The Jerry Sandusky story has been getting all the the attention of late, and rightfully so. However, there’s another story of colleges and abuse that went on unchecked by university administrators.

Coming Tuesday on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (10 p.m. ET), Frank Deford has a stunning piece about the marching band at Florida A&M. A member of the band died last year during a brutal hazing ritual.

In 2010, Deford did a story about the hazing rituals at Florida A&M, documenting scores of eye-opening incidents. Yet officials didn’t step in. As a result, a young student died.

Here’s a video preview:

Among the most entertaining spectacles in college football is the game-day performance of the school band. Shockingly, behind the tradition and prestige of marching bands at historically black universities is a longstanding ritual of violent hazing, where bandmates hit, strike and even beat their counterparts. Two years ago, REAL SPORTS correspondent Frank Deford revealed some of the troubling incidents that led to the suspension of students and band directors, with victims filing and winning lawsuits. Yet the callous practice continued largely unabated. Last fall, at Florida A&M University, which was included in the Nov. 2010 report, drum major Robert Champion died after brutal hazing. Now, Deford leads HBO’s cameras back to the campuses to ask: Despite countless warnings, why does this dangerous initiation custom continue?

Indeed, in the piece, Deford confronts former Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Reverend R.B. Holmes, who helped preside over the school until last year.

The exchange:

Reverend Holmes: We were very forthright– very proactive– once we identified– an incident of hazing. No one that I know condones hazing.

Frank Deford: But there’s been so much. Let me just give you a run-down here. 2004 when you’re on the board, settled a case a clarinet player beaten 300 times. Almost dies from renal failure. A saxophone player is charged with three counts of aggravated battery. That’s eight years ago. 2006, four members of the band are investigated by the State’s Attorneys office. 2008 a female band member—cuts on her face, urinating blood—has to go the hospital. All of these things, you say you’ve been proactive…

Holmes: Those behaviors are unacceptable. Hazing is a dark, secret culture.

I know all the members on FAMU’s Board of Trustees and I know the president and the last several presidents.  And without any reservation, they do not, did not, will not, shall not, cannot tolerate any form of hazing.

Deford: But they have.  That’s what I’m saying.  That they have in the past, which led, ultimately to death. I mean, don’t they feel some responsibility for not being more proactive in the past so that Mr. Champion didn’t have to die?

Holmes: Oh, yeah. I think the president is very grieved.

Deford: Do you think the board and President Ammons acted sufficiently in response to these incidents? Not only incidents, letters to the president:  “I pray that God will give the Administration wisdom and courage to stand up against the stupid, idiotic practices that go on at FAMU.” “My son is scared.  He asked me to send him mace.”

Given all that evidence—the letters to the president, the number of arrests, it would seem to make a case for something bad is going on here. We ought to do something about it.  But it never came to that sort of thinking on the board when you were there?

Holmes: It became a sense of urgency in November when we all recognized that hazing has not gone away; that hazing is still unfortunately a part of the culture.