In Trouble For Show And Tell

Children of pre-school and early elementary school age do not give hugs and touches a sexual thing. Children of this age just want to show their feeling for the person, they give hugs, touches even kisses because they like a person. Whether it be an adult or another child. It has nothing to do with sex. Most children are not even aware of sexual behavior until they are several years older. There are cases where children of 8 to 10 years of age show sexual awareness, but not the younger children, if they do it is something they been taught. God bless the little children of our society when they can't even give a hug, because someone is going to call it sexual harrasment. The people filing these charges need to get a life, because they live in a very confused world of themselves. A small child laying their head of your breast is not sexual harassment, a man laying his head on your breast would be, but I bet the teacher would not file sexual hassament charges for that, it would not put her in the publics eye. What I'm saying most of these sexual harassment charges agianst children are done to gain attention for the person filing the charges.

This is ridiculous children this age need touch and to feel like they are accepted at school. Now they are making the system where it is acceptable to be afraid of the teachers and help just because the child shows how they care for the person by hugging. For some children in this age range it is acceptable behavior for them to give someone who takes care of them at school a hug. Where are the ideas and morals that this country was founded on.

I think this is ridiculous. American's have lost their minds. I'm not going to try and convince anyone of this fact, just take a look around, our priorities have gone in the gutter, we no longer value sustainable ideology... our culture is dead.

II have adopted three girls from Russia in the last three years. They were nine, nine and six when adopted. They had been deprived of love their whole lives. All they wanted when they came here, were lots of loves and hugs and kisses from ANYONE. They just felt the need to touch and be touched, in a wonderful way. To say that this poor child was suspended for a true, warm, wonderful hug, makes me think of all those poor children in the orphanages in Russia, crying out just to BE touched. And touch back. I am so glad my three daughters now know the meaning of touching and loving - in the way it is supposed to be. How sad this is as a society. If you don't love a child - they don't learn to love themselves.

Using the standard by which Christopher was judged, what was the school aide doing hugging the child in such a way that he could bury his face in her chest? Is this sexual harassment of a child? Could this improper hugging be called child molestation? Let's be fair here! If the child is judged by such a ridiculous standard, then the aide should be also. Oh, PLEASE!

I am outraged by this article. I am so sick and tired of the "political correct" attitude that is blooming in this country. If we're not careful everything our ancestors fought for will be gone. It is ridiculous for a child to be punished for absolutely NORMAL behavior. It literally sickens me to think about all those innocent children being punished for something so harmless. A child that young doesnt know a breast from a pillow. All they know is a hug makes them feel warm and loved and the softer the area the nicer it feels. There is absolutly NOTHING inappropriate about a hug from a child. The adult should be honored that the child wanted to hug her. What a useless excuse for a human being. Children are asexual until we feed them all the sex and violence they are not ready to handle on TV, the internet and video games. The people that should be punished are the ones making these outrageous accusations. When I read articles like this I find myself trying to think of ways to escape from this witless society.

It seems ridiculous to me as well, especially at that age. I would be furious. But, you have to wonder what affect a culture of pornography and sexualization has on young kids. I've been shocked at the programs my kids friends watch in their homes. People are so numb to the sexuality that they often don't even notice it. I can't believe parents let 8-12 year old kids watch shows like Desperate Housewives, or some of the reality shows on TV. It's just asking for trouble.

Chilren need to be taugh the boundaries in a gentle and loving way. Suspension from school and being labeled as a sexual deviant will not help them. The adult should have handled the situation better, either by letting the child know his actions were inappropriate, or letting the parents know what happened so they could talk to their child.

Whie it seems impossible that children so young could mean anything harmful with thier "hands on" learning about social behaviors, read the article about 8 and 9 years old boys allegedly raping a girl in GA. It is sad that our society has degenerated to this point. The part of this article I struggle with, is that the adult couldn't interpret the child's behavior. She could have gently told him that what he did was inappropriate, or told the parents what happened so they could talk to the child. So much of what children need to know about those types of boundaries need to be taught. Shame on those who think that suspending them from school and labeling them is the way to teach the lesson.

This is the most ridiculous things I have ever heard. Has all of society taken leave of common sense? Next thing you know we'll start doing this at doggy day care too - don't let the dogs sniff each others behinds (it used to be normal but now it isn't because we're a lawsuit happy society???!!!). INSANE! Like there won't be lawsuits for this. RIDICULOUS!

I have worked in the early childhood field for almost 10 yrs now- just within the last couple of years the "sexual harassment" issue has come up. A four yr old is now "able" to harass another four yr old? Children are being thrown out of daycares and put into therapy b/c of natural child development. If a parent truly believes that a four yr old can do this, then the parent needs some therapy too!

i hope that last comment was a joke.

This occurs in a world conditioned for CYA over child welfare, instead we need to aloow our children to be children. The other comments are to the point...it is a small instances noted in the story. Let's hope this attitude stays out of mainstream shcool administrations.

mscarri - I think you are way off base. Our educational system is much more sophisticated than you give it credit. There are nearly 80 million kids in school and your claim is based on what....74 of them? Please.... Not all administrators and teachers are idiots.

We are a nation of idiots....we suspend near-toddlers for being....well, near-toddlers and yet when grown men and women truly assault our young people (raping and molesting them) they get off with hand slaps.

And we wonder how come kids grow up hating their classmates and killing them Columbine-style...they never learned to love them.

**problem = much more than hugging.

I think the world is over doing all this crap they make a big deal of, some parents ought to sue the hell out of these schools my kids will hug all they want

I think its ridiculous!! How can students at the age even get in trouble!!? Who would even allow that to come into the courts, or principals office! kids touch! kids im sorry, at 4 and 5 years old, DO NOT know a THING about sex! or sexual harrassment!! it takes no understanding to them! for schools to NOT allow students to hug, or play tag, are so fricken serious!?! isnt this america!!!? wheres the freedom!?! wheres the allowing kids to hug, girls can hug girls bye if they freakin want to!!!! OMIGOSH this world is turning around!! i really do not want my kids to attend ANY public or private schools!! if they "hug" there friends.. is that harrassment!?! or hug a teacher!? are they really serious? that teacher- or "female" school aide, is ridiculous and schould not be allowed to work with children or have her own children, if she thinks THAT is harrassment!! 4 year old are at a very cute age- and hugging is something some really like to do. there is nothing wrong with that and maybe she should have moved her freaking boobs out of the way if she was that concerned.