Hazing in Texas: A Comprehensive Legal Guide for Mineola Families

When the Phone Rings at 2 AM: A Mineola Parent’s Worst Nightmare

It’s late. Your phone lights up with a call from an unknown number. On the other end, a hospital in College Station or Houston explains that your child—the one you sent to Texas A&M or the University of Houston with so much hope—is in the emergency room. Their story of a “fraternity workout” or “pledge event” doesn’t add up. The medical terms are terrifying: rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney failure, alcohol poisoning. You feel a cold dread: this wasn’t an accident. This was planned.

For families in Mineola, Wood County, and across Northeast Texas, sending a child to college represents the culmination of years of hard work and dreams. Our tight-knit communities in towns like Mineola, Quitman, and Hawkins pride themselves on looking out for one another. We trust that universities will do the same. Yet right now, at campuses across our state, a serious legal battle is unfolding that every Texas parent needs to understand—because it could happen to any family, including those right here in Wood County.

This comprehensive guide explains what hazing really looks like in 2025, the Texas laws that protect students, and what families in Mineola, Alba, and surrounding communities can do when those protections fail. We will walk you through the sobering reality of campus hazing, the legal framework that governs it, and the specific situations at Texas universities where Wood County families send their children.

Most importantly, we will show you that you are not alone. The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) is actively litigating one of Texas’s most serious hazing cases right now—representing Leonel Bermudez in his $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston and the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity following horrific hazing that caused acute kidney failure and permanent damage. We serve families throughout Texas, including here in Northeast Texas, and we understand the unique concerns of communities like ours.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES

If Your Child Is in Danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for medical emergencies
• Then Call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• We Provide Immediate Help – That’s Why We’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™

In the First 48 Hours:

• Get medical attention immediately, even if the student insists they are “fine”
• Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted:
  • Screenshot group chats, texts, DMs immediately
  • Photograph injuries from multiple angles
  • Save physical items (clothing, receipts, objects)
• Write down everything while memory is fresh (who, what, when, where)
• Do NOT:
  • Confront the fraternity/sorority directly
  • Sign anything from the university or insurance company
  • Post details on public social media
  • Let your child delete messages or “clean up” evidence

Contact an Experienced Hazing Attorney Within 24–48 Hours:

Evidence disappears fast—deleted group chats, destroyed paddles, coached witnesses. Universities move quickly to control the narrative. We can help preserve evidence and protect your child’s rights. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for immediate consultation.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like Beyond the Stereotypes

The image of hazing as “harmless pranks” or “boys being boys” is dangerously outdated. In 2025, hazing has evolved into systematic abuse that leaves physical and psychological scars, often hidden behind tradition and secrecy. For parents in Mineola and across Northeast Texas, understanding this reality is the first step toward protecting your children.

A Modern Definition of Hazing

Hazing is any forced, coerced, or strongly pressured action tied to joining, keeping membership, or gaining status in a group where the behavior endangers physical or mental health, humiliates, or exploits. Critically, “I agreed to it” does not make it safe or legal when there is peer pressure and power imbalance. Texas law recognizes that consent given under duress isn’t true consent.

The Four Main Categories of Modern Hazing

1. Alcohol and Substance Hazing

This remains the most common—and most deadly—form of hazing. It includes forced or coerced drinking during “Big/Little” nights, “bid acceptance” parties, or drinking games like “Bible study” where wrong answers mean drinking. Students may be given entire bottles of liquor or forced to consume unknown mixed substances. The results can be catastrophic alcohol poisoning, as seen in national cases like Stone Foltz at Bowling Green State University.

2. Physical Hazing

Far beyond “conditioning,” physical hazing includes:

• Paddling and beatings that leave visible injuries
• Extreme calisthenics called “smokings” – hundreds of push-ups, squats until collapse
• Sleep deprivation through all-night “study sessions” or 3 AM wake-up calls
• Food/water restriction or forced consumption of disgusting quantities (milk, hot dogs, peppercorns)
• Exposure to extreme elements – standing outside in cold weather in underwear

The Leonel Bermudez case at University of Houston exemplifies this: forced through 100+ push-ups and 500 squats, then made to lie in vomit-soaked grass, leading to rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure requiring four days of hospitalization.

