"Pupils at two schools in Essex have been banned from having any physical contact while at school.
Parents and carers at Hylands School in Chelmsford were told in a letter the ban included "any aggressive contact", "hugging" and "holding hands".
Southchurch High School in Southend wrote "students are not allowed to touch each other", with performing arts, sport and PE the only exceptions.
Both schools said they had received positive feedback.
The school's assistant head teacher Catherine McMillan, in the letter seen by the BBC, said: "We will not tolerate any physical contact within our community.
"This includes any aggressive physical contact, hugging, holding hands, slapping someone, etc.
"This is in order to keep your child safe. If your child is touching somebody else, whether they are consenting or not, anything could happen.
"It could lead to an injury, make someone feel very uncomfortable, or someone being touched inappropriately."
In the letter from Southchurch High School, also seen by the BBC, acting deputy head teacher Ms Murray said: "Students are not allowed to touch each other whilst on site."
Syl said
Jan 15 6:56 PM, 2023
Don't kids, especially primary school kids, forge friendships by physical contact?
Young girls often hold hands, link and hug each other...how the hell a sexual or intimidating context can be placed onto innocent interaction between kids, beggars belief.
"A secondary school that banned students from having any physical contact has seemingly backtracked on its policy.
Parents at Hylands School in Chelmsford were told in a letter it "did not tolerate" physical contact including "hugging" and "holding hands".
In a second letter sent a week later, families were told that hugging was expected if children needed "emotional support" from friends.
The school declined to comment further when contacted by the BBC.
Executive head teacher Maggie Callaghan said the original letter, sent on 9 January and seen by the BBC, received "positive feedback from parents and pupils alike".
-- Edited by Syl on Thursday 19th of January 2023 06:25:20 PM
Anonymous said
Jan 20 12:14 PM, 2023
Syl wrote:
Backtrack alert...
"A secondary school that banned students from having any physical contact has seemingly backtracked on its policy.
Parents at Hylands School in Chelmsford were told in a letter it "did not tolerate" physical contact including "hugging" and "holding hands".
In a second letter sent a week later, families were told that hugging was expected if children needed "emotional support" from friends.
The school declined to comment further when contacted by the BBC.
Executive head teacher Maggie Callaghan said the original letter, sent on 9 January and seen by the BBC, received "positive feedback from parents and pupils alike".
"Pupils at two schools in Essex have been banned from having any physical contact while at school.
Parents and carers at Hylands School in Chelmsford were told in a letter the ban included "any aggressive contact", "hugging" and "holding hands".
Southchurch High School in Southend wrote "students are not allowed to touch each other", with performing arts, sport and PE the only exceptions.
Both schools said they had received positive feedback.
The school's assistant head teacher Catherine McMillan, in the letter seen by the BBC, said: "We will not tolerate any physical contact within our community.
"This includes any aggressive physical contact, hugging, holding hands, slapping someone, etc.
"This is in order to keep your child safe. If your child is touching somebody else, whether they are consenting or not, anything could happen.
"It could lead to an injury, make someone feel very uncomfortable, or someone being touched inappropriately."
In the letter from Southchurch High School, also seen by the BBC, acting deputy head teacher Ms Murray said: "Students are not allowed to touch each other whilst on site."
Young girls often hold hands, link and hug each other...how the hell a sexual or intimidating context can be placed onto innocent interaction between kids, beggars belief.
Link.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-64237779.amp
That wouldn't fly too well around here.
Contrary to what Meghan spouted, we Brits are not all stiff formality.
Most people I know, hug and kiss friends and family.
But to punish kids as young as five, if they dare touch their friends whilst in school, is quite sinister imo.
Why don't they just destroy childhood and get it over with. All this woke shite is the modern equivalent of sending kids up chimneys.
-- Edited by Digger on Monday 16th of January 2023 10:21:57 AM
They want children to be adults before their time. Sinister to me
Woke is simply a new form of religion and many of it's fanatical followers are very sinister indeed.
Phil.
I hate the word 'WOKE'.
I know!
You are looking very good though Syl - those are some lovely photos you have posted.
Phil.
Thank you.
I will never get used to having white hair....but sadly, my brunette days were too much maintenance, so I am stuck with the au naturel look now.
While I find this rule to be stupid, I guess if you choose that school for your child, that's your right as a parent.
But if this is the public school and people have to use this school because private isn't financially feasible, this is a travesty.
They are both state-funded academies.
So do yall have local school boards?
Who are the folks in power above them, responsible for telling them to stop being dumbassess?
All the info is in here...This is how they should be run.
10 facts you need to know about academies - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Backtrack alert...
"A secondary school that banned students from having any physical contact has seemingly backtracked on its policy.
Parents at Hylands School in Chelmsford were told in a letter it "did not tolerate" physical contact including "hugging" and "holding hands".
In a second letter sent a week later, families were told that hugging was expected if children needed "emotional support" from friends.
The school declined to comment further when contacted by the BBC.
Executive head teacher Maggie Callaghan said the original letter, sent on 9 January and seen by the BBC, received "positive feedback from parents and pupils alike".
Chelmsford school that banned hugging appears to backtrack - BBC News
-- Edited by Syl on Thursday 19th of January 2023 06:25:20 PM
Pathetic.
Phil.