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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHug earns Georgia high school student a year of suspension, delayed graduation
Sometimes, you just need a hug. Other times, not so much as a Duluth High School senior recently learned, according to CBS Atlanta.
Surveillance camera footage captured Sam McNair as he wrapped his arms around one of his teachers and placed his head against her neck.
Innocent, right? Not from the teachers perspective. She says Sam touched his cheeks and lips on the back of her neck and cheek, and had previously warned him about giving teachers hugs. She filed a sexual harassment report and a hearing officer agreed that Sam had violated the school districts sexual harassment policy.
Sams mom, April, says she was shocked about the suspension, saying her sons hug was innocent.
http://blog.sfgate.com/hottopics/2013/12/16/hug-earns-georgia-high-school-student-a-year-of-suspension-delayed-graduation/
Vattel
(9,289 posts)KurtNYC
(14,549 posts)and Bingo! "injustice."
There is no "story" if the headline is "Student warned, suspended for inappropriate hugs"
Squinch
(52,352 posts)JimDandy
(7,318 posts)not to hug her before AND denies that his mouth/lips touched her neck. Not only that, but his parent was never even contacted or notified about any alledged previous warning. There are always 2 sides to a story. The teacher does appear to push him away, though, at the end of the hug.
aikoaiko
(34,201 posts)And it looked like the teacher was immediately unhappy when the hug went from an arm around the shoulder to a full embrace and smooch on the neck.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)sexual harassment.
Especially after having been warned not to.
ProdigalJunkMail
(12,017 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)I wonder if the kid has some kind of emotional/mental compulsion that needs treatment
ProdigalJunkMail
(12,017 posts)should have been checked after the first time...
sP
JI7
(90,233 posts)Brickbat
(19,339 posts)Sorry, kid -- you blew it.
Iggo
(48,195 posts)leftyohiolib
(5,917 posts)FarCenter
(19,429 posts)People should learn at an early age that unwanted touching of another is totally forbidden.
KitSileya
(4,035 posts)However, I won't bring that case up again. In this case, I will state that perhaps a year of suspension was a tad too much, unless the time is automatic - that he didn't graduate now, so he must graduate next year. I would have been happier with community service of some kind, and perhaps some therapy/classes on how not to sexually harass.
JI7
(90,233 posts)KitSileya
(4,035 posts)My initial reaction is as a teacher, where anything that delays graduation is a disaster of untold proportions. I am glad the case got a proper conclusion, with the boundary-crossing student punished, and the person whose boundaries were crossed supported.
And the similarities with the previous case is eerie... I guess he didn't have anyone to teach him this at 6.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)I learned it quite early... and I'm certainly not clever.
Squinch
(52,352 posts)joeybee12
(56,177 posts)too old to be doing that, first time or not...kid has issues that need to be dealt with.
NightWatcher
(39,353 posts)I'll never understand it. Just don't touch. No reason, no excuse, just leave other people alone.
JI7
(90,233 posts)who might be ok with it but there are some who aren't. and it's about respecting what the person wants.
i'm sure we will get people who come in and mention some time they hugged a teacher and everyone was ok with it. as if that has anything to do with anything. just because that teacher was ok doesn't mean all are. and if they say not to do it they shouldn't do it.
and i'm sure we will get the victim posts about how they are worried about whether to give their baby a hug and some other stupid shit.
ProudToBeBlueInRhody
(16,399 posts)....he got what he deserved.
cbdo2007
(9,213 posts)Wow, DU is losing it's touch.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)cbdo2007
(9,213 posts)Care to have a discussion or are you just making random comments?
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)cbdo2007
(9,213 posts)are you saying, I am the one having the man be the primary victim always, or the OP is???
I feel like we're having a communication issue. Are you sure you responded to the correct post?
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)one who needs the man to be the victim.
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)Not "write an essay on sexual harassment," not a one-week suspension, not a one-month suspension, not a one-semester suspension, but kicked out of school for a year, his senior year.
I agree that the behavior was inappropriate, but the punishment seems even more so.
