District Superintendent Sam McGowen said that he thinks the penalty is fair and that administrators in the school east of St. Louis were following policy in the student handbook.

It states: “Displays of affection should not occur on the school campus at any time. It is in poor taste, reflects poor judgment, and brings discredit to the school and to the persons involved.”

What are we teaching children?  I might add, a friendly hug is hardly a “display of affection” in the sense of two hormonally-hyped kids are losing control under the bleachers in the gym, though there’s plenty of tradition to support that as well. 

Granted, this is not the same as a jail sentence, but it is the student equivalent.  Punishment has the same purpose, whether it’s ridiculously severe or relatively benign in the grand scheme of things. 

We want our children to grow up healthy, normal and engaged, and yet continue to add to the list of “bad things” kids shouldn’t do until we reach the point where the only safe position is total isolation.  Bullying presents a significant threat to students today, and yet when they engage one another in a positive manner, we penalize that as well. 

The policy as provided above scares me.  Is “poor taste” the criteria for punishing a student?  Who says a hug is in poor taste?  Since when does a quick half-hug between friends reflect “poor judgment?”  And how does having a happy, healthy and friendly school atmosphere bring “discredit” on a school?  This is just a warped perspective, demonstrating another simplistic reaction that will teach students that the world is run by frightened grocery clerks who want to outlaw any semblance of normalcy lest it offends their adult sensibilities.

When are the grown-ups going to pull their heads out of their hiding places and see what they are doing to children in the zeal to sanitize the world?