Look but don't touch....or you might get counselled!

Throughout my school years, from primary school to high school, students were made aware of the 'hands off' policy (also known as the 'keep your hands to yourself' policy) quite early. Us students were banned from hitting, shoving and grabbing each other in a violent manner and it was hoped that such a policy would dissuade bullying. For the most part it seemed to work. During my school years I never really heard of many serious fights happening. Sure, I've seen students break the rule and get into a mini shoving match with each other (usually the result of verbal arguments gone wrong) and there were a couple of serious fights that might have erupted from time to time but I can count on one hand the number of times I've heard of such scuffles occurring - unless many more happened but I couldn't be bothered snapping out of my classroom boredom-induced daydream to notice but I digress.

Today, I read a newspaper story that looked at a primary school in victoria that took this policy to the extreme. Here, students are literally banned from ever touching each other. In addition to acts of physical harm, students are banned from totally harmless and friendly gestures such as hugging, playing tag or touch football, back-patting and even giving high fives. Yeah, sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? Students who are caught breaking this rule would be treated to 'counselling sessions' (a counselling session that lectures students on the dangers of high-fiving each other? Yeah, sounds intense!) and the school's principal stated that the policy would discourage students from engaging in rough play with each other.

All due respect to the principal, but I am taking sides with the parents and child psychologists who are labelling this rule as unreasonable, over-the-top and just plain ridiculous. Back in my day, we were allowed to high five, play sport, back-slap and even play-fight with each other as long as it didn't get out of hand and anyone guilty of punching or kicking another student (ie: someone who violated the 'hands off' policy) were punished. I didn't hear of any dumb rule that prohibited students from laying a pinky on each other. All due respect but this principal sounds as though they are too lazy to take care of problem students and so they took the easy way out and implemented a silly rule that, in their mind, would be a fail-proof means of putting an end to bullying.

But did it not occur to them that it would be damn near impossible to not accidentally touch another person? Would students be punished if they accidentally brushed against someone else when they were walking? Would they be punished for helping a student up if they tripped over? Would they be punished for putting a calming arm around a friend when they were distressed? Hang on, SOMEONE DID GET PUNISHED FOR THAT ONE!!!! Well played, principal. Way to punish an obvious bad seed that had the audacity to break your precious, oh-so-reasonable rule.

Seriously, I've heard of setting rules and boundaries for school children but this one is out of this world. While I am all for prohibiting students from pummelling each other, putting up a silly rule that is, quite frankly, impossible to obey is not only unreasonable, but it makes the school itself look bad. To the principal of that school, I have refrained myself from naming and shaming you, so I hope you don't put me in detention for writing this blog.

Oops! I accidentally tapped my friend on the shoulder. Oh rats! Here comes the counselling....