Posted on 11/06/2007 5:04:37 PM PST by Coleus
Two hugs equals two days of detention for 13-year-old Megan Coulter. The eighth-grader was punished for violating a school policy banning public displays of affection when she hugged two friends Friday.
"I feel it is crazy," said Megan, who was to serve her second detention Tuesday after classes at Mascoutah Middle School. "I was just giving them a hug goodbye for the weekend," she said. Megan's mother, Melissa Coulter, said the embraces weren't even real hugs - just an arm around the shoulder and slight squeeze.
"It's hilarious to the point of ridicule," Coulter said. "I'm still dumbfounded that she's having to do this." 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." Coulter said she and her husband told their daughter to go ahead and serve her detentions because the only other option was a day of suspension for each skipped detention.
"We don't agree with it, but I certainly don't want her to get in more trouble," Coulter said. The couple plan to attend the next school board meeting to ask board members to consider rewording the policy or be more specific in what is considered a display of affection.
"I'm just hoping the school board will open their eyes and just realize that maybe they shouldn't be punishing us for hugs," Megan said.
Mascoutah Middle School.
mascoutahmiddle@mascoutah19.k12.il.us
Megan Coulter
coulter? a future conservative in the works?
This is PC at its worst. This is the reason why we’re the laughingstock of the world — when it comes to absurdities like this. Guess the ACLU won’t be helping this poor girl, no?
I think it was her last name that did her in, not the hugging.
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No, moron, I'm sure the policy is to stop kids from engaging in sexual type displays of affection.
You going to suspend the football coach after he slaps his star running back on the ass for making the game winning touchdown ?
Meanwhile... under the table in the teachers lounge...
So I guess if my kids went there, I couldn’t hug them goodbye while on campus, or they’d get detention.
I understand no PDAs, but I sort of thought it meant romantic ones. Not little girls hugging each other goodbye.
Kinda short on the forplay cirriculum aren't they?
addition to my last post:...you can’t run, you can’t hug, you can’t sit anywhere but your assigned seat, you can’t bring medicines, you can’t have things like metal rulers that are deemed as “weapons” (your HANDS are weapons for crying out loud)...I am now, after 12 years of it, convinced that public school is an f-in prison.
Homeschool or private school.
But get out.
In the meantime, there are publicly-funded Arabic schools in Ohio & New York — and those students meet and greet each other with some sort of physical affection... I just cannot figure this one out...
Imagine the public school destiny of the poor kid who’s parents name him or her Reagan Coulter Barr?
She shoulda had sex with them, that would have been ok in todays schools
no more tag or dodge ball, teachers in some schools can not correct papers in red ink, you can’t take an aspirin, but you can get an abortion
It took you 12 years ?
"We don't agree with it, but I certainly don't want her to get in more trouble," Coulter said. The couple plan to attend the next school board meeting to ask board members to consider rewording the policy or be more specific in what is considered a display of affection.
"I'm just hoping the school board will open their eyes and just realize that maybe they shouldn't be punishing us for hugs," Megan said.
This is really sad. These parents are so dependent on a sick system. Do they really think that the school board gives a dam??? If they don't agree with it why are they letting this school punish THEIR DAUGHTER for not doing anything wrong??? WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!
Actually, all of the things you mentioned are valid restrictions in school today. Talking in class disrupts instruction; gum sticks to floors and desks, requiring time and money to remove; cell phones and MP3 players provide an avenue for cheating on tests and distract from instruction; hoods, hats and sunglasses all deal with gang attire and paraphanalia.
That being said, I think this rule is way too strict and the school needs to exhibit some common sense. The rule is there to stops the kids from making out in the halls, not to stop friends from hugging each other goodbye.
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