So I just read an article from thebostonchannel.com in which a 5 year old kindergarten girl was punished for returning a hug to another girl. Savannah was on the playground when her fellow classmate Sophie came up and gave her a hug. Savannah returned the hug. She was made to write the following letter:
"I touch Sophie because she touch me and I didn't like it because she was hugging me. I didn't like when she hugged me."
And the thing is, Savannah had no problem with the hug. The teacher made her lie in the apology letter. The principal has said that there was some dispute as to whether one of the girls lifted the other off the ground during the hug. And I say, "Who cares?"! If your feet are lifted off the ground does that make it a criminal offense? Obviously if children are fighting they should have a punishment. But what does punishing aggression and affection teach our children? It teaches them that they have to be emotionless. And can you imagine an emotionless child? It wouldn't be a child! I am glad that her parents were apporpriately outraged and are removing their child from that school. But I can only imagine the many parents whose children have done the same thing but didn't protest at all. This brings to mind two things: I hate political correctness and I hate lazy parents.
And any teachers who read this: Use your common sense, your mind, and your heart when you make decisions. You will make a world of difference if you do. But you will ruin children if you don't.
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