B.C. school bans students from touching each other

[coffeeFreak]

I can't post the words I used when I heard this on the news this morning, but...*bleep*!!

B.C. school bans kindergarten students from touching each other at recess
ANDREW RYAN
The Globe and Mail
Published Tuesday, Nov. 05 2013, 8:45 AM EST
Last updated Tuesday, Nov. 05 2013, 9:41 AM EST

How safe is too safe?

Everyone knows we live in the age of zero tolerance, but one B.C. school may have gone too far in banning kindergarten students from touching each other at recess.

CTV News reports on the recent decision by an elementary school in Langley to implement the no-touch policy. Coghlan Fundamental Elementary sent out letters outlining the hands-off rule last Friday and the new school week began with some parents bristling about the overcautious precaution.

Why did the school make the new rule? The letter cites playground injuries that have come from games and other forms of hands-on play. The letter also requests that parents discuss the touching ban with their kids and encourage them to play imaginary games that don’t involve fighting.

To quote directly from the letter: “We will have a zero-tolerance policy with regards to hands-on play, resulting in the missing of playtime and trips to the office for those who are unable to follow the rules.”

In a follow-up interview with CTV News, school district spokesman Ken Hoff said the new rule was in response to parents complaining about rough play at recess. He added that students won’t be severely penalized if they breach the no-touch policy.

“It wasn’t meant to be an instantaneous situation where the hammer is just going to drop if a child touches another child,” Hoff said. “I think what it was meant to convey is we are taking the issue seriously.”

On a broader scale, Hoff said the strategy for Coghlan Elementary was to begin with a no-touch plan and then gradually reintroduce appropriate playground behaviour.

Regardless of the school’s best intentions, some parents still feel the new rule is too extreme. “I get that kids have to have rules but at some point, where do we draw the line?” Chen said. “I am not going to tell my daughter she can’t touch her friends at school. I am going to teach her boundaries.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/the-hot-button/kindergarten-students-banned-from-touching-each-other-at-recess-by-bc-school/article15261638/

[Jo]

You've just got to be kidding.

Really?

REALLY?

Has the world gone completely mad?

Oh right, the answer is yes . . . yes, it has.

[Walking Wounded]

What a load of garbage. So kids can't even play tag at recess. Let the kids be kids.

[grammafreddy]

What's a "Fundamental Elementary School"?

[Logitack]

this is what you get when parent complain about "rough play" by "other kids" and for the school to take "appropriate" action. when the school does what parents requested, other parents complain about the "knee jerk" reaction by the district/school.

you just cant please everyone.....

/end sarcasm

[Veovis]

On a broader scale, Hoff said the strategy for Coghlan Elementary was to begin with a no-touch plan and then gradually reintroduce appropriate playground behaviour.

How bad is it at this school? Perhaps if it's the bulk of the kids not being remotely proper, but I find that hard to believe. I think this is landing on a "school not holding parents accountable for their kids" line.

[grammafreddy]

http://www.sd35.bc.ca/schools/coghlan/D ... 202012.pdf

Looks pretty strict.

[GordonH]

Just another step in the whole anti-social behaviour. If this keeps up (spreads) the whole idea of interactions with one an other will be completely gone in just a couple generations.

That kind of world would really suck... IMO.

[Nebula]

Next, touchless football and hands free karate.

[flamingfingers]

No Ring-Around-The-Rosie', no dodgeball, no 'Tag yer out'....No one to push you on the swings, no holding hands when you skip around the schoolyard..... No friend allowed to hug you when you need a hug....

Dumb idea.

[Jo]

Actually, tag has been banned from quite a few schools, which is also unbearably stupid.

And boys are not allowed to use fingers as guns. Boys are rough-and-tumble, and they love roughhousing, and guns, too. They don't grow up to be gun-totin' rednecks, either, hich seems to be the overriding fear of many.

Boys are the ones who really suffer with these stupid new rules.

[Logitack]

keep in mind this is a "fundamental" school, the "back to the basic" type school that parents are screaming for now a days. if those parents, who are upset with the new policy, do not accept/want the "no touch" policy, remove their child and put them in one the many "regular" schools. stop whining when you get exactly what you wanted in the first place!

[Fancy]

What's the name of the game where kids slap hands and chant? That was a good one for coordination. Sad to see that go.

[underscore]

So I take it this means no hugs, high fives, helps up/down, tag, baseball (or basically any sport whatsoever), grounders... Man that's gonna be boring.

What's the name of the game where kids slap hands and chant? That was a good one for coordination. Sad to see that go.

Patty cake or something? I know there's a bunch of variants of that.

[Fancy]

I looked it up and most sites refer to clapping games. Some are quite intricate.