When you were in High School...

[DirectorDST99]

Sorors and SFs,

When you were in high school, were you exposed to little "sorority-like" organizations or simply CLUBS? When I taught high school I realized that these young ladies take these organizations to the EXTREME and it's really sad. Now, the good thing is that they are required to do public service, but they have a hell night for new members, they haze big time and the whole nine. I'm wondering where they get this mentality.

They seem to be concerned with stepping ALL the time and they even fight other organizations...like little gangs. And they have the audacity to say they are going to pledge either Delta or AKA in college.

I'm trying to see if there is any connection with those high school clubs and the wrong impression and misconception young ladies have on sorority life once they enter college.

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Director #2
LMAC
Spr 99

[This message has been edited by DirectorDST99 (edited July 20, 2000).]

[bklyndelta]

Greetings Madam Moderator,

Growing up in New York City, I must say that NEITHER have I seen nor heard of such "sorority-like" organizations or clubs; but I'm interested in what people from other areas have to say, so I'm going to keep a 'close eye' on this post.

"THEE BKLYNDELTA"
1913% LEGIT AND LOVIN' IT

Hello Sorors and Sisterfriends,

This post isn't about Delta or AKA types of high school clubs, but it falls in the general area.
At my old high school there is this club called HKK which stands for Hi King Klub. It traditionally consisted of the so-called "well-off" white girls. The girls pledge their junior year and are members their senior year. They have hell week and openly haze at football games (it's more controlled now than it was 10 years ago), the town square, and at school. The girls were forced to go without make-up (not a pretty sight), wear ponytails and the same dress all week without washing, couldn't talk to boys, etc. Parents of these girls support this, even if the "big sisters" come to their house at 2 or 3 in the morning on school nights and take their daughters. It was okay with them. But on the positive side they have banquets, car washes, and other fundraisers, so the girls do community service. But I did the same thing with Key Club without the hazing. I guess it's considered more of a prestige thing or honor to be a member of that club.

Now when we went to the counselors and principals wanting to start our own club. We were told no, it would be unorganized, considered a gang, yada, yada, yada. So we didn't pursue it. However, in '98, three black girls did join and they said it isn't what everybody on the outside thinks it is. They seemed to enjoy it and get along with the other members.

But I do think that this particular club gives the wrong impression (at least the initiation phase) of what sisterhood should be about. But when you live in a small East Texas town, you can get away with these types of things.

[DirectorDST99]

Now the high at which I taught had two male groups and two females groups. Most of the times the advisors were in sororities and fraternities but not always, and I don't know what type of "advising" they actually did.

I remember when the girls were "on line" (and yes that's what they called it) they had to greet, buy food and gifts for their big sisters, dress a certain way for several weeks, they were yelled at and publically humiliated. Now, I'm thinking to myself where in the world are they getting this? These groups today even wear greek letters, have calls and throw up signs. I'm still wondering what the ????

This type of thing is big in Texas and I know that when I was in Tennessee is was big there too.

Personally, being in a club is fine, but when you start to "THINK" you are emulating a sorority or fraternity, I have a slight problem.

Oh yeah, the guy groups out step some of the fraternities and have been known to teach the fraternities and sororities some steps.

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Director #2
LMAC
Spr 99

[This message has been edited by DirectorDST99 (edited July 20, 2000).]

[CrimsonTail]

Hey Director!!!
I hope all is well with you. Well, I have been exposed to these type of groups when I was in junior high school on Long Island. Our advisor was in a sorority and we had an intake process which was basically learning the greek alphabet and taking a test. I did not go through any hazing and we did community service. I have heard of these things happening before and my best friend was part of a group in high school in Brooklyn where it was advised by I think a member of Kappa Alpha Psi if I'm wrong, I apologize but this individual is greek. From what she told me, they created their own name out of the greek alphabet, had to take a test repetitously until they all passed!!! and did monitoring and service in the school. Apparently this was the thing to be in and I think they did have a process. I think the reason why these things are created is in order to provide an outlet for young people to keep them busy and learn discipline. I am not suggesting this is an accurate solution. I do not think it is appropriate for a young person to be put through any hazing activities!!! Kids are very impressionable and can come out thinking anything greek or otherwise is all glossy and it's all about stepping and representing thier "crew." Teenagers already have enough on their plate and this type of thing adds unnecessary peer pressure to fit in the "in" crowd. That is why greek organizations were developed in colleges where an individual is at level of maturity to decide if this is what they want to do!! It is not forced upon them!! That's it for now.