The wussification of America continues apace.
newcriminal
(2,190 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)redqueen
(115,164 posts)(and by 'interesting' I mean 'ridiculous').
it seems to be an idea espoused by... certain types of people.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Author of The Wussification of America
I grew up in the South and am rooted in strong, southern values although I find myself to be a Midwesterner these days. I was raised on some pretty strong principals and philosophies. Theyve definitely sculpted who I am today. Im not better than anybody else, but I am sure not on board with the entitlement society that the good ole USA has become such a fan of lately.
Im a direct guy and the book, The Wussification of America, is a direct slam at the parents who have not raised their children to be mentally strong warriors in todays society.
redqueen
(115,164 posts)but yeah.
Taitertots
(7,745 posts)AND he was warned in the past.
RedCappedBandit
(5,514 posts)"Wussification"? You mean like being afraid to dole out real consequences for real problematic behavior?
Response to Jesus Malverde (Original post)
Initech This message was self-deleted by its author.
Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)teacher, uninvited, and nuzzled her neck, if this was a workplace environment, he would have been fired and subject to a lawsuit if not jail time.
Squinch
(52,352 posts)JI7
(90,233 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)Taitertots
(7,745 posts)I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and say no. Therefore he knew or should have known that he shouldn't hug her.
WTF is wrong with his mother. They are not taking anything from him, he gave it up when he choose unacceptable behavior to harass and/or intimidate his teachers.
TeeYiYi
(8,028 posts)Unless it's documented that he was ever warned about unwanted touching or unwanted "hugs", then a first time suspension is way over the top. The video mentions he doesn't have anything on file for sexual harassment.
Maybe an apology and an essay on unwanted touching. The suspension is way too much without actual documented evidence that he'd been warned in the past about his unacceptable behavior.
TYY
Taitertots
(7,745 posts)As if he needs to be warned that touching people against their wishes is wrong and deserves punishment.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Also, kissing someone on the neck is really over the top.
TeeYiYi
(8,028 posts)My point is that a punishment as severe as he received deserves at least one documented previous warning. I realize the teacher 'says' she had warned him in the past about hugging teachers but if it doesn't exist in his permanent record, it didn't happen.
That hug was definitely cringe worthy, and where there's smoke, there's usually fire. This videotaped incident should have served as his first and only official warning. The second offense would deserve the suspension.
If she really, seriously, ever warned that kid about hugging, there will be some reference to it in his school record.
TYY
newcriminal
(2,190 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Counts as kissing where I'm from
newcriminal
(2,190 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Kingofalldems
(39,171 posts)Orrex
(63,897 posts)Shocking!
redqueen
(115,164 posts)First no more sexual harassment in the workplace. Now schools are cracking down.
Next thing you know sexual harassment out in public will be legally actionable!
alp227
(32,449 posts)The Atlanta TV station was no better, "Student suspended for a year for hugging teacher". Still not worth ruining the kid's life.
fujiyama
(15,185 posts)The teacher didn't look like she was expecting a hug. It didn't look like she enjoyed it and she pushed him away. I hug people too, but only those I know on a social occasion and of course they are expecting it or open to it!
But a year and screwing up graduation and college plans? Totally over the top...
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)1. The parents would be consulted and he would meet with a counsellor.
2. If the situation could not be resolved, he would transfer to another school and he would graduate.
3. The incident would be treated with confidence and the child would not be on television explaining himself to the world.
Because the child is poor and has limited resources he is unable to do anything about his situation. He has no option but to go along with this over the top punishment which neither educates nor counsels, it only punishes.
We live in a society where young african american males have enough hurdles to begin with. Institutions like this school really do put children on a fast track to prison.
cali
(114,904 posts)that all private schools are the same. nothing could be further from the truth. for you to state what would have happened to this kid in a private school is a load of crap. you don't know. you can't know but that doesn't stop you from making up a narrative.
ugh.
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)Private schools are just that. Generally behavior has to be criminal and even then, a school will not go out of it's way to destroy a young mans life.
Perhaps you're not familiar with private schools, their mission and goals.