If you need a hug, you won't get it at Percy Julian Middle School. Principal Victoria Sharts banned hugging among the suburban Chicago school's 860 students anywhere inside the building. She said students were forming 'hug lines' that made them late for classes and crowded the hallways.I find this interesting, because apparently this middle school is like ultimate. Or rather, I've experienced more hugs post-ultimate than pre-ultimate (excluding family), and it's not even particularly close.
Is there too much hugging in the world? I think there might be. I still have some issues with casual hugging--it strikes me as something intimate, not casual. Of course I also give off a "keep your distance" vibe that some people pick up on. I remember being at a party once when a person was leaving and was essentially going down a hug line. Then she says goodbye to me with a wave.
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"Is there too much hugging in the world?" I know you didn't mean it literally, but I think you'd have to evaluate this just in the US. Physical greeting seems to be a very cultural thing. In Japan, they bow. In Mexico, they kiss. In the US we seem to value our personal space more for some reason.
There have been studies that show that babies that are shown physical affection (holding) versus being left on their own are healthier. I would think that this would translate somehow to childhood and adulthood.
Now whether or not hugging becomes disruptive in school is another matter. I suppose it could. Seems a bit drastic to ban it, though.
Banning things, in general, is a weak response to a problem. It is an attempt to impose a bright-line solution on a complex world, and shows that an administrator isn't interested in working with a constituency to find a balanced solution.
I was going to say, a ban treats people as if they are children, and then I remembered that these are, indeed, children. But even children should be treated like adults as much as possible - creating the expectation of responsible behavior is how we raise them to be good adult citizens.
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