Crimson Tail

[This message has been edited by CrimsonTail (edited July 20, 2000).]

[DirectorDST99]

Your post, Nubian, is what I'm talking about with those organizations and the things that they do and their purpose for existing. I'm glad you elaborated on some of the things they do. So, wouldn't you agree that they give and have a false impressions of college sororities and fraternities?

I think I know where you went to high school so I'm feeling ya.

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Director #2
LMAC
Spr 99

[DableST_1]

Hey Sorors/Sisterfriends

In my high School, we had clubs for women and men. They were called Q-T , CrunchBunch
GA, Vogue, HomeGirls, ect... Everyone was required to go "on line" the had calls, signs, and everything. I even remember that at one of our talent shows, they actually stepped. Well needless to say, they went on to become Delta's Zeta's Ques, and Aka's. I never belonged to such a group but I heard that they do pledge these girls (nothing major)
How does anyone else feels about this issue?

[This message has been edited by DableST_1 (edited July 20, 2000).]

[Gina_lynn]

I has reached California too! It's crazy!!! It must have taken off in the last 3 years because it wasn't anything big when I graduated in 1997, but when I went back to see some teachers in my jacket, I had these little girls (short, not young) tell me about all the things they had done to "get ready" to pledge. Some said Delta, but others had other ideas. I was blown away!!! The part that really bothered me is that I know that there are several members of BGLOs on the staff of that school who are not doing anything (that's giving them the benifit of the doubt.. some of these girls knew things that only someone familiar with the Current MIP would know). I Personally feel as though it's an end run around the anti-hazing stance of the sorority.

[Nubian]

Director DST,
It's funny you should ask that because prior to entering college my only exposure to "Greek" sororities and fraternities was what I saw in high school. Needless to say I didn't like that at all, so upon entering college I assumed all Greeks groups were just like the ones at my school, elitist, and without purpose. It took a full year in college (and a lot of reading) to see that Greeks did things for the community, had history, and supported each other. The worse thing is that there are other high school kids that view Grreks this way for the same reason. That's what annoys me.

Love,
Me

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The most virtuous of all men is he that contents himself with being virtuous without seeking to appear so...

Hey Everyone!

This is an interesting topic. At my high school in Cleveland, Ohio, we had so many organizations/clubs it was pathetic. A lot of the organizations seemed to resemble sororities and fraternities, where the others resembled gangs. We had the Brothers, the Sisters, QT's, BMOC's (Big Men On Campus), the Nike Boys, Savoire Faire (those were the pretty girls and you had to be invited to join!), Kappa Phi Nasty, Delta Suave....the list goes on.

These organizations had hand signs, calls, their own colors, and they even had their own steps. There was a great deal of hazing that took place and yes, they had hell night. You can tell who was on line because they all wore the same clothes, were always together, and they had to do stupid things like walk around with gum on their noses.

I always found humor in these organizations. They went through all the humility and hazing for nothing.

