Lisa Hood

The administration at Shepherd Junior High School in Mesa Arizona tried to bully our children into compliancy with a ban on hugs.  Tayler said the trouble began when a parent saw a hug between two students of the same sex.  They assumed the participants were homosexual and the display offended their delicate, religious sensabilities.  Eventually, a minority group of religious zealots bullied the school administration into banning all hugs. 

The kids planned a group hug after school to protest the unreasonable rule and when teachers got wind of the plan, they warned the kids there would be consequences.  Any display of public affection is strictly off limits and the punishment includes in school suspension; Alternative Learning Classroom (ALC). 

According to the 2007, 2008 Student Handbook, “Public displays of affection are not allowed on campus. Suspension may be a consequence for PDA” but, until recently, enforcement did not include hugs.  Students who hug, pat each other on the shoulder or hold hands are treated to the same punishment as those who bully, haze or hit other students. 

Tayler brought up a good point - How does it help students focus on school if they are taken out of class and put in ALC?  Apparently the school is less interested in teaching the kids, and more interested in punishing them.  

In fact, the infraction for hugging was deemed “Defiance of Authority” to ensure the most drastic measures could be imposed. After all, you just can’t have kids running around hugging each other.  

A and I didn’t encourage or object to Tay participating in the protest, letting her arrive at her own decision.  We encourage her to stand up for her rights and this isn’t the first time the school’s administration has resorted to bullying tactics.  

The school is actually teaching a very valuable lesson, though unintended. They are teaching our children to stand up for their rights and fight against rules without reason.  We all have the right, the responsibility, to fight for fairness and reasonable standards, instead of catering to the demands of a few, vocal opponents.