It’s not just carbonated drinks and cupcakes that are off-limits at many middle schools - the ban has grown to include playing tag on the playground and yes, even hugging a friend.
13-year-old Megan Coulter, an 8th-grader at Mascoutah Middle School in Illinois hugged two friends goodbye last Friday. In doing so, she violated the school’s policy prohibiting any “display of affection” on the school’s campus. Megan served two days of detention and, after being challenged by her parents, the school district agreed to look into revising the policy.
In October, 2007 an 11th-grader and his girlfriend were caught on camera while kissing on the school bus. Both were expelled for the remainder of the year. They are challenging the school’s action claiming an overzealous enforcement of a school rule. [For details see the Blog posted January 30, 2008 “Kissing on School Bus Results in Expulsion”]
Other schools that have cracked down on PDAs [public displays of affection] include Fossil Hills Middle School in Texas [no holding hands or hugging]; Percy Julian Middle School in Illinois [no extreme hugging in hallways]; and Kilmer Middle School in Virginia [no physical contact, including high fives]. In February, 2008, 14-year-old Chelsea Branham got detention for hugging a friend after school. The PDA policy at Shepherd Junior High in Mesa, Arizona permits ’small hugs’ - less than two seconds - longer hugs and kissing are against the rules. Some students protested the policy by joining in a group hug across the street from the school.
What do you think about these new rules? The hug has become a universal greeting, but is it acceptable in the school setting? What about other displays of affection like kissing or holding hands? Should there be limits? Discuss this with your friends, teachers and parents.
Discipline for hugging began as early as 2001 when Pequot Middle School in Minnesota gave two-hour detentions for three hugs in a day or four in a week.
