Keller school bans hugs and hand-holding
08:19 PM CDT on Saturday, September 29, 2007
By CHRIS HAWES / WFAA-TV
WFAA-TV
Some students say they want to hold hands.
KELLER - No hugging allowed.
Holding hands?
Don't even think about.
One North Texas school forbids it all and arguing about it could lead to much worse.
That ban at Fossil Hill Middle School has left many students and parents bitter.
You might not give much thought to how often you hug a friend, or hold a hand. Neither did these some students at the school until they were told they couldn't.
Ashley Highberger's a good student but Monday, she did something that earned a quick reprimand from a nearby teacher - she held a friend's hand.
"She said it was a PDA and I don't think that it is because it's really not sexual at all," Highberger said.
"I hold hands with everybody. I hold hands with Kayleen all the time too."
Principal Dave Hadley confirms Fossil Hill Middle School rules prohibit any hand-holding, as well as hugs.
"Teachers will politely say: 'Hey no public display of affection,'" Hadley said.
"I think it's kind of like if you let the camel put his head in the tent, next thing you know, the camel's going to be inside the tent."
Hadley also worries it could lead to sexual harassment but Ashley's mother disagrees, saying she raised her daughter to be affectionate.
"There's nothing wrong with it," Stacy DiMaggio said.
She's supporting her daughter as she circulates a petition to lift the ban.
So far, the middle schooler's gotten nearly 300 other Seventh and Eighth graders to sign it.
Hadley compliments her democratic approach but doubts it will work.
"We just feel that if we have a policy that says we don't hug, we don't hold hands, we don't kiss here at school that everybody knows and everybody understands. Then they can focus on their education and not hugging," Hadley said.
In Keller ISD, each school can set its own rules about displays of affection. We checked with Fort Worth and Dallas and found both districts' policies do allow for hugging and hand-holding. However, a principal can set stricter rules if needed.
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