The policy was introduced at Hylands High School in Chelmsford, U.K., in a letter sent out to parents on January 9.
Executive headteacher Maggie Callaghan has defended the policy and said the school is focused on encouraging pupils to behave professionally.
She also said that most parents and pupils support the policy as it “encourages pupils to behave professionally as any future employer would expect.”
One frustrated parent, who wished to remain nameless, spoke to local media and expressed her annoyance at the new policy coming into effect.
According to the Daily Mirror, she said: “I couldn’t believe it. In this day and age, I agree that inappropriate touching—hitting and punching—of course has to be dealt with. But they’re not teaching students how to have a healthy relationship.
“The inference is that you can’t touch anyone, children won’t know what is or isn’t appropriate, and the ability to empathize with their peers is being taken away.
“I have a daughter and her and her friends greet each other with a hug, but if they do that now they’ll [face being] put into isolation.”
The parent went on to say she believed the rules were “draconian” and other parents shared her irritation. She also said that prior to the January 9 letter, parents were not informed of this policy being implemented.
She continued: “Human instinct is that if your friend fell over you might help them up. But now they’re having their privileges threatened such as losing their lunch or morning breaks, or even isolation for the day—which is all so draconian.
“There’s been a huge outcry from other parents. Partly because of the lack of communication with parents, all we’ve been told is what students tell us.
“But it’s also such an archaic approach and is not needed in this day and age. After the pandemic, where everyone was starved of human contact, you are now setting everything back. It’s not going to help students’ mental health either.”
The school defended the new policy in a letter sent to parents. It detailed that “any [form of] aggressive physical contact, hugging, holding hands, slapping someone, etc” is prohibited.
The letter continued " This is in order to keep your child safe. If your child is touching somebody else, whether they are consenting or not, anything could happen. It could lead to an injury, make someone feel very uncomfortable, or someone being touched inappropriately.
“While we want your children to make really positive friendships, hopefully lifelong ones, we don’t allow romantic relationships at Hylands.
“Your child is of course able to have these relationships with your permission outside of school.
“We want your child to focus on their learning while in school and we don’t want them to be distracted by relationship issues.
“In your child’s Personal Development lessons we learn about positive, healthy relationships and your child can still talk to a trusted adult in school for advice and support if they need to.”
Newsweek has contacted Hylands School for comment.
