Is hugging hip?
Many teens say that hugging at school is not a sexual or romantic gesture. It is simply the “hello” of this generation. Hugs range from the basic friend hug to the bear hug. Gender is no longer a barrier to this casual greeting.
Some schools, concerned about sexual harassment claims and inappropriate displays of affection, have banned hugging on campus or set time limits (three seconds, for example) on a hug. Enforcement must be a nightmare. In an earlier blog we reported on one school that gave detention for extended hugs.
Photo by Binababy123 (Flickr)
What do you think about hugging at school? Is it something you’ve grown up with among family and friends? Is it an extension of the handshake or fist bump? Has hugging lost its meaning or do you think it helps break down barriers. Have you sent someone a *hug* on Facebook lately?
This post was written by Tom Jacobs. Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including the recently published 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing). When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom can be found hiking, traveling and reading.
