The Oregon Women's Report - Women's News from Oregon

Christina-

You do not let the inmates run the asylum. School Children need more discipline not less. Perhaps, they would be better citizens in the future if they look at the whole picture instead of themselves. Too often many of them grow up with the “it’s about me and what I want to do.” attitude. That’s one of the reasons jails and prisons are busting out at the seams. That the viewpoint of a retired Parole and Probation Officer.

How would you determine and enforce one type of hug from another/

I was under the impression that one of the problems was that couples were using it as more than just a friendly hello.

This is an interesting issue. As a parent, I don’t feel a ‘hug’ ban is necessary. Ron, no this is not an asylum, however discipline is possible without resorting to bans. Why don’t you try punishing students who are being disruptive with hugging. I guess the point that this is an over reaction and it restricts our childs ability to show emotion. Yes, restrictions have negative consequences as well. To me, it is unbelievable that the middle school had to result to this and wasn’t able to get control of the situation.

This is an absolutely ludicrous ban that was obviously resorted to because of the school’s lack of disciplinary power over the students. Teachers need to be respected by their students, and placing draconian bans on physical contact like hugging only show’s the administration’s willingness to generalize a problem rather than deal with the root.

this is ridiculous. a school is banning hugging of all things? really now? so what’s going to happen if a teacher wants to congratulate another teacher and they are friends. some teachers hug, or handshake. the students aren’t going to handshake. they might give a high five, or throw a friend arm around the other’s shoulder, but it doesn’t mean it’s bad.

if the students are late to class, i doubt it’s because of hugging. really now. who in the world has ever been late because they were giving a looooooong hug? really now. hugs usually take 10 seconds. they would most likely be late because they were talking but they can’t ban talking now can they?

here’s another thing, who says that the 8th graders hugging the 7th grader was hazing the kid? maybe they knew him and were happy to see him. maybe he’s a sibling or a cousin, or friend from church, a neighbor or a friend from an after school activity. if they were teasing, it doesn’t sound harmful. trust me kids and adults, people of all ages, can do worse things than running up and hugging somebody.

i do agree that middle schoolers are having an awkward time enough as it is without worrying about a silly rule and worry if they’ll get into trouble about hugging somebody. if they want to show their happiness about something to someone or to help make a friend feel better, then hugging shouldn’t be banned. it’s a free expression. you can’t ban free expressions. besides, when somebody’s feeling down, sometimes you don’t know the words to say and hugging is all you can do.

i have a feeling it’s gonna get turned around. just wait, i’ll bet the students are going to riot and the school’s administration office is going to have their hands full of students both good and bad who have hugged another person stuck in line waiting the see the principal.

[...] Portland school recently banned hugging. …the principal of West Sylvan Middle School, Allison Couch, issued the ban because the [...]

Ron Glynn is clearly projecting. He is doing this because he was abused as a child and raised in an extremely strict, brutal household. He was taught that, as a child, he was not to be trusted or respected.

And now, as an adult, Ron Glynn does not trust or respect children, the future of humanity. The victim becomes the aggressor.

[...] Portland school recently banned hugging. …the principal of West Sylvan Middle School, Allison Couch, issued the ban because the [...]