I think the DPS needs to worry more about the test scores and bringing up the academic standards and not as much about holding hands. This is just a smoke screen. As the ship sinks in Dearborn and our schools are sinking to the levels of lesser surrounding districts we need to look to what made us a great district. Kids graduate today with unlimited knowledge about keyboards and how to deal with a Bully in 10 different ways, but the don't know how to write a simple letter, review a book and they sure can't balance a check book.

This is ridiculous. Another sad sign that our world has gone way too far in being Politicaly correct. How sad that children are no longer allowed to be children. Gone will be the days two kids can celebrate with a hug. Two best friends can't join hands on the way to lunch. Picture your own childhood school days if you will dear administrators. Maybe you did not get enough love as children. God bless the Dearborn students. They are going to need it!

Have faith folks! The administrators did mention the phrase 'common sense ' somewhere in that explanation above? Or did they? Intertwining nationalities should prove interesting. What would they do in Europe, stop kissing on each side of the cheek in a greeting? No more shaking hands? Actually, that is a good idea as it prevents human contact and the spread of disease. We can always adopt the Japanese way of greeting, with polite bows. Many countries just use isolation to keep students minds on education, back to all boys and girl's schools.

Of course, in today's tech society, the kids are already way ahead of the administrators on this issue, they will be holding hands, and more, via their cell phones, and don't forget the dress code, it could be a lot worse than public showings of affection, as this video illustrates......

http://mail.aol.com/35478-211/aol-6/en-us/mail/get-attachment.aspx?uid=29134041&folder=%2fSaved%2fZ+File&partId=3&saveAs=Why_Schools_Require_Shirts_to_be_Tucked_in.wmv

When our kids catch up to the rest of the world with respect to education, they will be then smart enough to acquire a little common sense with respect to PDA. The key word is 'public'. Privately, the students are having a field day, and education for many of them is not a priority, at least for some students.

Define the definition of the phrase "common sense". Your definition is surely going to be different than someone else's. (esp. those with a nefarious agenda) Sort of like the word "may", a word abused and twisted, by "state" authorities and employers in every rules and regulations handbook. A word that rhymes with "may" is "gay". A once beautiful word that has been hijacked and trashed by others with an agenda. I swear that these ppl NEVER sleep/rest, in thinking of new concoctions to oppress us. All I can tell ya'll to do is resist.

Fewer public displays of affection........will lead to MORE public displays of ANGER

What is common sense? One definition (world wide version) is:

"the basic level of practical knowledge and judgment that we all need to help us live in a reasonable and safe way."

With that in mind, it is reasonable and safe for students to hold hands between classes, but 'unsafe' to procreate in the hallways , at least in public. That activity leads to other consequences, all dire and not common sense. However, it appears that the current govt, with free handouts to make such procreation safer, is fighting common sense that the parents are trying to instill in their children, so just what are our teachers teaching our children? There are some mixed messages here.
Do 'home schooled' students have these problems? By the way, home schooled students seem to be awfully bright, having won the National spelling bees etc more times than naught. Perhaps the parents should become more involved. Are parents allowed to attend schools and observe the classrooms and procedures??
In private schools, that is the norm. How so in public schools.? Which system has more common sense, public or private.? Which involves parents more in the system? Private of course, and the results generally reflect the involvement with higher marks and performance.

Many years ago when I was in school,(it would certainly be in-appropriate today), it was never considered immoral, sexual or abusiive, to snap a towel on one of your teamates butt in the shower. Or have a group hug before a game . What is the matter with people today?

If you are looking for sense, common or good, schools today are the wrong places to be looking. Students generally have better sense than the administrators, and the teachers are caught in "no man's land", charged with imparting nonsense to the young who recognize it for what it is and ignore it.

Does this mean that teachers can no longer have sex with students????

No holding hands because times have changed. Give me a break, if you want to talk this crap find some idiot who has similiar limited thought process.

"...Dearborn Public Schools Tighten Rules on PDA ..."
Seems to me that they might better spend their time and effort getting rid of incompetent teachers. After all, we the taxpayers pay for an "education" for our children, not to have them harassed for holding hands (among other things).

I don't understand why there isn't one policy across all the schools. What is the difference between Stout and Smith and Bryant? Why does Stout need "stricter guidelines"? Seems to me they should all be the same. What exactly is this policy anyway? Not many details given in the article.

i kinda like this one... i have an overly-affectionate 5 yr old, and one on the way.... we should have seen an issue, as at home, my daughter sometimes asks for hugs and kisses more than 6 or 8 times in an hour. some of you parents out there will say 'whats wrong with that?' well, sometimes when you are washing dishes, or chewing, or having an important conversation on the phone, its not appropriate to constantly have to hand out hugs and kisses. more importantly, it carried over to school. in preschool, we put up with it. but then in kindergarten, she was still grabbing on to friends, girls AND boys, as well as teachers who she had barely spent time with... some of her peers didnt respond well, either... we try to teach our child that affection is something that is given out in love, and we dont need to feel love towards EVERYbody that we meet... i think this is important because down the road she will be dating, and who knows how many guys she thinks she loves, and what else she thinks is ok to hand out with those 'affections...'

when my kids asked for a hug or a kiss they got it - I may have told them to "hold on a sec" if I was in the middle of something - but I never REFUSED my childs affection or my grandchildren's... that is why there is so much crime in school anymore - no one can show emotion for fear of getting kicked out or some other form of displinary action for a simply hug, high five, or even a kiss on the cheek - now it is considered "dirty", "sexual" or other demeaning words. If there are high school kids caught "kissing" under the stairs or in hallways - then haul them into the office, but a 5 yr old hugging a friend - and then getting kicked out of school for that!! Give me a break! People bitch and complain because kids nowadays don't show any emotion etc... well this is why - work on the education of schooling in schools and teach kids right and wrong - damn, sounds like a concentration camp in schools nowadays.

Want your kid to break out of the 'concentration camp' of the public school system? If you have the time, then home schooling is the obvious choice. Want some reasons'
Check them out on this link...
http://www.successful-homeschooling.com/homeschooling-vs-public-schooling.html

Some of the obvious reasons for home schooling vs Public schooling are :
Academics,,,,,,,,,,
direct one-on-one vs one out of 31,
Parent direct and monitored....vs limited parental involvement
Students at own pace vs adherence to arbitrary scope and sequence
Two way dialogue vs Lecture

Environment............
Cooperative vs Lecture
Real life & multi age vs segregated by age, income, and often, race.
Physicallly and emotionally safe vs Danger of Bullies, verbal abuse, and assault
Consistent , secure vs Changes from year to year
Encouragement Vs Negative peer pressure

Values..........
Independence vs Dependence on teacher, government
Self motivation vs External rewards and consequences
Creativity vs Adherence to standards
Tolerance , individuality vs Pecking order, conformity
Family vs Teachers, peers

There are more, but you get the idea. Montessori is close to Home school, but has a 3 to 1 student teacher ratio, and the teachers give progress updates every week, not every day feedback like home school. How many progress updates do you get from public school?

Well now; that should mean that they can't play football or basketball because they will have to touch each other..................How sick these B*****D's are. People in society today have gone crazy. No common sense anymore.

Who do they think they are bringing up these days? ROBOTS? Or human being children. If you bottle up too much youthful energy, just like any pressure cooker going unchecked, it will EXPLODE!

Sheesh, talk about being controlling! That school district should worry LESS about hand-holding, and feelings of love between students, and MORE about test scores! Lighten up, peeps.