Hugs Might Get You Detention

Have you read about the eighth-grade girl from Missouri who received two days of detention for hugging her friends? Apparently the school district has a strict rule against public displays of affection, which is evident in the fact that this otherwise well-behaved 13-year-old served her second day of detention yesterday.

The associated press quotes the student saying: “I’m just hoping the school board will open their eyes and just realize that maybe they shouldn’t be punishing us for hugs.”

Well said. For the full story visit MSNBC.com.

I agree that public displays of affection (often referred to as PDA in middle-schools across the country) is inappropriate. I don’t like doing it and I don’t like seeing other people doing it, but what is IT? I think the problem here is in the semantics.

According to the DatingTales First Edition Dictionary, public display of affection is defined as physical contact between two or more people romantically involved in the presence of others who are not romantically involved with the subjects performing or receiving the affection. Example: kissing (with or without tongue), groping, grabbing personal parts, or sexualized hugging. See bump and grind.

So there is your answer. I don’t think we should teach our young people that affection is bad. It is certainly not punishable. However, the grabbing personal parts thing may be.