3. Sexualized and Humiliating Hazing

This includes forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, degrading costumes, and acts with racial or sexist overtones. In the Bermudez case, pledges were required to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 containing condoms, sex toys, and other humiliating items—noncompliance meant punishment or expulsion.

4. Digital/Online Hazing

The newest frontier includes:

• Group chat dares and “challenges” on GroupMe, WhatsApp, Discord
• Public humiliation via Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok
• 24/7 digital control requiring instant responses to messages at all hours
• Location tracking through apps like Find My Friends
• Social media policing controlling what pledges can post

Where Hazing Actually Happens in Texas

While fraternities receive most attention, hazing occurs across campus organizations:

• Fraternities and Sororities (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, multicultural)
• Corps of Cadets / ROTC (especially at Texas A&M with its military tradition)
• Spirit Squads and Tradition Clubs like Texas Cowboys
• Athletic Teams (football, basketball, baseball, cheer)
• Marching Bands and Performance Groups
• Some Service, Cultural, and Academic Organizations

The common threads are social status, tradition, and secrecy that keep these practices alive even when everyone “knows” hazing is illegal.

Texas Law & Liability Framework: What Mineola Families Need to Know

Texas has specific laws governing hazing, and understanding them is crucial for families in Wood County. These laws apply whether your child attends school in College Station, Houston, Austin, or anywhere in Texas.

Texas Hazing Law Basics (Education Code Chapter 37)

Under Texas Education Code Chapter 37, Subchapter F, hazing is broadly defined as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, directed against a student that:

1. Endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, AND
2. Occurs for the purpose of pledging, initiation into, affiliation with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization whose members include students.

Key Points for Mineola Families:

• Location doesn’t matter – hazing on or off campus is illegal
• Harm can be mental or physical
• “Reckless” is enough – they don’t need malicious intent
• “Consent is not a defense” – even if your child agreed, it’s still hazing under Texas law

Criminal Penalties Under Texas Law

The severity increases with harm:

• Class B Misdemeanor: Hazing that doesn’t cause serious injury (up to 180 days jail, fine up to $2,000)
• Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing causing injury requiring medical treatment
• State Jail Felony: Hazing causing serious bodily injury or death

Additionally:

• Failing to report hazing (if you’re a member/officer who knew about it) is a misdemeanor
• Retaliating against someone who reports hazing is a misdemeanor

Organizational Liability in Texas

Organizations (fraternities, sororities, clubs) can be criminally prosecuted if:

• The organization authorized or encouraged the hazing, OR
• An officer or member acting in official capacity knew about hazing and failed to report it

Penalties for organizations:

• Fine up to $10,000 per violation
• University can revoke recognition and ban from campus

Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting

A person who in good faith reports a hazing incident to university or law enforcement is immune from civil or criminal liability. This is crucial: students who call 911 for help, even if they were drinking underage or involved, are protected.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Understanding the Difference

Criminal Cases:

• Brought by the state (prosecutor)
• Aim: Punishment (jail, fines, probation)
• Typical charges: Hazing offenses, furnishing alcohol to minors, assault, battery, manslaughter in fatal cases

Civil Cases:

• Brought by victims or surviving families
• Aim: Monetary compensation and accountability
• Focus: Negligence, wrongful death, negligent hiring/supervision, premises liability, emotional distress

Both can run side-by-side. A criminal conviction is not required to pursue a civil case. In fact, most hazing cases we handle at Attorney911 involve both tracks.

Federal Overlay: Stop Campus Hazing Act, Title IX, Clery

• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents more transparently, strengthen prevention, and maintain public hazing data (phased in by 2026)
• Title IX/Clery: When hazing involves sexual harassment, assault, or gender-based hostility, Title IX obligations trigger. Clery requires reporting certain crimes – hazing often overlaps with assaults or alcohol crimes

Who Can Be Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?

