I ranted the other day about email forwards. I hate it when people forward me crap that says if I refuse to forward it on then I'm going to a: go to hell b: have bad luck c: not your friend. Seriously? are we 9 years old? I agree that this zero tolerance thing with PDA is ridiculous. What are they afraid of? I am a big hugger. I would be in big trouble if I were still in school.

I think there is something in the air causing IQs to drop. Commonsense is no longer valued. The US spends billions to fund a war that kills people, and yet, children, the elderly, the poor in the US are suffering with out basic needs being met or even having simple health care. What is wrong with this? You keep "breathing", Barbara. Sometimes a hug is the best medicine there is.

I am sure this is obvious, but I just want to point out that administrators prohibit public displays of affection for all students in order to prevent the abuse of them. I wouldn't want my 13 year old daughter seeing one of her classmates getting jiggy with some kid in the hallway. If you are a public administrator, you also have to be an egalitarian. If it's not ok for one, it can't be ok for others. As much as I hate the fact that rules like that control my child's ability to express affection for other students, I appreciate it that I can trust that the school environment will have a modicum of restraint concerning physical displays. I feel sorry that we live in a world where rules like that are becoming the norm, though. I wish our teachers (who must surely care about our kids and want them to be happy) didn't have to enforce rules like that in order to prevent some kids from exposing other kids to inappropriate behavior.

Don't have a 'rant' yet this morning, Barb, but sure I'll have one before the day is done. Just wanted to send you CYBER hugs to start your day with. HUG HUG HUG HUG

Heather, you bring up a very good point and I sure understand what you're saying. I wouldn't want my child exposed to any type of abuse either, but maybe we could find a way to show our kids the difference. Maybe a movie that physically shows appropriate and inappropriate behaviors. I don't claim to have all the answers, I'd just like to see each case looked at individually. Life just isn't always black and white and I feel our kids need to learn that. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, this is an emotional issue.

Barbara, I so agree with you. Prohibiting healthy behaviors in order to try to curb ones that even remotely resemble, for instance, promiscuity, is like throwing the baby out with the bath water. It gives our kids a warped sense of what's right and wrong, and messes with their developing emotions--how to deal with them, express them. There is an incalculable difference between a hug between friends and inappropriate groping. Why, in this day where disconnect is the norm, should we be okay with encouraging further distancing from basic, human, emotional needs? Hugs all around, I say. ;o) Have a great day, everyone.

My beloved Gram used to call that "cutting off your nose to spite your face." She had such a delicate turn of phrase. I just call it plain stupid. I think more parents should be more immediately involved with their kids--and not just the PTA--so that our children are at least gifted with the knowledge that they are loved and valued individually when they have to face the Great Stupidity of a Noseless World.

I have no problem with kids hugging at school. The admin needs to keep an eye on it, to keep it from turning into a make-out session, but kids need to learn what's appropriate PDA and what crosses into "Get a room." Sigh. I'll take hugging in school over guns in school any day...

Beautifully said, everyone. Not coming from a huggy family, I still appreciate those who would hug as to breathe. Just FYI, if I remember correctly, the Chicago Tribune reported that the anti-hugging rule was put into effect at that school to eliminate the congestion in the hallways, caused by what the administration perceived as kids glomming together in mass hug greetings, so that students could get to class on time.

I'm sure there's a rant in me somewhere, but right now I can't get any further than Adrian Paul! Hug Me! is not the first thing that popped into my head - There's no way I'd get off with just a detention. I would most assuredly be expelled . . . (I'll think about stupid people in positions of authority in schools later.)

Saw that piece in the news, Barb, and I agree ... we're a sorry society where we have to make rules like this to keep children safe. Having worked in the legal field for far longer than I care to think about, I've seem so many unnecessary (i.e. stupid) lawsuits make it to trial. (Don't even get me started on the hot coffee in the lap of an elderly woman who should have known better). People do not take personal responsibility for their own actions and somehow manage to find blame for everyone, except themselves. That MY rant for the day.

I've gotta agree with Deborah on this one... Stupidity must be airborne, and I'm beginning to think political correctness is contaminating the water supply. >_< Rules provide a basic framework for society to function, but there are going to be times when common sense dictates an exception to those rules. Unfortunately, there seem to be few people out there who are willing to use their heads, and fewer still who are willing to risk possible litigation for doing so.

