 No offense to the lawyers I know, including those in my own family, but c'mon, it is getting nutso out there in lawsuit land. So teachers are not allowed to hug children. Makes sense. You have a nurturing roles where you play surrogate mommy or daddy, counselor, coach, dietician, mentor and more, but God forbid one of those little angels wants a hug. Now this is not news. I became a teacher for the MDUSD district in 2000 and I still remember the instruction I was given. Do not hug the children. And so I asked. What if they come up and hug me? The answer was, stand still with your arms out, so that they are clearly hugging you and you are not hugging them.  I should have quit right then. To hear those words, any teacher knows that is not reality. A child who needs a hug needs to be hugged. This is not some kinky abuse gesture - it is unfortunately part of a desperate need children have these days. I guess the home life ain't so good! So when I read this article about a Connecticut school, it reminded me of this little education gem. Yet another piece of insanity spurred on by the potential for lawsuits that lawyers are more than happy to deal with. Please let me know when teachers will actually be allowed to be compassionate souls once again. I would like to broadcast that event! MisterWriter |
Saturday, March 28, 2009
THE NEW DISEASE - EDUCLEGALPHOBIC RETENTION - AND FOR THAT YOU MAY NOT HUG A CHILD EVER! WHEN ARE THE ROBOT TEACHERS GETTING HIRED?
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5 comments:
Wow if every child that hugged me when I was a teacher/Sunday school teacher/ Youth director in the pat 20 yrs parents placed a law suit on me I would be in a lot of trouble. I have been hugged by students in the grocery store when they broke away from their parents and ran with excitement to see that I was some one other than a teacher. Or just because some kids like you said NEED a hug. I know there are days I need one. It is a proven fact that children learn better from those that really care about them and hug them (not inappropriately) LOVE IS WHAT MAKES THE WORLD WORTH LIVING IN.
Take me back to the good ol' days. A hug is a hug. Compassion is what is truly missing in this world. No wonder some children are so disengaged and robotic.
Very nicely writte Mister Writer.
typo - written
I support hugs!
We need to make some adjustments to our legal system to allow elementary schools at least to have hugs..even if it takes an act of the legislature which I detest getting involved in that level of behavior involvement.
Misterwriter,
I might as well quit now. With the number of needy children coming through the doors who aren't getting any physical contact (the good kind) at home, they are desperate. Such an edict just violates anything one knows about healthy children, and it wouldn't be an issue if they were getting their hugs at home. Somewhere along the line, someone told parents the same thing... and guess what? Middle schoolers and even high schoolers need the good stuff... parent hugs and positive physical contact. As a parent, you know I am challenged sometimes to even give one of my kids a compliment when we are battling about morals and values and life lessons. But I still find, in the middle of all that, the opportunity to put my arms around my kids and feel their stress abate, just a little.
What else can I say?
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