Philip Morant School and College, a public secondary school in England, faced strong criticism after introducing a rule banning physical contact between students, including high-fives, hugs, and linking arms. The controversy grew after a student received detention for high-fiving a friend. School leaders say the rule was introduced after an increase in overly physical behavior disrupted classes. But many parents and students argue that it treats normal, friendly behavior as misconduct and prevents students from learning the difference between appropriate and inappropriate contact. A petition calls on the school to replace the blanket ban with rules that allow normal, consensual interactions while still addressing fighting, bullying, and unwanted touching. After receiving criticism, the school scrapped the policy.
The post Brickbat: Don't Slap Me Five appeared first on Reason Magazine.