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asks:
Q:
Janet asks: Is it ok or right for a school personnel to have physical contact with a student?
"I would like to know: is it ok or right for a school personnel to have physical contact with a student, such as pulling up a students pants and putting a tie around the pants because he or she feels the pants are low? Is this a form of sexual conduct?"
Above question asked by an Education.com visitor after reading the article, "How Do You Know When Your Student Or Child Is Being Victimized and How Can You Help".
http://www.education.com/reference/article/iden...
In Topics:
Working with school administrators, My Relationship with my child's school, School safety (not bullying)
Above question asked by an Education.com visitor after reading the article, "How Do You Know When Your Student Or Child Is Being Victimized and How Can You Help".
http://www.education.com/reference/article/iden...
> 60 days ago
What the Expert Says:
Additional Answers (1)
Hi Janet,
This is such a difficult - and obviously very sensitive - question. For your specific examples, I think it completely depends how old the child is. If you're talking about little ones (Kindergarten, first, or maybe even second grade) then, as long as the child didn't feel uncomfortable, I think helping them pull up their pants or even giving them something to help keep up loose pants is fine. I can't imagine why a teacher would need to do those things for an older child so then I would question whether or not that's appropriate.
In terms of whether or not it's ok in general for teachers to have physical contact with kids, I think it's really sad that we've reached the point where teachers are afraid to ever touch their students. My kids are young (4 & 6) and in private school. I love that their teachers hug them when their sad or hurt. I also appreciate it when I see the teacher place a supportive hand on a child's shoulder when they're having a hard time with something. I think public school teachers are terrified to do such things because of the possibility that they'll be accused of sexual misconduct. Of course the most important thing is protecting our kids. So if that means that have to go without a hug from their teacher I guess that's the way it has to be. But I think our kids end up missing out on a lot that way.
Just my two cents!
Kat
This is such a difficult - and obviously very sensitive - question. For your specific examples, I think it completely depends how old the child is. If you're talking about little ones (Kindergarten, first, or maybe even second grade) then, as long as the child didn't feel uncomfortable, I think helping them pull up their pants or even giving them something to help keep up loose pants is fine. I can't imagine why a teacher would need to do those things for an older child so then I would question whether or not that's appropriate.
In terms of whether or not it's ok in general for teachers to have physical contact with kids, I think it's really sad that we've reached the point where teachers are afraid to ever touch their students. My kids are young (4 & 6) and in private school. I love that their teachers hug them when their sad or hurt. I also appreciate it when I see the teacher place a supportive hand on a child's shoulder when they're having a hard time with something. I think public school teachers are terrified to do such things because of the possibility that they'll be accused of sexual misconduct. Of course the most important thing is protecting our kids. So if that means that have to go without a hug from their teacher I guess that's the way it has to be. But I think our kids end up missing out on a lot that way.
Just my two cents!
Kat
> 60 days ago
