"Displays of affection should not occur on the school campus at any time. It is in poor taste, reflects poor judgment, and brings discredit to the school and to the persons involved."
That's in the student handbook at Mascoutah Middle School in Illinois, where 13-year-old Megan Coulter got two days of detention for giving a quick hug goodbye to two friends. When I saw the headline, I thought for sure she'd given the hugs against her friends' wills or something. But no, The Powers That Be just don't like affection of any sort shown at any time, period.
What do you think they were after when they wrote the policy? No making-out between couples? Maybe even no hand-holding, which was as affectionate as any of the romances in my middle school got? OK, I could see that.
If that's the case, they should have said so, because as it's worded, it sounds like that early 20th century parenting advice warning mothers against hugging their children. Since when is affection in poor taste? Exactly when does it reflect poor judgement? Does anyone really think that if you let 'em hug each other, next thing they'll be doing is having sex right there on the sidewalk?
I hope someone organizes a hug-in.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Being Anti-Social is in Good Taste
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4 comments:
Because I'm cranky and hang out with middle school students for 7 hours a day which makes me even crankier, I have absolutely not problem with that rule. Yes, the punishment probably didn't fit the crime in this case but good lands. The PDA I see (and break up) on a daily basis is just beyond me. Oh, and for some unknown reason, lots of our students must seemingly hug everyone in a room before being able to walk out the door. I'm telling you--some of the boys are seriously getting their kicks that way (let's just say that they haven't hit their growth spurt and the girls have in all areas).
Have I mentioned I'm cranky?
Yeah, I hear ya, Carrie. I get annoyed with all the Hugging-Everyone-In-The-Room-Including-The People-You-Diss-Behind-Their-Backs, too. I guess I'm reacting to the wording that affection itself is in bad taste. Feels very archaic to me.
Hello - no more po blo or whatever! It's like November 8th or something - we're waiting!
Sheesh, my fans are demanding. I post at night, usually. It's still Day 8 here in California, which you should know since you're only about 40 miles away.
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