What does brotherhood mean if a brother does something wrong?

October has always been a month of transitions. The weather grows brisker, the nights become longer, and the seasonal items on store shelves shift from Halloween candy to Christmas gifts. It is also a busy month, the last month for many Sixth Formers to polish their early applications before sending them off to their dream colleges and for other students to settle into the rhythm of sports, studies, and socializing.

But especially as of late, it has been filled with controversies and stories far beyond the magnitude of these transitions.

One of these stories comes from Cornell. In a lawsuit, a former Cornell student alleges that seven campus fraternity members drugged and assaulted her in 2024 and invited others to join through the fraternity group chat. The case is unresolved, as those who are accused have not been convicted. Public reactions to it vary drastically, and heavy topics like this are laden with serious emotions and traumas for many, making them difficult to learn about or discuss. 

The bottom line is that regardless of the outcome of the case, we must address things that we may find uncomfortable in order to grow. We must question our identities, beliefs, and behaviors at their roots.

A brotherhood that only protects its own while mistreating those it views as outsiders is just a clique without standards or morals.

At Haverford, we talk about the “brotherhood” constantly. We experience this brotherhood at football or hockey games, cheering and supporting each other as loudly as we can. We experience it in classes, studying and learning together.

Brotherhood means uplifting our brothers. But what does brotherhood mean if a brother does something wrong? Do we choose to uplift and enable their behavior? Do we sit idly by as observers? Or do we pick the uncomfortable choice, the right choice, and hold them accountable for their actions?

A brotherhood that only protects its own while mistreating those it views as outsiders is just a clique without standards or morals. Real brotherhood means stepping in when another brother crosses a line, and real brotherhood is what we at Haverford ought to strive for.