1. Individual Students: Those who planned, supplied alcohol, carried out acts, or helped cover up
2. Local Chapter/Organization: The fraternity/sorority itself (if a legal entity) and its officers
3. National Fraternity/Sorority: Headquarters that set policies, receive dues, and supervise chapters
4. University or Governing Board: Schools may be sued under negligence or civil-rights theories
5. Third Parties: Landlords of houses, bars (under dram shop laws), security companies

Every case is fact-specific, but experienced hazing attorneys know how to identify all potentially liable parties.

National Hazing Case Patterns: What They Mean for Texas Families

Well-publicized national cases aren’t just headlines—they establish patterns that affect how Texas courts view hazing cases and create precedents that Mineola families can rely on.

Alcohol Poisoning & Death Pattern

Timothy Piazza – Penn State, Beta Theta Pi (2017)

During a bid-acceptance event with heavy drinking, Piazza suffered severe falls captured on chapter cameras. Help was delayed for hours. Dozens faced criminal charges; civil litigation followed; Pennsylvania enacted the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law. Takeaway: Extreme intoxication plus delayed medical care creates devastating liability.

Andrew Coffey – Florida State, Pi Kappa Phi (2017)

At a “Big/Little” event, Coffey was given a handle of liquor, drank to dangerous levels, and died. Criminal hazing charges followed; FSU temporarily suspended all Greek life. Takeaway: Formulaic “tradition” drinking nights are repeated scripts for disaster.

Max Gruver – LSU, Phi Delta Theta (2017)

During a “Bible study” drinking game, Gruver was forced to drink when answering questions incorrectly. His death led to Louisiana’s Max Gruver Act (felony hazing statute). Takeaway: Legislative change often follows public outrage and clear proof.

Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State University, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021)

Foltz was forced to drink nearly a bottle of whiskey during pledge night, dying from alcohol poisoning. Multiple criminal convictions followed; BGSU settled for $3 million; additional settlements with fraternity/individuals. Takeaway: Universities face significant financial consequences alongside fraternities.

Physical & Ritualized Hazing Pattern

Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (2013)

At a fraternity retreat, Deng was subjected to a violent blindfolded “glass ceiling” ritual, suffered fatal head injuries, and help was delayed. Multiple convictions followed; the fraternity was banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years. Takeaway: Off-campus “retreats” can be as dangerous as parties, and national organizations face serious sanctions.

Athletic Program Hazing & Abuse

Northwestern University Football (2023–2025)

Former players alleged sexualized, racist hazing within the football program. Multiple lawsuits against university and staff resulted; head coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired and later settled confidentially. Takeaway: Hazing extends beyond Greek life into big-money athletic programs.

What These Cases Mean for Mineola Families

Common threads in these cases—forced drinking, humiliation, violence, delayed medical care, cover-ups—directly inform how we approach cases for Texas families. The multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts ($10M for Foltz, $6.1M for Gruver, $14M for Bogenberger) show that courts take hazing seriously. These national precedents strengthen cases for families right here in Northeast Texas.

Texas Focus: Where Mineola Families Send Their Children

Mineola families invest in their children’s education at universities across Texas. Understanding the hazing landscape at these schools is crucial. The distance from Wood County to these campuses doesn’t protect our children—the same organizations operate statewide.

University of Houston (UH): The Active Case in Our Backyard

While Houston is hours from Mineola, many Wood County students attend UH, making this case particularly relevant to our community.

Campus & Culture Snapshot

UH is a large urban campus with active Greek life spanning multiple councils: Interfraternity Council (IFC), Panhellenic, Multicultural Greek Council, United Greek Council, and National Pan-Hellenic Council. With thousands of students in Greek organizations, oversight challenges exist.

