No ban on Bridgetown hugging
Two Bridgetown school principals have set the record straight on hugging, a seemingly innocuous practice that has earned WA schools unwanted attention here and abroad.
A temporary ban on hugging was in force at Bridgetown Primary School during term two but is no longer in place, principal Judith Dadson said.
“There had been some inappropriate hugging going on and it was done just for a few weeks to put the kybosh on it,” Mrs Dadson said.
“I think if there’s something inappropriate going on, the community does expect action to be taken but you don’t want to go over the top either.”
A Bridgetown mother who did not want to be named said she had been concerned to hear of the ban.
“What happens if someone’s having a bad day and needs a hug?” she asked.
Bridgetown High principal Steve Bullied said hugging was allowed at his school.
“We do not have a policy against hugging,” he said.
“Kids hug each other all the time.”
However, the school had a separate policy about appropriate contact.
“We do have policies about safety which include no inappropriate touching,” he said.
A storm of controversy erupted last week after The West Australian revealed a Bunbury schoolgirl was given detention for hugging a friend in defiance of a school ban.
