Great Britain: School ban on hugging (“To avoid putting anyone at risk, please avoid hugging.” )

The Sun (U.K.) ^ | November 4, 2006 | JOHN COLES

[Stoat]

 
Banned ... friends embrace

School ban on hugging

 
By JOHN COLES
November 04, 2006
 
 

 

A SCHOOL headmaster was branded a killjoy yesterday after he ordered pupils to stop HUGGING each other.

 

Steven Kenning told teens to quit embracing because it made them late for lessons.

He said hugging could be deemed “inappropriate” and “victims” could be hugged against their will.

The barmy rule was posted on the website of Callington Community College, Cornwall.

Mr Kenning said: “Hugging was happening extensively and becoming the norm. We were worried it might become inappropriate. So we nipped it in the bud.”

He added that there had been complaints from some pupils — so he told the kids: “This is very serious not only for the victim but for anyone accused of acting inappropriately.

“To avoid putting anyone at risk, please avoid hugging.” But the ban outraged parents and pupils at the 1,250-pupil college, with some claiming they had been punished for illegal hugs.

 

Detentions ... school has punished children
 

 

Bethany Read, 17, said: “We’ve even had a naming and shaming policy in assembly and people reporting others.”
 

John White, 16, said: “I can understand no kissing — but there’s nothing wrong with hugging. Some have had detentions for hugging.”

Local councillor Kath Pascoe said: “I don’t see anything wrong with hugging — it’s better than fighting.”

Last year Mr Kenning suspended pupil Daniel Pethick, 15, for streaking his hair like his hero Ashes cricketer Kevin Pietersen.

[SIDENET]

Damn, I sure hope not. I wonder how that happened?

I've seen it happen on before, where a different image shows up, but OMG...that was terrible!

My picture was of Barney Fife to go with the "Nip it in the bud" comment from the article. The pic showed up fine in the preview, but definitely not after I posted it.

I hit the "report abuse" button as fast as I could to get it removed.

[The_Media_never_lie]

He said hugging could be deemed “inappropriate” and “victims” could be hugged against their will.

I could see a ban on mugging, but hugging??? Some people have a personal space problem and feel very uncomfortable around other people.

[uptoolate]

But this is still a reasonable show of affection.

Hey! How ya doin'? Pull my finger

[Stoat]

PDAs were banned when I was in high school in the 70's. We survived.
 

PDA's in the 1970's??  What was available in a PDA back then?  I remember expensive. handheld calculators (the HP-35) which were so expensive very few students had one, but I don't remember PDA's.

Neil Fraser Software HP-35 RPN Calculator

I know that calculators, PDA's and cellphones are commonly banned at schools in order to reduce cheating, but I haven't heard of a big problem with cheat sheets being passed via hugs   :-)

[jonsie]

Hey as a High School teacher I would like to be a ban on kissing from both sexes on different sexes. I tell them if I wanted to see that I would pay $8 to see a movie.

[Joe 6-pack]

"...but I haven't heard of a big problem with cheat sheets being passed via hugs :-)"

No, but a lot of viruses can be spread by PDA's....;-)

[benjaminjjones]

Odd, I just saw a piece on our local news about some girl giving hugs to total strangers on the street.

She looked to be one of the local college girls, had a flimsy cardboard sign, and was just going up to people on a busy street and asking them if they wanted a hug.

I don't think it should be against the law or anything, but I did think, "Damn, this poor twit is going to end up in a shallow grave somewhere", sooner rather than later.

I'm betting she really cares about why the muzzies want to kill us, and probably thinks rapists and murderers need "rehabilitation".

I can guaran-damn-tee she votes DemonRAT, but silly me, I think that about all women who think their nostrils are meant to carry hardware.

[Stoat]

Hey as a High School teacher I would like to be a ban on kissing from both sexes on different sexes. I tell them if I wanted to see that I would pay $8 to see a movie.

Even students there are agreeing with you and making a distinction between kissing and hugging:

John White, 16, said: “I can understand no kissing — but there’s nothing wrong with hugging. Some have had detentions for hugging.”

[CindyDawg]

Public Displays of Affection. No kissing. No holding hands. No hugging:')

[moog]

Hey, that was a good game way back when.

[Stoat]

Here in Mexico, we get a lot of hugs. I think this article is very amusing.

There may indeed be a cultural component to this....different cultures have different concepts of 'personal space' and this older school headmaster may find it all a bit too much to see students hugging each other.

[moog]

"she=the, although the feminists did have a major hand in it."

They are to blame for my misspelled words too. :P

[SolidWood]

"Public Displays of Affection. No kissing. No holding hands. No hugging"

Sounds like islam doesn't it?

[moog]

I'd ban kissing by the same sex too though.

[Stoat]

Public Displays of Affection. No kissing. No holding hands. No hugging:')

OH LAWD! I'm sorry, that "PDA" reference of yours went completely by me!

<<<<banging furry stoat head on desk

[CindyDawg]

LOL. That really was what it was called..back then.

[SolidWood]

After all this is still Britain and not France! :-P

[moog]

"<<<stoat head on desk" Geez, how can you afford that? :)

[moog]

After all this is still Britain and not France! :-P

Yeah, they have to be good "chaps" back there.

[Conservababe]

Our principal made it very clear in 1960 to avoid confusion. No touching between students.