School bans hugs and playground romance
PUPILS have been banned from having romantic relationships or from hugging at a school in Essex as part of new rules to make them “focus on their learning”.
Hylands School in Chelmsford has stated that physical contact could lead to “inappropriate” touching and it does not want children distracted by “relationship issues”.
Some parents have been critical of the “hands off ” policy but the secondary school insists most support the new directive, which “engenders mutual respect and encourages pupils to behave professionally as any future employer would expect”.
One parent at the school claimed that parents had not been told about the new policy prior to a letter being sent out on Monday by Catherine Mcmillan, the assistant head teacher.
They said: “I couldn’t believe it. In this day and age, I agree that inappropriate touching – hitting and punching – of course has to be dealt with. But they’re not teaching students how to have a healthy relationship.
“The inference is that you can’t touch anyone. Children won’t know what is or isn’t appropriate, and the ability to empathise with their peers is being taken away. I have a daughter and her and her friends greet each other with a hug, but if they do that now they’ll face being put into isolation.”
The letter sent by the school said that “any aggressive physical contact, hugging, holding hands, slapping someone, etc” would not be tolerated, adding, “this is in order to keep your child safe”.
“If your child is touching somebody else, whether they are consenting or not, anything could happen. It could lead to an injury, make someone feel very uncomfortable, or someone being touched inappropriately. While we want your children to make really positive friendships, hopefully lifelong ones, we don’t allow romantic relationships at Hylands. Your child is of course able to have these relationships with your permission outside of school.”
The parent added: “After the pandemic, where everyone was starved of human contact, you are now setting everything back.
“It’s not going to help students’ mental health either.”