Recently, children as young as 5yrs old at school have been charged and suspended just for hugging their friend or giving them an innocent friendly gesture.
A 5yr old boy was charged with sexual assault just for hugging his friend.
two 13yr old boys were charged with sexual assault for slapping girls' butts(the girls said they don't mind and they love that game).(I know that's not hugging)
The two examples were revealed on 20/20 last month.
A 13yr old girl was sent for detention for hugging her friend.
What is this world coming to? Why should innocent children be scarred for life and punished for doing innocent silly things and showing love and affection for their friend(hugging)?
What's wrong with hugging?
2007-11-06 07:21:21 · 38 answers · asked by Butterfly 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
Being charged with sexual assault can scar someone for life. That's what I meant.
2007-11-06 07:25:42 · update #1
I don't think it's ok for boys to slap girls' butts. I'm just saying that being charged with sexual assault is going too far.
2007-11-06 07:41:12 · update #2
I don't know about suspensions, that seems pretty harsh. I didn't see the episode of 20/20, but I'd guess there was more to the situation (history of other bad behavior, or repeatedly ignoring rules against hugging.)
I'm a school bus driver, and I have kindergartners who hug each other when they get off the bus. And I gotta say, it is a little creepy. Plus it slows everything down. Remember, cars have to stop and wait while I unload passengers, so there are people trying to get to work, waiting for these kindergartners to finish hugging.
2007-11-10 01:29:16 · answer #1 · answered by Mr. Bad Day 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is a world gone crazy with lawsuits and political correctness. It's also become a world where people are more likely to do whatever they want socially and think they can get away with it.
The kids ARE being punished in a way for showing their genuine affection for people. All we can do as adults is explain to them about there being a time and a place (and no, the boys slapping the girls' backsides is NOT hugging, and it doesn't matter that those particular girls like it. But should they be charged with sexual assault? Good heavens)...
If we teach children that physical comfort, hugs and affection are not to be allowed, then we are damaging our own future.
The overreaction is from people who are afraid of the world turning into a very frightening place... which, in some ways, it has.
2007-11-06 07:28:25 · answer #2 · answered by LJG 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's sad, isn't it? I remember reading or hearing some brain research that says we as humans NEED physical touch, especially kids and when they don't get enough of it, it messes up their psyche and even hinders learning.
When I taught Pre-K, there were all these rituals that were promoted by an educational psychologist that were supposed to help the class bond with each other and the teacher.....there were "pinky hugs" and "secret handshakes" and stuff like that. I didn't buy into all her new age stuff, but I could see some sense in the kids needing physical touch--especially if they came from abusive/neglectful homes and weren't getting that at home. In this day and age though it is so hard to do the right thing (or at least the well-intended thing) without someone getting the wrong idea and taking offense. I hugged those kids and patted their heads or shoulders and wiped their noses and tied their shoes and helped them zip their pants after they went to the potty, but my aide and I always looked out for each other to try and make sure that there was no room for anyone to criticize or misinterpret our actions.
We also had to monitor the kids to make sure that when they played with each other, their touches didn't become inappropriate......sadly there are some little kids out there who have already lost their innocence and are street-smart way beyond their years!
I had to rearrange my classroom twice and make part of the playground off-limits because there were blind spots I couldn't observe clearly and there were kids trying to pull other kids' pants down and such. (These were 4 year olds)
So while it is very sad, it is an unfortunate reality of the society in which we live. Some schools may take the no PDA thing to an extreme, but I understand why they feel the need to draw the line somewhere. One kid's "friendly gesture" may be perceived by another as a homosexual advance. It could lead to teasing from other kids if it were misperceived. I had an example of this in my classroom, too. One little boy (the oldest sheltered child in his family) was hugging another little boy (the youngest street-smart child in his family). The one being hugged was very upset by it, went home and told his parents, and his dad came unglued. So I can see how stuff like this can seem innocent but get out of hand.
