There seems an ethical blind spot in Stanford University's administration, which every now and then gives a little slap on the wrist, like a few week suspension, to the Stanford Band.
The Stanford Band is a disgrace, with a history of irreverance that has crossed WAY over the line of irreverence one too many times. The emminent social psychologist and Stanford educator, Phil Zimbardo, has shown in his experiments what happens when small groups of people are permittted to operate without ethical limits. Perhaps Stanford's Atheltic administrators should review Zimbardo's literature, because it appears at this time - in reference to the Stanford Band - the inmates are running the asylum.
There is little respect for "difference", religious and otherwise, on the Stanford Band, which reflects badly on Stanford University's otherwise laudable efforts to create an atmosphere where all beliefs are honored, and respected. (btw, I'm not affiliated with any particular religious belief)
From Stanford University's persepective, it appears a trifling thing that the Stanford Band directly insults the religious beliefs of others, as the Band did some years back with Notre Dame. There was no **real** penalty put forward for that disgrace, just a short suspension. Where's the accountability? What message does teeny slaps on the wrist send to a group that is out of control? There have been other examples, almost too numerous to mention.
The Stanford Band's acute insensitivity to the law (in the case of the modular trashing), and civil decency is not a new thing. Public insults to the religious and social beliefs of others put a lie to the belief that Stanford's student population is on an ethical par with others. In fact, it's quite the opposite. What other university band has done things like this? Name one.
That the Stanford Band in its current incarnation has not been PERMANENTLY disbanded is a blight on Stanford University's otherwise fine record of achievement. The organization should be disbanded, and started up again with new rules, and STRICT laws of behavior, run by someone who knows what s/he's doing.
Can anyone imagine what the NCAA and other official sporting organizations would have done if the Stanford Football Teamm had insulted Notre Dame's religious foundations, or trashed the Stanford practice facility? I rest my case.