The Flagship Case: Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi

Right now, Attorney911 represents Leonel Bermudez in a $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit against:

• University of Houston
• UH System Board of Regents
• Pi Kappa Phi national headquarters
• Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu housing corporation
• 13 individual fraternity leaders/members

The Hazing Conduct (Fall 2025):

• “Pledge fanny pack” rule containing condoms, sex toy, nicotine devices, humiliating items
• Enforced dress codes, hours-long “study/work” blocks, weekly interviews, overnight driving duties
• Extreme physical hazing: sprints, bear crawls, wheelbarrow races, “save-your-brother” drills
• Cold-weather exposure in underwear, lying in vomit-soaked grass
• Sprayed in face with hose “similar to waterboarding”
• Forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, peppercorns until vomiting, then repeated sprints
• Nov 3 workout: 100+ push-ups, 500 squats, creed recitation under expulsion threats
• Another pledge hog-tied face-down on table with object in mouth for over an hour

Medical Catastrophe:
Bermudez developed rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure. He passed brown urine, couldn’t stand without help, and was hospitalized for four days with critically high creatinine kinase levels. He faces ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.

Institutional Response:

• Nov 6, 2025: Pi Kappa Phi HQ suspends Beta Nu chapter
• Nov 14, 2025: Chapter members vote to surrender their charter; chapter shut down
• UH statement: Conduct “deeply disturbing,” promises disciplinary measures up to expulsion and cooperation with law enforcement

Why This Matters for Mineola Families:
This case demonstrates exactly what we’re fighting right now. When we tell you we understand hazing litigation, this isn’t theory—it’s our active case load. The same patterns seen here occur across Texas campuses.

Other UH Incidents

• 2016 Pi Kappa Alpha Case: Pledges allegedly deprived of food, water, and sleep; one suffered lacerated spleen after being slammed onto a table. Chapter faced misdemeanor hazing charges and suspension.
• Ongoing disciplinary issues with various fraternities for alcohol misuse and policy violations.

How a UH Hazing Case Might Proceed

• Jurisdiction: Harris County courts if filed civilly; UHPD or Houston PD for criminal
• Potential Defendants: Individuals, chapter, national, university, property owners
• Evidence: Group chats (especially GroupMe), medical records, witness testimony from other pledges

What UH Students & Parents Should Do

1. Report immediately to Dean of Students Office and UHPD
2. Preserve digital evidence before deletion
3. Document prior complaints if organization had previous issues
4. Contact experienced Texas hazing attorneys who understand Houston jurisdiction

Texas A&M University: The Aggie Tradition & Its Shadows

Many Mineola and Wood County students dream of becoming Aggies. Texas A&M’s unique culture brings both pride and risk.

Campus & Culture Snapshot

Texas A&M’s Corps of Cadets and strong Greek life create a tradition-rich environment. With one of the nation’s largest Greek systems and the unique Corps culture, hazing risks exist in multiple contexts.

Documented Incidents at Texas A&M

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Chemical Burns Case (2021):
Two pledges alleged forced strenuous activity with substances including industrial-strength cleaner, raw eggs, and spit poured on them, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries. The fraternity was suspended for two years; pledges sued for $1 million.

Corps of Cadets Lawsuit (2023):
A cadet alleged degrading hazing including simulated sexual acts and being bound between beds in a “roasted pig” pose with an apple in his mouth. The lawsuit sought over $1 million; A&M stated it handled the matter internally.

How Hazing Cases at A&M Proceed

• Multiple jurisdictions: Brazos County courts, campus police, College Station PD
• Unique elements: Corps leadership liability, military-style tradition defenses
• Evidence challenges: “Tradition” arguments, institutional loyalty pressures

What A&M Students & Parents Should Know

1. Both Greek life and Corps have hazing histories
2. Reporting channels include Student Conduct Office and Corps leadership
3. “Tradition” is not a legal defense under Texas law
4. Early legal consultation is critical before internal processes compromise evidence

University of Texas at Austin: Transparency & Ongoing Issues

Campus & Culture Snapshot

UT Austin boasts one of Texas’s largest and most diverse Greek systems, with approximately 60 fraternity/sorority chapters. The university maintains a public hazing violations page—a relative rarity.

Public Hazing Violations at UT

UT’s Hazing Violations Page lists organizations, dates, conduct, and sanctions. Examples include:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members directed to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics; found to be hazing; chapter placed on probation with required hazing-prevention education.
• Texas Wranglers & Other Spirit Groups: Sanctioned for forced workouts, alcohol-related hazing, punishment-based practices.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Assault Case (2024): Australian exchange student alleged assault resulting in dislocated leg, broken ligaments, fractured tibia, broken nose; sued for over $1 million; chapter already under suspension for prior violations.

