| Orange County schools have adopted a hands-off | | | | indicated that either student did not consent to being |
| policy for their students and, on the face of it, this | | | | hugged. |
| seems like a good idea. It is designed to convey the | | | | Suspension from Orange County Schools an |
| message that aggressive acts between students will | | | | Appropriate Punishment? |
| not be tolerated. Why should we allow students to | | | | In this instance, both students were suspended from |
| hit, slap, or punch each other? In the adult world, we | | | | school. I have a suspicion that Orange County school |
| call these actions "assault," which is a crime. | | | | officials became frustrated with the male student |
| On the one hand, I get it: Let's teach kids attending | | | | and, rather than attempt to get to the root of why |
| Orange County schools that this type of behavior | | | | he continues to defy their authority, they decided to |
| has consequences from a young age. Hopefully, they | | | | make an example out of him and his companion. |
| will be less likely to behave in that way when they | | | | This type of reaction is common in many situations |
| get to be adults, when the consequences of a | | | | that come up in Orange County schools, as well as |
| criminal conviction for assault is much more serious. | | | | other school districts across the country. Schools |
| Students Suspended for Violating Orange County | | | | either can't or don't want to take responsibility for |
| Schools' Code of Conduct | | | | teaching children the right way to behave, so they |
| Recently, two students enrolled at Hewes Middle | | | | make a blanket policy for everyone with no room to |
| School were suspended for hugging, which is a | | | | look at individual circumstances. We all know the |
| violation of the hands-off policy. The official word is | | | | difference between a violent assault and a gesture |
| that the young man involved (he is 13 years old) had | | | | that is meant to comfort someone. The officials at |
| a history of defying authority and that is the real | | | | Orange County schools know this as well. |
| reason why he was suspended. The young lady (also | | | | The policies in place at Orange County schools should |
| aged 13) was sent home for violating the policy set | | | | be updated to have specific language in them about |
| out by Orange County schools. | | | | what is and isn't appropriate behavior. For the life of |
| I understand the reasoning behind the Code of | | | | me, I can't see how suspending two students who |
| Conduct at Orange County schools. It is to | | | | were demonstrating affection while at an Orange |
| discourage unwanted touching between students. I'm | | | | County school is going to teach them anything of |
| all for that. No one should have to be subjected to | | | | value. I would think there are more important issues |
| that type of treatment, but in this case, no one has | | | | to deal with. |