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).
10-09-2007 |
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