Hugging Issue in Mascoutah, IL

If you haven't heard, there is a 13 year old girl who was recently punished for hugging a schoolmate. Hugging is not permitted at school. Her parents wentpublic and decided to say how silly they thought the rule is. So, since this is my blog and I'm a teacher, I will give my 2 cents. Let me begin by saying that I live about 10 miles from where this happened so I am familiar with the school and the town. Mascoutah, IL is located near Scott Air Force Base and lies outside St. Louis, MO. Mascoutah is what I would call slightly rural. Anyway, I think the issue should not be whether or not the rule is silly. I think the issue was that the young lady was warned, TWICE. Discipline handbooks were sent home and read to by the parents and students. She was aware of the rule and its consequences, so she risked it and got caught and now must pay the fine. I wish the parents had chosen to take their problem with the rule to the principal or school board, not the public. As a child, if my parents disagreed with the teacher, they didn't fight me over it. They made me pay the consequences and if there was a battle to be fought, they did it without my knowledge. I was raised to follow the rules. I can also understand their reasoning behind the rule. Sometimes, hugging can lead to inappropriate groping, feeling, etc. I have seen kids feel up another one in what seemed to be an innocent hug. Therefore, elimintating hugs eliminated the "feeling". Sure, its not fair that those who are "huggers" are included in the group of "feelers", but its being proactive. Which hugs are appropriate and inappropriate should not be left to the discretion of the teacher, there is waaaaay too much to deal with than deciphering a hug. So, make it simple and eliminate hugs. That way, I won't have to deal with what I've already dealt with before, "Mrs. *******, when L hugged me, he felt my butt." All she did was reach out to give what she thought was going to be an innocent hug. These kids were 5th graders. So, I hope that in the future parents will work with the teachers to support rules that we feel create a positive leraning environment. Maybe the rule can be no hugging during school hours. Its just silly that it has made nationwide attention.