2007-11-06 07:34:59 · answer #3 · answered by arklatexrat 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
People, mostly parents, are getting a bit too worried. Soon this world will be no hugging, no talking, not even looking at anyone anymore!
It's pretty dumb that people have become such freaks that they won't even let a kid hug. When I was a kid (I'm 21 now) it was perfectly fine to hug and to play tag and just be kids, we never had problems. Now parents and teachers are so worried about everything, and so sue-happy, that kids can't even be kids anymore.
How sad.
EDIT: When I was in high school I had a lot of problems with my father. The thing that helped me feel better was getting hugs from my close friends. Physical affection really does help people feel better...so what are we teaching kids when we tell them that affection is wrong? Stunting emotional growth can't be good...
2007-11-06 07:29:58 · answer #4 · answered by mathaowny 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The words are coming into fruition of, "cruel, cruel world."
This is outrageous to put this stigma on a child of any age.
This society are raising a bunch of irresponsible,non-feeling, uncompassionate people.
Watch that movie called, "CHILDREN OF MEN". The society of Government is stripping away the characteristics of Humanism. They have already broken up the family unit, disrupted the cycle of motherhood, implemented laws where the child is disrespectful towards the parents and have full reign. There are children out there that have accused their parents of molesting them with just a mere hug as well. This society in which we reside is corrupt and mentally twisted.
I would encourage every parent to take their child out of this public school system and teach them the best they can at home. I did, because the teachers are incompetent and it appears the system knows that if you destroy the seed and/or the mind of the young, there is no healthy future which leaves more control for the government. Open your eyes people and see what is going on. SAVE THE CHILDREN NOW PLEASE.
2007-11-06 08:40:05 · answer #5 · answered by benejueves 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
What is this world coming to, is right. These schools are going way too far these days. There should be more hugging in this world & who better to set the example, than the children. These ridiculous punishments can scar the youngsters for life & they may grow up thinking it's bad to show emotion, because a punishment will follow. What type of adults will they grow up to be? This country is so messed up!!!!
L.T.....So sorry & how barbaric can teachers be? They should be driven out of town on a rail.
2007-11-06 07:27:44 · answer #6 · answered by Shortstuff13 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I completely agree with you. The line has been drawn too thick.....to the point where people are going too far and it actually seems to have the opposite intended effect. We're getting less civilized by not allowing our children to show emotion. There's nothing wrong with a hug, unless the other person only uses one arm. Cheers to bear hugs!
And hasn't it been proven that touch, such as in a hug, actually boosts your immune system!? It's a sad world when we ask our kids to stop showing their innocent love.
2007-11-06 07:27:15 · answer #7 · answered by fiofunk 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
i ask the same sort of questions myself . how can we stop the world from any of this stupidity. you are right and the think tank making up these rules is wrong . i just cant understand why they are followed and adhered to . Do not give in to them. fight it all the way . can you imagine what the world would be like without a hug/ love/ frienship . where are we driving the next generation
another example of insanity and the country is being run by idiots
to raybdog England is the same!!!!
2007-11-06 07:27:01 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
The problem is with the liberal coward school administrators. They are paranoid about getting sued. Did you hear about the seven year old that got suspended for drawing a stick figure holding a gun? Turns out the kid had drawn a WATER pistol, and line line out of it was WATER !
Did you hear about this in my local paper? Jackson, Michigan-They have a school for grade school kids that mis-behave. Come to find out, the administrators were punishing kids for MIS-BEHAVING by SENDING THEM HOME. The educational system in the USA has diarrhea.
So, rather than acting like mature adults and taking case by case they just ban EVERYTHING.
2007-11-06 07:30:48 · answer #9 · answered by WooleyBooley again 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There is absolutely nothing wrong with hugging. A hug can be the best thing in the world when you're upset. It's affection! God, what is the world coming to these days?
2007-11-06 07:24:20 · answer #10 · answered by manhattanchicka 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