Posted by Helen on: 10.09.2007 /
My daughter’s school (Percy Julian Middle School in Oak Park) has been in the news recently because of a newly instituted ‘hugging ban’.
Or so the news media has called it. The school disagrees. This is what a school newsletter said last week:
You may have seen or heard that Channel 2 News (and subsequently numerous other outlets) have reported that there is a “hugging ban” at Julian. This story may have emerged from a previous report by Wednesday Journal which, in an article about Julian September 25, states that other districts have “also banned hugging”. There is no hugging ban in our district or at Julian.
Dr. Sharts, principal at Julian, stressed to Channel 2 News that there is not a hugging ban in our district or at Julian. The effort at Julian is to eliminate disruption in the hallways during the instructional day that has surfaced because of repetitive group hugging during passing periods by some students. This hinders other students traveling from one class to another, sometimes causing those not involved in the hugging, along with the huggers, to be late, or rushed, to their next class. There is also a sense that some of the students are pushing the limit as to what constitutes traditional hugging.
This effort is part of a larger initiative around respect and anti-bullying. Julian has reported an increase in respectful behavior as a result of this initiative.
It’s not a ban, it’s an ‘effort’ which is part of a ‘larger initiative’. I find this confusing rather than clarifying; I would have preferred an e-mail explaining a) how it was not a ban b) what it actually was.
Anyway, such is life…my daughter’s school makes the news not for excelling in academic achievement or clear communications with parents but for its ‘hugging ban’ (that is an ‘effort’, not a ban).
Comment by: benjamin ady
1Now I wonder what in the world this vague sentence could be talking about ;-)
Comment by: joe
2OK, someone explain what the problem is…
Comment by: Karen
3I don’t get it. What’s he talking about when he says “repetitive group hugging,” Helen?
Comment by: Helen
4Karen, she (the principal is a woman) means that if, say, 10 students who meet in the hall are friends, each of of them will hug the other 9 one at a time. So, a lot of hugging goes on which she says is unnecessary since they saw each other an hour ago and it can make them or others trying to get by them late for class.
Comment by: Julie Clawson
5wow this just really highlights so many issues in our world today…
Comment by: Helen
6Julie, you so are going to have an interesting time when Emma starts going to school…or are you planning to home-school her?
Comment by: Karen
7Wow. That’s a really huggy group of kids you’ve got there! :-)
I’ve never heard of excess hugging creating a problem before. My initial reaction is to say that all schools should have such a problem.
Do you think the hugging ban is an over-reaction, Helen? Or is it justified - if you know?
Comment by: Eliza
8Just imagine if every school, every group setting in our society had this as their main “problem” - !
Helen, do you know, are the group-huggers mostly girls? (Seems quite possible.)
One drawback comes to mind…besides clogging the halls…is what about the kids who aren’t in a group, who are being left out?
Comment by: Doreen A Mannion
9There’s hugging and then there’s hugging.
This seems silly on the surface - I’d like to give the school the benefit of the doubt.
Is it a popularity contest?
Does it make the huggers late for class?
Does it create a fire hazard?
What if boys and girls are “hugging” as opposed to hugging? (Much like there is “dancing” and then there is dancing.)
I wish too much hugging was the major problem when I was in junior high….
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