Physical contact "banned" in U.S. school.

From CNN.com
VIENNA, Virginia (AP) -- A show of affection almost landed a teenage boy in detention.

Hugging was 13-year-old Hal Beaulieu's crime when he sat next to his girlfriend at lunch a few months ago and put his arm around her shoulder. He was let off with a warning, but the cost of a repeat offense could be detention.

A rule against physical contact at Kilmer Middle School, about 10 miles west of Washington, is so strict that students can be sent to the principal's office for hugging, holding hands or even high-fiving.

"I think hugging is a good thing," said Hal, a seventh-grader. "I put my arm around her. It was like for 15 seconds. I didn't think it would be a big deal."

Full CNN Article here

Absolutely rediculous if you ask me!

What happens when it's time for physical education or drama classes? I bet the rules get changed there.

American Football would be dumb if there was no physical contact.

How are these children going to grow up. How are they going to find the outside world when it grabs them by the short and curlies?

Physical contact is all part of getting on in life, whether it's good or bad contact. Without being able to experience these things in the school environment, not just outside it, with people of their own age, it's just going to breed frustration, guilt and resentment. Big Brother gets everywhere!

Personal space is personal space. Nobody should tell you what to do with it. As long as the pupils behave in a good manner and respect eachother, there shouldn't be the necessity to force further restrictions upon them. They've got enough to deal with regarding uniforms, timekeeping, hairstyles, jewelery etc, etc, and if they're gonna fight or "kanoodle", they're gonna do it inside or outside school regardless. Rage and passion are pretty uncontrollable at their ages.

Condition them young eh!

It's all about taking things too seriously, and adults sure know how to do that. These days silly things like that are looked upon with frowning eyes, those people immediatly getting an impression that holding hands, or an example described as above, is an act of sexuality or intimidation.

Has our world gone so far people dont know what the difference is between caring loving affection and simple lust?....

heh, great! as if computers, psps, the internet and other things were isolating kids enough, now we need to FORCE them to abstain from any physical contact whatsoever.

This sounds like a creepy scene right from Demolition Man.

nerbot, great thread

I gave you a star and I encourage all to do the same. This is an important topic especially for those who have children currently enrolled in school. Parents and students, your opinions are needed in this thread.

This "no touch" policy is outrageous and really says alot about today's school systems and the so called "educators" (for lack of a better term) that we allow to run them.

CNN.com

Hernandez said the no-touching rule is meant to ensure that students are comfortable and that crowded hallways and lunchrooms stay safe. She said school officials are allowed to use their judgment in enforcing the rule. Typically, only repeat offenders are reprimanded.

Yes people, this policy mean no hand shakes, hugging, high-fives or any other form of physical contact.

CNN.com

But at a school of 1,100 students that was meant to accommodate 850, school officials think touching can turn into a big deal. They've seen pokes lead to fights, gang signs in the form of handshakes and girls who are uncomfortable being hugged but embarrassed to say anything.

We've all been to high school, we know that sometimes fights happen because someone bumped, ran into, or "touched" someone else in the hallway. Take it on a case by case basis, it doesn't happen all that often. Don't punish the good students because a few others decide to brawl it out over a "he pushed me" arguement.

Gang sings....wtf There's a huge difference between a so called gang signs and a hand shake, if your'e a teacher and can't tell a simple hand shake from a 10th grader flashin' his "gang" sign then maybe you should find a new job and get a life.

I've got a novel idea! How about we actually start punishing students who screw up. That's right, let our youth pay for their own wrong doings, let's not make everyone else pay for it.

Physical contact is a huge part of a child's development. Holding hands, pats on the back after a home-run, shaking the new guy's hand, all have a part in creating our personal boundries. Restricting physical contact for students will only expand that boundry that, imo, is already too far out.

If a student is clearly touching another student in a demeaning or sexual manor then take care of it. You don't have to have an advanced degree to tell the difference between a hug and a grope.

well folks, it's time to hit the fridge for another John Smith's. Sporty out

[edit on 21/6/2007 by SportyMB]

Im glad, hooray, I send my kids to school to learn not touch. I dont want nobody touching my kids and I dont want my kids touching nobody. And that goes for the teachers also, dont touch my kids. Lets focus on finding some good teachers now so our kids have a better chance in life. Thats another thread 'Bad, dont care Teachers'

Yea they should have physical contact as they grow up, good or bad, but wait until schools out please.

