Parents, Frat leaders launch national anti-hazing effort

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A group of parents whose children were killed during fraternity hazing incidents are joining forces with national fraternity leaders, seeking to ban the generations-old initiation rites involving binge drinking and beatings that sometimes turn deadly.

Jim Piazza and Rich Braham both lost teenage sons to hazing in recent years. They’re among the parents who have formed a national Anti-Hazing Coalition, partnering with leaders of organizations representing nearly 100 national fraternities and sororities.

The group will announce its plans Monday.

They include lobbying legislatures nationwide for stricter laws and felony prosecutions of dangerous hazing rituals.

They also call for cutting out hard liquor at fraternity houses and informing students of the dangers of hazing.