From CNN.com:“A rule against physical contact at Kilmer Middle School, about 10 miles west of Washington, is so strict that students can be sent to the principal’s office for hugging, holding hands, or even high-fiving…
Unlike some schools, which ban fighting or inappropriate touching, Kilmer Middle School bans all touching.”
OK, I can see the purpose of restricting the public displays of affection. But high-fiving? Handshakes? Perhaps the principal of this school can explain:
“You get into shades of gray,” Kilmer Principal Deborah Hernandez said. “The kids say, ‘If he can high-five, then I can do this.’ “
Ah. The old slippery slope argument. My favorite logical fallacy.
I understand what led up to this rule being implemented (high-fives probably led to a fight; a hug probably led to making out), but it is still a mistake. Ban only the actual misconduct.
Banning all touching would be like banning all liquids from airplanes just because someone once used something liquid in a malevolent fashion. Or forcing parents to sit in complete silence at their kids’ soccer games because a few parents have been yelling rudely during the games. Or scripting all teaching because some teachers are so bad that it’s an improvement for them to do just do what they’re told rather than allowing them to think for themselves.
Speaking of scripted teaching, if you read my June 3rd post on scripted teaching right away and never looked back at it, check out the interesting comments now found there. One thoughtful commentor called scripted teaching an “imperfect-but-better” fix; this “no touching” rule may fit in that same category.
“Imperfect-but-better” is fine as a temporary fix. If the principal of this school stated that due to a lot of student conflict, this rule was needed for one month, during which a better plan could be created for the future, that would be great. But permanently banning all student contact smacks of being too lazy to figure out what really needs to be done.
June 21, 2007 at 9:17 pm |
I cant believe a school district has implemented a Zero Tollerance on No Touching. Give me a break! Hal Beaulieu is showing something that lacks now in most schools. It is called affection and LOVE! And I dont mean lust. The ability to care about someone. There have been 33 students murdered in Chicago by gang violence or guns this past school year. It is understandable that kids can be kids by pushing and shoving but a hug is not violence. Guns, knives, bullying, and threats should be ZERO TOLLERANCE TO THE MAX! I guess the principal and PTA President have not been touched in such a long time, they dont know what affection is. These 2 ladies need to grab the Arctic Jackets because that is the only thing that will keep them warm. I guess it will be okay when an adolescent grows up and can not express any type of emotion to others. The only emotion he/or she will show is coldness. The days we were growing up were so different. I guess Vienna Virginia is a very cold hearted, chilly and lonely community to live in.
June 22, 2007 at 8:10 am |
“You get into shades of gray,” Kilmer Principal Deborah Hernandez said. “The kids say, ‘If he can high-five, then I can do this.’ “
Sounds like the kind of adult that, for some reason, argues with kids after she has laid down the law.
She’s the adult. She’s in charge. She shouldn’t feel like she has to come to some middle ground with a 14 year old. And she shouldn’t have gone to such out of control measures. That new rule shows me that she is the one that isn’t in control.
June 26, 2007 at 10:56 pm |
I’m a student at Kilmer, and the truth is that they rarely enforce the rule at all. Vienna, Virginia is not a “chilly and lonely” community. It’s absolutely normal. So teachers don’t remember to enforce the rule. When they see kids high-fiving (a normal, every day action) they don’t do anything because they’ve forgotten it’s against the rules. It’s a stupid rule. I don’t deny that. But if they’re going to make a rule, they should enforce it. And they really don’t. The only time anyone I know has ever been reprimanded for physical contact (a congratulatory hug in this case) was 30 seconds after a Student Rights and Responsibilities presentation that addressed the issue.
In the school yearbook? People are touching on almost every page.
June 26, 2007 at 11:06 pm |
Gwen — thanks for the insider’s perspective! You say that if they are going to make a rule, they should enforce it, but I’m actually glad to see that your school’s teachers appear to have some common sense in all of this. Everyone’s better off not enforcing this inane rule rather than compounding the matter by strictly adhering to it.
September 17, 2007 at 3:54 am |
The kids do get in trouble. My son goes to Kilmer. My son has seen two girls told not to hug as they were greeting each other after summer break. (this was not the first time he has seen this) The problem is kids don’t know this is a moronic rule, and as such respect the authority that imposes it so many probably think it is a good rule….it isn’t
November 7, 2007 at 7:56 pm |
[...] Students, Teaching, Zero Tolerance, school at 7:55 pm by thirdgradeteacher Last June, I wrote a post about Kilmer Middle School’s zero tolerance rule regarding student contact. Students in that school who high-fived or hugged each other were in [...]
January 19, 2008 at 3:59 pm |
I attend Kilmer, and I have been given a lunch detention for hugging my boyfriend and scolded for hugging my friends multiple times. I’ve never seen anyone get sent to the Principals office for high-fiving, but I’ve also seen students being pulled apart for hugging. Like Gwen said, it’s badly enforced, but enforced all the same. It’s still ridiculous, and there are plenty of other ridiculous rules at Kilmer I could gripe about.
June 12, 2008 at 9:31 pm |
I am a rising 7th grade girl and will be entering Kilmer this year. It looks like I’m gonna have a lot to put up with…this is definitely a ridiculous rule. Oh well. I guess I’ll just have to remember not to touch anyone…good God.