher came.
"We didn't want to hurt anybody," the student said. "We were messing around."
But their actions resulted in suspension and misdemeanor hazing charges. That's because an investigation showed the conduct fell under the hazing statute, which is a class B misdemeanor.
"That someone intentionally or knowingly takes part in an activity that would subject another to shame, embarrassment or humiliation," Curtis explained. "By being up with duct tape … we felt that fit."
The two students have been suspended and their case referred to juvenile court.
Students, parents react to incident
Mount Logan Middle School student Julia Hash says she's witnessed bullying at the school.
"Bullying is bad and I think it should stop," she said. "I think if they educate them, people would know it's not the right thing to do."
The principal says if the administration knows about it, they'll deal with it.
Parents are glad to hear it.
"This is the first I've heard of it, but for me to hear it happening is kind of disappointing," said parent Leah Rhoufiry.
"Boys will be boys, but being mean and putting someone in danger, having somebody feel harassed, is unacceptable," said Tanya Rice, another parent of a male student at the school.
"Boys will be boys, but being mean and putting someone in danger, having somebody feel harassed, is unacceptable." Parent Tanya Rice
The Logan City School District is investigating whether the hazing is also a violation of the safe-schools policy.
Education officials discuss bullying in Utah
Last year, the Logan City School District adopted a zero-tolerance policy against hazing, bullying and cyberbullying. Every 5th grade student must complete a program that educates them on those issues.
"We want everybody to understand that we do take it very serious," Curtis said.
Carol Lear, director of school law at the State Office of Education, said her office hears about hazing or bullying "not even as often as once a month." But she pointed out that they are typically handled at the school or district level. Only about five or six a year will come to the state board.
"I think if there are 27,000 active educators, 500,000 total tested students … to say there are five incidents a year that reach the state level doesn't seem like serious harassment is going on," she said.
The state board typically only handles incidents where licensed individuals — such as teachers or administrators — are involved. That said, Lear said bullying does seem to be on an uptick in the state.
"I'm inclined to say there has been an increase, but I also think it's that society's tolerance for bullying has increased and in some ways society's mixed messages about bullying," she said.
She said a general decrease in civility can be seen on television and in politics and only so much of that can be rebutted through what is taught in schools.
"We really need a community approach to this," Lear said. "What happened to the old, civil problem-solving mechanism and hearing other points of views without cat calls and shouting?"
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Story written by Sandra Yi and Emiley Morgan.
