Yet Another School Bans Hugging

The trend continues as the list of schools that have banned hugging continues to grow.

CBS 2:

Schools just say no to bullying and fighting, but hugging? CBS 2 West Suburban Bureau Chief Mike Puccinelli reports that a local middle school wants the embracing to stop.

"Last year we would see maybe as many as 10 students on one side (of the hallway), 10 on the other and then, going in opposite directions, would sort of have a hug line going on and you could see where that would be a problem," said Victoria Sharts, principal of Oak Park's Percy Julian Middle School.

Uh ... yeah?

It's been a while since I've been in school, and suppose things could have changed, but a "hug line." You've got to be kidding. No doubt large groups of friends get together and hug each other, but I find it nearly impossible to believe that the hallway would split in two like two sports teams after a game and hug each other. That's entirely too choreographed for me to buy into.

Sixth grader Isabella Miller disagrees with the crackdown. "I don't think that that's right"

Her father agrees with her.

"It seems like a crazy idea to me," Mark Miller said.

The principal says the rampant hugging is creating bottle necks in the hallway and making kids late for class. Furthermore she says although hugs are supposed to be handshakes from the heart some times they don't seem so innocent.

"Too long, too close, and usually between boys and girls," Sharts said.

Ok, so crack down on inappropriate touching. There is a huge difference between the two, and grown adults should easily be able to tell the difference between an innocent hug and groping.

It gets better though (it always does). This hug ban is part of a "comprehensive discipline and anti-bullying plan." Because we all know that hugging erodes discipline among children, and leads to bullying. I did, however, save the best for last. You see, just when you might be thinking to yourself that maybe this school is just trying to prevent themselves from any legal trouble, or that perhaps it is sensible to not have your child receive a hug from another kid ... we learn the truth of just how insane this policy really is.

High-fiving in the hallways is also frowned upon.

That evil, anti-discipline inducing, and bullying causing high-five. The bane of our children's existence.