[edit on 21-6-2007 by earth2]

Some schools here in Ontario have a zero touch policy. You know what this does to me. My son has been suspended for hugging, rough-housing around with his pals, kissing, accidental tripping (feet locking in line), playing tag, etc. This in turn means he got days off school as punishment which ment I had to scramble to make arrangements for sitters, transportation (suspended off his bus for touching) sigh!

Some schools here in Ontario have a zero touch policy. You know what this does to me. My son has been suspended for hugging, rough-housing around with his pals, kissing, accidental tripping (feet locking in line), playing tag, etc. This in turn means he got days off school as punishment which ment I had to scramble to make arrangements for sitters, transportation (suspended off his bus for touching) sigh!

Originally posted by Rhain
Some schools here in Ontario have a zero touch policy. You know what this does to me. My son has been suspended for hugging, rough-housing around with his pals, kissing, accidental tripping (feet locking in line), playing tag, etc. This in turn means he got days off school as punishment which ment I had to scramble to make arrangements for sitters, transportation (suspended off his bus for touching) sigh!

Well its your responsibility to teach your kid not to touch if that is the rule. Everything comesdown to parents teaching there kids the rules we live in and right from wrong and so on.

Originally posted by earth2
Well its your responsibility to teach your kid not to touch if that is the rule. Everything comesdown to parents teaching there kids the rules we live in and right from wrong and so on.

Is it wrong to shake a friend's hand? I don't have children but if I did should I teach them that it is wrong to hug someone or shake a man's hand?

I suppose boy's shouldn't rough house or horse play anymore, not even on the football field or at home. Great, a country full of pansies, that's just what we need

Originally posted by SportyMB

Is it wrong to shake a friend's hand? I don't have children but if I did should I teach them that it is wrong to hug someone or shake a man's hand?

I suppose boy's shouldn't rough house or horse play anymore, not even on the football field or at home. Great, a country full of pansies, that's just what we need

All that is just fine, just wait till school is over because thats the ONLY reason they are there, to learn. Horseplay is on your time, didnt you watch 'fast times at ridgemont high'?

Originally posted by earth2

Originally posted by SportyMB

Is it wrong to shake a friend's hand? I don't have children but if I did should I teach them that it is wrong to hug someone or shake a man's hand?

I suppose boy's shouldn't rough house or horse play anymore, not even on the football field or at home. Great, a country full of pansies, that's just what we need

All that is just fine, just wait till school is over because thats the ONLY reason they are there, to learn. Horseplay is on your time, didnt you watch 'fast times at ridgemont high'?

i still cant figure out if you are being serious, or just very sarcastic. Teaching KIDS not to PLAY? Not to touch? I can't wait to see what kind of robots the system will start pouring out.

originally posted by Scientisti still cant figure out if you are being serious, or just very sarcastic. Teaching KIDS not to PLAY? Not to touch? I can't wait to see what kind of robots the system will start pouring out

Yeh, I don't understand either, but not going to bust my brain.

'No touching' ? That's a worry. If my kids were still at school, I'd be very worried.

Fact: girls who experience physical contact (general rough-housing, wrestling with siblings, friends, etc., contact sports, etc. etc. in childhood) are known to be far more able to cope later in life when confronted by *serious* and unwanted contact/touching/attack. Read the stats, the research and/or chat with law enforcement.

It used to be a given that the vast majority of boys would experience general rough-housing in childhood, so the issue of boys being generally able to defend themselves later in life didn't enter the equation.

The issue then was girls and the dangers in isolating them from physical contact in childhood.

NOW, apparently, the issue has become one of isolating ALL children from physical contact in childhood.

Not natural. And when you eliminate the natural, you're asking for trouble.

Life is all about physical contact.

If you eliminate physical contact in childhood --- what's supposed to happen to those kids later in life?