Sorry So Long

Much Love

[Nubian]

Director DST,

Unfortunately, I have been very exposed to a number of high school "fraternities and sororities". Like you said it is very common in Texas, and I am aware of this because I attended school in the Fort Bend Independent School District. I never had any desire to participate in any of these groups because on top of being "fake" in my opinion, these groups had no earthly concept of sisterhood/brotherhood. While their was a premise of community service (which existed solely to mimick sororites and fraternities) the main focus of these groups was social status. I attended a school of over 2000 students, and of these I estimate that at least 500 were a member of 1 of the 6 Greek-like organiztions on my high school campus. I think it is extremely sad that so many at my school felt that they had to join these groups just to feel accepted at a time when acceptance is most important. Although I was not a member,and never desired to be one, I was very aware of the happenings in these organizations, the groups (especially the girl groups) Would hit and yell at the female "pledges", make them do numerous push ups, and on occasion turn certain girls away because they were too fat or ugly. While they were not sponsored or allowed by the school, our administrators never enforced the rule simply because these groups made money for the school by holding step shows! Isn't that so corrupt? Every group stepped, had hand signs, calls, line names, shirts, struts, you name it they had it. They had everything that in my opinion is surface, however they lacked the things that would ever prompt me to join any organization, and that is Sisterhood, purpose, and history.

Sorry so long, you just touched on a point that irks me!

Love,
Me

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The most virtuous of all men is he that contents himself with being virtuous without seeking to appear so...

[Nubian]

I brought this topic back to the top in order to pose a question.
Do you all thibnk that the existence of these high school groups contributes to some of the mis-education and disrespect that is rampant among some interestees?

Tamika

[Soulful Soror]

I'm like all in the DST forum tonight ")...When I was in highschool (this was in the mid to late 80s--I know I'm old, but look young)...Anyway, we had mad boys and girls clubs when I was in high school (Georgia). I was one of the founding members of the girl club that I was a member of. Sadly, (I wouldn't have admitted then, if you paid me) the clubs were basically the haves vs. the have nots. We even had a brother organization that we were affiliated with. It may be my mind going bad or something, but I only remember having one initiation. We (the boys club & our club) had a party...at the party we made the initiates crawl around on the floor..blah blah blah...I chalk it up to our ignorance. We felt that we were in a class above the rest, so being young & immature we took full advantage of that...(& being constantly pursued by "hopefuls" didn't diminish our big heads either). Many of us have become members of AKA/DST. I assume everyone else is a GDI (as, I haven't heard of any of them becoming Zeta's or SGR's). I think it would have made a huge difference in how our org's functioned if a member(s) of one of the BGLO's had become like a mentor to us. Who knows, our organization might have still been around to this day--actually doing something worth while....well, you live & learn **shrugging shoulders**.

[tyshaun]

Do you all thibnk that the existence of these high school groups contributes to some of the mis-education and disrespect that is rampant among some interestees?

Tamika[/B]

As myself being interested in pursuing membership, i dont think that the groups in my highschool contributed any disrespect towards Sororities or Frats. If anything, it helped me understand how great sororities are. i never knew of greek life until i took it upon myself to do the research. now the groups at my school were similar to the greeks, but i think thats because they had greek sponsors. and you can tell by the names of the groups; ex. A Phi House, Ladies of Delta etc.. but these groups were well respected and were very respectable students.
its funny now that i think about it because i somehow wanted to join the group, but i always thought that "pledging" and puting yourself through that humiliation was stupid. But look at me now!

[korkscru]

Well, I can't say that I've encountered any so-called "sorority-like or fraternity-like" groups during my years in high school (which, by the way, was some time ago). The only thing that was going on during those days (in the 80's) was the little "cliques" around school and they usually were comprised of people who hung together since kindergarten. I think that back then, most of us had the opportunity to feel as if we "belonged" without having to commit to degrading or juvenile activities. We didn't haveto result to wearing the same things. There was no "special color or name" that we gave ourselves. And our reasons for spending time together was basically because we were true "friends". I believe that most kids these days don't have that luxury. They don't really know what true "friendship" is. My best friends, clique, sisterfriends---whatever you want to call them----are my friends to the end. Today most of these "sorority-like/fraternity-like" groups in high schools are basically modern-day GANGS. There is no purpose. There is no mission. There is no meaning. There is no true friendship.