Mascoutah School Policy: What a Price to Pay for a Hug

A few days ago, a 13 year old student from Mascoutah Middle School, in Mascoutah, Ill, was given two days in detention. Her crime -- giving her classmates a goodbye hug. As the children were being released for the weekend, the student gave two of her friends a goodbye hug . It appears that the Mascoutah School System came up with the bright idea to ban any display of public affection on school property...this includes something as innocent as a hug. The policy 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." How the system has managed to turn something as innocent as a goodbye hug into something so sinister and dirty is beyond me. What is even more amazing is that if the accused student chose not to spend two Saturdays in detention, she would have been suspended. A crime befitting a hug, right? Not!!


America, what are we becoming. This is an institution of learning. What is this school district teaching its children if it is run by paranoia? So, if two second graders decide to hold hands as they are skipping along, they are embarrassing themselves, as well as the school? I don't know about you America, but I need to know how a school district could possible come up with something this stupid.

To Mr. Sam McGowen, District Superintendent, who fully agrees with this policy, it is not the children who hug their friends that show poor taste or discredits the school. It is you and all of the old cronies that came up with this sick, ridiculous policy. Shame on you.