Hug earns Georgia high school student a year of suspension, delayed graduation

[Jesus Malverde]

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 teacher’s 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 district’s sexual harassment policy.

Sam’s mom, April, says she was shocked about the suspension, saying her son’s hug was innocent.

http://blog.sfgate.com/hottopics/2013/12/16/hug-earns-georgia-high-school-student-a-year-of-suspension-delayed-graduation/

[Vattel]

1. Seems like he got what he deserved.

[KurtNYC]

36. This the new version of news -- they delete, modify or ambiguate one word in the headline

and Bingo! "injustice."

There is no "story" if the headline is "Student warned, suspended for inappropriate hugs"

[Squinch]

41. Yep. Absolutely right.

[JimDandy]

54. He disputes that he was ever warned

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]

2. A 1 year suspension is excessive, but no means no.

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]

3. Misleading headline. When he starts kissing her next without her permission, that's per se

sexual harassment.

Especially after having been warned not to.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

4. that rises above harassment... n/t

[geek tragedy]

6. probably so,

I wonder if the kid has some kind of emotional/mental compulsion that needs treatment

[ProdigalJunkMail]

7. sounds like he might be a repeat offender

should have been checked after the first time...

sP

[JI7]

15. and parents who excuse his behavior and probably encourage it

[Brickbat]

5. Why did he put his arms around her and nuzzle her when she had told him not to do so in the past?

Sorry, kid -- you blew it.

[Iggo]

8. That's not a hug.

[leftyohiolib]

9. hard to claim innocent when the deed is on camera

[FarCenter]

10. That would appear to be misdemeanor battery.

People should learn at an early age that unwanted touching of another is totally forbidden.

[KitSileya]

11. oh, the cheap shot you lined up there...

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]

18. i think it's because he was warned not to do it before and still did it

[KitSileya]

23. I understand.

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]

12. I learned it quite early... and I'm certainly not clever.

I learned it quite early... and I'm certainly not clever.

[Squinch]

42. You are so!

[joeybee12]

13. A year seems excessive...although he's a senior and that's waaaaaaaaaaaay

too old to be doing that, first time or not...kid has issues that need to be dealt with.

[NightWatcher]

14. Why is it that some people just cannot keep their hands off other people?

I'll never understand it. Just don't touch. No reason, no excuse, just leave other people alone.

[JI7]

17. and people who have a hard time with life and not accepting there are some people

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. Unless this kid has some sort of learning disability....

....he got what he deserved.

[cbdo2007]

19. Shouldn't title read "sexual assault" rather than "hug"?

Wow, DU is losing it's touch.

[Comrade Grumpy]

21. I hope you're kidding, but it's really hard to tell here anymore.

[cbdo2007]

34. about what? Your response says nothing.

Care to have a discussion or are you just making random comments?

[geek tragedy]

38. Some people need to have the man be the primary victim, always nt

[cbdo2007]

50. still dont' understand what you are saying....

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]

51. I'm saying the person to whom you were responding is the

one who needs the man to be the victim.

[Jesus Malverde]

22. FWIW I use the article title so others can avoid dupes, when searching...

[Comrade Grumpy]

20. A year's suspension is way over the top.

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]

27. I agree with you.

[geek tragedy]

29. how is this 'wussification?' nt

[redqueen]

30. Interesting concept, "wussification"...

(and by 'interesting' I mean 'ridiculous').

it seems to be an idea espoused by... certain types of people.

[geek tragedy]

32. espoused by this kind of guy:

http://thewussificationofamerica.com/aboutus.html

About David A. Stewart
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. They’ve definitely sculpted who I am today. I’m 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.

I’m 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 today’s society.

[redqueen]

33. I was thinking more of Lew Rockwell

but yeah.

[Taitertots]

43. Watch the video in the OP. His suspension was so long because he has a history of behavior problems

AND he was warned in the past.

[RedCappedBandit]

53. In the real world, he'd lose his job for acting that way.

"Wussification"? You mean like being afraid to dole out real consequences for real problematic behavior?

[Humanist_Activist]

25. I don't see how zero tolerance relates to this, he put his arms around a...

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]

44. Uninvited, and told to keep his hands to himself on previous occasions, plural.

[JI7]

26. how is it zero tolerance if he was told not to do it before

[jberryhill]

28. Oh, you people who actually read the article think you know everything

[Taitertots]

31. I guess the real question is.... Is this young man a complete idiot?

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]

35. Over the top punishment...

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]

37. Common sense should be enough for him to know that he isn't allowed to sexually harass teachers

As if he needs to be warned that touching people against their wishes is wrong and deserves punishment.

[geek tragedy]

39. did you read this part:

Innocent, right? Not from the teacher’s 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.

Also, kissing someone on the neck is really over the top.

[TeeYiYi]

45. I didn't say he's innocent...

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]

46. Noone claimed he kissed her neck.

[geek tragedy]

47. erm

Sam touched his cheeks and lips on the back of her neck and cheek

Counts as kissing where I'm from

[newcriminal]

48. I'm glad we've never kissed then.

[geek tragedy]

49. so is my wife nt

[Kingofalldems]

40. That was more than a hug.

[Orrex]

52. It's getting so a man can't even sexually assault a woman anymore without someone freaking out.

Shocking!

[uponit7771]

55. +1

[redqueen]

58. It's so unfair.

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]

56. Clickbait SF Chronicle blog title...

The Atlanta TV station was no better, "Student suspended for a year for hugging teacher". Still not worth ruining the kid's life.

[fujiyama]

57. The kid should have used better judgement

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]

59. If this were a kid at a private school....

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]

60. codswallop. you seem to be laboring under the misapprehension

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]

61. I do know...

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.