Does there come a 'magic moment' during which they suddenly become adept at physical contact? When they suddenly 'just know' how to defend themselves and 'just know' when some form of physical attack or unwanted physical contact is imminent ?

At what age do these hypothetical 'magic moments' occur? Age 19? 25 years of age? 45 years of age?

Let's get real ! If a kid is isolated from physical contact as a kid, then any form of physical contact will forever more feel 'unnatural', 'unwanted', 'scary', 'threatening' and 'traumatic' to that child.

How will the adult be able to express physical affection --- if he's been prevented from expressing himself physically throughout his formative years?

But let's get back to basics: physical contact is *normal*.

So Why is there a push to eliminate normality from the lives of developing kids ?

There has to *BE* a reason. They don't come up with these idiotic ideas out of thin air.

If we return to those girls who were 'protected' from physical jostling etc. as kids, we learn that as adults, when confronted by unwanted physical contact/attack ---- they freeze. They squeal. Like rabbits in the head-lights, they have no defence. They are ... defenceless. And they pay the price for that, and the price is often rape, severe beating and death.

Is *that* what the 'no touching' agenda is about? Is it intended to create people who will allow themselves to be slaughtered without putting up a fight?

Originally posted by Dock6


Is *that* what the 'no touching' agenda is about? Is it intended to create people who will allow themselves to be slaughtered without putting up a fight?

i would most certainly say yes. Another step towards a cashless, lifeless society.

We are only talking about 7 hours out of a day. That leaves 17 hours to touch all they want. All im saying is while at school they should only learn the books. Touching is for playtime. And yes im serious.

This, I'm afraid is a sign of what's going on in the world outside the school.

I live in France, and kids are the opposite. They kiss strangers when they're introduced for goodness sake! The environment is just different.

Not much paranoia here, not much crime, just sociable people getting on with life. I'ts all about the culture.

Where in america do strangers say hello, have a good day or good luck. In France...always, everywhere. It's rude not to. And handshaking and kissing is all part of the same, open, polite greeting custom that comes from contact and respect taugh from childhood.

I still say the school(s) in question have no idea about the long term social issues involved.

Also, does the same apply to the teachers? Can THEY touch the children.

I could go on for ages......this is MAD

[edit on 22/6/2007 by nerbot]

So, next are they going to all form a line, stand at attention, and Hail Hitler?
i'm sorry, I have a child too, but give me a freakin break! I had a meeting with a lead Child/Teenage Therapist (- I'll dig out the paperwork if need be-), and I asked him what the #1 advise he would give to any parent raising a child today. He said 2 words, "touch them." And, of course, the class giggled, but he didn't crack a smile. He said growing children need to be hugged, need that human contact to be at peace within themselves.
Who makes these friggin rules? F-that, i'm researching this!

Originally posted by earth2
We are only talking about 7 hours out of a day. That leaves 17 hours to touch all they want. All im saying is while at school they should only learn the books. Touching is for playtime. And yes im serious.

i just have to say I disagree 100% with that. Our education system is abysmal - the only education kids are getting these days, is a social education. Remove physical contact from that, and what the hell are they learning? Memorization? What else... ?

I disagree with the schools, that is wrong , there nothing wrong with physical contact, the school are trying to brain wash the kids to thinking that hugging is wrong. Physical contact is something that humans need and is apart of life. Kids should not be led to think that its wrong or be ashamed of it.

Do our school systems not have anything more important to worry about than kids giving high-fives and hugging each other? I would think that they have enough to worry about trying to actually get the kids to learn and not just memorize things. Just one more pointless rule to add to a long list of pointless rules... This one is right up there with "girls can wear short skirts and dresses but not shorts that actually conceal their underwear" on my list of school rules that make no sense. As I said in another thread that I can't find now, what's next? Should we ban handshakes and pats on the back in the workplace too?

Originally posted by earth2
Im glad, hooray, I send my kids to school to learn not touch. I dont want nobody touching my kids and I dont want my kids touching nobody.

Ever considered they are developing human beings? The way you speak they sound more like dogs.

Some people should not have kids.