Its a pretty sad world our kids are growing up in when even hugging has been banned!

[julisa68]

Tell me if I am wrong but I think that schools are obviously getting confused about what they should really be focusing on when they bann hugging! The school my kids go to and the school my niece goes to have both banned hugging.

My daughters best friend has just been released from hospital after being there for over a month. When she returned the girls were so happy to see her that they ran to hug her. The girls all got in trouble for doing so! The teacher on duty reminded them that hugging has been banned on school property. No one, not even the small ones in JK and Sk can hug. They cant even link arms- no physical contact what so ever. All the kids keep hearing every day at recess or in the hallway is "No hugging kids!" I understand that the boys and girls hugging that are in the senior grades might consist of something a little less innocent but 4 and 5 year olds hugging- what could be more innocent and sweet than that!

This is just crazy- in the USA 1 out of 25 teens are on anti-depressants. That should tell people something- more kids need a good hug!

[Natalka]

Well, that is so very sad...

When I was teaching primary school, I just can't imagine not getting hugs from the little ones, and me hugging them - in happy times, and with owies, etc.

I can only see it inappropriate at a high school level if it were getting out of hand in a sexual way between a couple...

Here's one article I found about a Waterloo school.
http://news.ca.msn.com/ontario/kitch...udents-parents

[juniperjune]

Is it due to germs? Did this start after H1N1?

[vibrantflame]

Wow, honestly, that seems ridiculous and reading that article that another poster posted just makes it seem even more so. The Waterloo school claims it's part of an overall policy of "keeping your hands to yourself", and that hugging isn't acceptable in a work environment, "that's not how you typically greet people in a work environment", so therefore it shouldn't be allowed in the school either.

That just sounds so silly! I've never heard of a work environment where you would get in trouble for hugging a close friend. Yeah, if you're going around hugging *everyone* including people you don't know, but clearly this isn't what is happening in the schools, it just sounds absurd.

[DaveP]

Our world is getting stranger and stranger. Does Stephen Harper know about this?

[creative couponer]

my daughter is 17 now and my son is 11 and a half months when my daughter was in JK the teacher was really mean no hugs not even a smile to any child

[creative couponer]

But in SK the teacher was so nice and she got hugs everyday (she was also in FRENCh Inmersion)

[julisa68]

No its has nothing to do with germs. They are telling the kids stuff like: they have to respect each others personal space, hugging is not appropriate on school property, it is a safety hazzard since a small child could try to hug another child that doesnt want to get hugged and that child might push that child and hurt them, not appropriate way to great someone, ... etc. They have even been told they are not allowed to high-five each other since this is also considered a safety hazard since you could miss and hit someone in the eye (LOL). BTW open toed shoes and flipflops have also been banned since they also pose a safety hazard- didnt know my kids were off to a construction zone. When its hot outside my girls love to wear sandals but cant anymore. Even the teachers arent allowed open toed shoes. Seriously I would rather they focused on bullying, lack of self-confidence, and working on the kids self image problems.

[slayer_glade]

Flipflops being banned makes sense. Think of recess time and hallways when kids are everywhere.

As for the hugs, that's a bit much. Though putting a arm around another kid's shoulder's isn't allowed at my mom's school where she teaches. Why? Because they often squeeze the arm around the kid's neck in their excitement.

[Miss_April]

Lmao! This is just getting more ridiculous every week.

What, are they going to ban going to school next because it is dangerous?

[DaveP]

Lmao! This is just getting more ridiculous every week.

What, are they going to ban going to school next because it is dangerous?

Nah,they'd never go that far. I'm sure they would develop some really cool bubbles first.

[Natalka]

Yup, Zorbs for all the kids so they don't get 'hurt'...

[sheetsofemptycanvas]

I wonder if the catholic high school in Ottawa that banned yoga/stretchy pants will ban hugging too... ugh

[matrix82]

I work with kids through my church, and for at least the last 7 years, we have had a no hug policy. It is hard, especially when dealing with really little ones like 4, they try to give you a hug, and you have to do what is called the "side hug", they can hug your side, that is it. I honestly thing it's partially because of lawsuits, and also because there are some sick people out there.

[cabmonk]

I heard to that it was because kids were running up and hugging other kids that didn't want to be hugged. I even saw it in high school and i'm 38 now. The way that so many of the students greeted each other was by hugging then there started being complaints because some didn't want to be touched like every 5 seconds without warning, it was kinda getting out of control. Lately some of the boys in school might even use it as a way to grope other students. It is a sad world we live in sometimes but people will always take a nice gesture such as a hug and take it too far and ruin it for everyone else. As for why it goes for every grade, I have even seen little kids like 5-6 years old inappropriately touching, even though I don't think they realized it was wrong since they were so young.