Letter to a national & social fraternity: Educate, do NOT haze!

I sent a letter to a national and social fraternity after they called me for advised:

(April 26, 2012) 

Please take the time to read this reflection about XX Chapter and YYY Fraternity. I am concern with the practices that XX Chapter is taking to educate your future brothers. 

Take this opportunity to reflect on all the accomplishments that XX Chapter of YYY Fraternity has accomplish. In 2014, XX Chapter will be celebrating 10 years of success in brotherhood and scholarship.

You need to learn to educate the men, your future brothers, to become professionals and leaders in the world of academics and professionalism. You need to learn how to empower, be critical, sensitive, inclusive, and ethical about the practices of our educational process. You need to recognize what are our individual learning preferences, and that not everyone learns the same way.  What is the purpose of the educational process? Who created the traditions of the educational process? Are you educating or damaging your community? 

Throughout the process you preach 'brotherhood.' What does brotherhood means? Brotherhood (noun) may refer to family, fellowship, organizations, alliance, and an association among male siblings. You cannot teach brotherhood by yelling, having others memorizing poems, and doing physical activities. Brotherhood is a development; the bond of brotherhood will naturally develop among each other.  Your responsibility is to have a purpose, be responsible, and respectful to others and yourself. With purpose, responsibility, and respect, you can achieve the principals of YYY Fraternity. 

You need to learn how to validate other experiences by asking rather than assuming, and by listening rather than hearing. You need to understand that brotherhood looks different to everyone, and brotherhood is a two-way street. You must practice and promote self-awareness, hazing-awareness, and safety among individuals. 

I ask you to please reflect on the practices that XX Chapter is taking. You are a young national fraternity, and much more younger local fraternity. Do not let your "traditions" and "educational process" not celebrate 10 years of brotherhood. Instead, you should be working to better serve your brothers, and your community by revamping the ways of educating, thinking, and reflecting. Reinvent and refocus on yourself, do not duplicate.