I found out something interesting about the McDonald's hot coffee case mentioned by Liz above. Apparently McD's was using extra hot water to reuse the coffee grinds, so that they could save costs. They had been warned about it several times during inspections, and continued the practise. Kind of like keeping the Pintos on the streets and paying for a casualty or two along the way. So now I actually agree with the ruling against McD's, though I had previously used it as an example of a frivolous lawsuit. (I've truncated the explanation to fit here. Just a general piece of trivia for your day!)

We hug a lot here and had a hard time explaining this to my 15 year old daughter when she saw it on the news. She said her friends hug all the time and can't understand what's wrong with it. She feels it's part of their social setting and would feel more uncomfortable not doing it. It brought out a good discussion in our home and hopefully in others.

I live in South Africa where this is not an issue in schools here but I find myself agreeing with all your points Barb. Surely there is a better way to make children understand the difference between appropriate hugs and inappropriate ones. Ten years ago, when I was in school, hugs and hanging onto each other while we laughed ourselves silly was the norm. Kids need to be aware, but I don't think it should be to this extent. You know, if all our countries got together and created real tv programs to educate children across the globe, it would go a long way to helping kids become better human beings. A pipe dream, yes, but it's also sad that people are not using enough common sense these days.

It's sad to think that showing simple affection is somehow being thought of as wrong. My rant today is about 'text speak'(or whatever it's called) creeping into everyday language. I see people (or should that be ppl?) posting on forums (4ums maybe?) who always seem to abbreviate (abbrev8 ?) everything. How hard is it to type the whole word? Or am I just showing my age?? hee hee

Hugging is second nature to me too. Our family hugs hello and goodbye and maybe in between just because. I do so with my friends (some who weren't so comfortable with it but have grown to appreciate it and express that they love it about my family). Surely there are bigger issues for the school to worry about than hugging in the hallways. I think everyone has said it but I'll reiterate it, how stupid. As far as Adrian Paul... I'm so jealous (drool). Oh and Joan I am an advid "text-er" and hate the "text speak" myself. I use predictive text so I spell out all my words and it really isn't that hard and I can text as fast as the next person. It took me forever to get used to my sister's texts because I had to decipher everything. Drove me insane.

My rant is about the use of capital letters. wHy iS it coNsIdErEd cooL to USe tHeM iN sUcH a sTuPiD way? Who on earth ever decided it was a good idea? What's wrong with the gene pool?

Jacquie, to me it's hard to type that way with all the shifting and not shifting. It would take me forever to type something. I couldn't even do it for this response because I was getting goofy doing it.

Must rant about the hugging. I can understand why school adminstrators came up with the policy, but most people know what's a friendly hug and what isn't. Come on people. People need touch to stay healthy. They need it. A hug may be what keeps a kid from doing away with himself. Heaven forbid a teacher show a measure of concern by a hug. My rant is over.

Studies on babies have shown that hugs are necessary for emotional health. There is an easy distinction between hugs and salacious touching. Can we bottle common sense and market it as the next new trend? Just get celebrities to endorse it! I hugged a cop yesterday (i asked permission first). He helped me out of a situation and I wanted to thank him!

Not to beat a dead horse but I worked for McD's for 14 years and not once did I or anyone I know of reuse coffee grounds with "extra" hot water. I worked at 4 different stores (same owner)and made my way up through the ranks from crew to First Assistant Manager. Of course, I don't know what happened at that particular store but I wanted it known that it is not a standard practice of McD's! Okay, done. Hugs are wonderful. I am going to teach my son (now 15 months) about hugging AND about what is too much and how it differs for every person. Respect is what it comes down to.

Good morning Barbara! Thanks for this update! Sounds like the school district in Illinois relented a bit on this hug ticket! Yipes--I love hugs & they contribute so much to overall health! Good blog!

I am a little late in reading the Rant of the Day, but I just wante to say that everything is getting way too complicated. I remember a case a few years back where a 5 Year Old got expelled from Kindergarten because he kissed a fellow classmate on the cheek! And a few weeks ago in Traverse City, MI near where I live, the school ther outlawed tag during recess saying "it was unfair to FAT kids". Now this is just sad! I remember the days from playing outside and making up your own games. My family played "The fox and the goose", kind of a maze tag in the snow. Now it's computers, playstations, and nintendos. I'm not saying electronic games are bad, just time should be limited and outside play should be more.

Dani, it's never too late to join in. I agree with you that there is not enough outdoor playtime. Growing up my mom was always yelling, "Go outside and play!" (of course there were 9 of us) As far as tag being unfair to fat kids, I was a fat kid and games like tag were what kept me from being even fatter. It was probably some of the only exercise I got. And kids now don't exercise nearly enough. Anyone else remember the "Chicken Fat" song from President Kennedy's council on physical fitness?