How UT Cases Differ

• Greater transparency via public violations log
• Travis County jurisdiction for civil cases
• Pattern evidence readily available from public records

UT-Specific Guidance

1. Check the public violations page for organization history
2. Report to Dean of Students and UTPD
3. Use public records to establish pattern in legal claims
4. Act quickly—organizations know records are public

Southern Methodist University (SMU): Private Campus Challenges

Campus & Culture Snapshot

SMU’s affluent private campus hosts active Greek life with approximately 11 fraternities and 8 sororities. Private university status affects transparency and reporting.

Documented Incidents

Kappa Alpha Order Incident (2017):
New members reportedly paddled, forced to drink alcohol, deprived of sleep. Chapter suspended; restrictions on recruiting until approximately 2021.

Private University Considerations

• Less public reporting than state schools
• Internal processes may shield organizations
• Civil discovery becomes crucial to uncover records

SMU-Specific Advice

1. Use anonymous reporting systems like Real Response
2. Expect less transparency initially
3. Legal discovery may be needed to obtain internal documents
4. Private status doesn’t eliminate liability

Baylor University: Faith, Football & Scrutiny

Campus & Culture Snapshot

Baylor’s religious identity and history of scrutiny over football and Title IX issues create a complex environment for hazing accountability.

Documented Incidents

Baylor Baseball Hazing (2020):
14 players suspended following hazing investigation; staggered suspensions over early season.

Baylor-Specific Context

• Religious branding may affect internal handling
• History of institutional protection in other scandals
• “Zero tolerance” rhetoric vs. actual enforcement

Guidance for Baylor Families

1. Document everything thoroughly
2. Be prepared for institutional resistance
3. Title IX may apply if hazing involves sexual elements
4. External legal pressure often needed for transparency

The Greek Ecosystem Serving Texas Campuses: Public Records Reality

As part of our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, we maintain detailed data on fraternities, sororities, and Greek organizations across Texas. This isn’t theoretical—it’s concrete public records that become crucial evidence in hazing cases.

Texas-Registered Greek Organizations: The Backbone

IRS B83 records show 125+ Texas-registered Greek organizations—house corporations, alumni chapters, honor societies—with EINs, legal names, and mailing addresses. These entities often hold insurance and assets that become crucial in litigation.

Examples from Public Records:

• Kappa Sigma – Mu Camma Chapter Inc (EIN: 133048786) – 3007 Earl Rudder Fwy S, College Station, TX 77845
  IRS B83 public filing – house corporation

• Gamma Phi Beta Sorority Inc (EIN: 161675890) – 115 Wild Wick Way, The Woodlands, TX 77382
  IRS B83 public filing – Zeta Rho housing corporation

• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc (EIN: 462267515) – 10601 Big Horn Trl, Frisco, TX 75035
  IRS B83 public filing – housing corporation for the UH chapter

• Sigma Phi Lambda Inc (EIN: 260805977) – 4251 FM 2181 Ste 230 PMB 480, Corinth, TX 76210
  IRS B83 public filing – Alpha Alpha Chapter

• Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc (EIN: 475370943) – 5019 Calhoun Rd, Houston, TX 77204
  IRS B83 public filing – Theta Delta chapter

Metro-Level Greek Presence

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metro: 510+ Greek organizations
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land Metro: 188+ Greek organizations
Austin-Round Rock Metro: 154+ Greek organizations
San Antonio Metro: 86+ Greek organizations
College Station-Bryan Metro: 42+ Greek organizations

Where Mineola Families Send Their Children: Campus Realities

Regional Universities Near Wood County:

Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches):

• IRS B83 Example: Alpha Tau Omega Housing Corporation of Eta Iota Chapter (EIN: 300517788) – 316 E Lakewood St, Nacogdoches, TX 75965

University of Texas at Tyler:

• IRS B83 Example: Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (EIN: 352335400) – 3900 University Blvd, Tyler, TX 75799

Texas A&M University-Commerce:

• IRS B83 Example: Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority (EIN: 752609909) – 1205 Monroe St