A high school senior was suspended for a year for hugging his teacher and consequently will not graduate on time.
Apparently surveillance cameras captured McNair approaching his teacher from behind and putting his arms around her. The teacher filed a complaint that he allegedly pressed his cheeks and lips on her neck.
Was he hugging her or grinding?
Remember the good old days when you could interact with your teacher with out an attorney or hazmat suit?
McNair says that he frequently hugs his teachers so it seems he is just a big old love monster.
The teacher claims that she told McNair that hugs are inappropriate but McNair denies ever being told such a thing.
Have you been to some high schools lately? I have spoken at a few schools in my day and I am just glad I did not get shanked...lol. So it is kind of nice that we have a student who wants to express some appreciation with a hug.
The sad thing is here we have a young African-American male who is being suspended because he hugged a teacher. This is another case of African-American men having to understand their filters and how the world sees them and responds. As a man you cannot just invade a woman's space uninvited but that becomes even more complicated when you add race into the equation.
I am a product of a Historically Black College experience where we frequently hugged folks.
I have also been an educator for 20 years and was known for hugging my students, mainly because I am Southern but also this is a practice of folks who grew up in the church and part of African-American culture. But I had to learn to monitor who and where I hugged as some folks as different cultures are not as receptive to such intimate contact.
I think this young man just used poor judgment in approaching a teacher from behind and obviously did not read her correctly as she does not seem like the hugging type.
Maybe teachers should wear coded bracelets to identify who can be hugged and who should be approached with caution.
Unless I'm missing something here, this teacher needs to get the stick outa her butt and learn that teachers teach more than whats in a book. If his actions were inappropriate she can teach him firmly but gently.
What is more likely is that the child was hungry for affection was open enough to seek it from an adult he trusted.
This teacher should perhaps learn a few things about nurturing children.
Posted by: dbmcwhite | 12/17/2013 at 09:30 AM
This is pretty interesting. I don't think the young man should have been suspended for a year or even suspended but you know how it is. I wonder what the case would be like if he wasn't an African American male(ponders on doing a study on what happens if the guy was white).
Posted by: Daisean Mills | 12/17/2013 at 01:37 PM
Students are very good and judging who to approach and who not to approach. We are half way through the school year, at some point he felt comfortable with being this close to her. As an educator I have had male students who were a little to frisky and I dealt wit them directly. It is a different era and culture.
Posted by: Shannise Jackson-Ndiaye | 12/17/2013 at 02:02 PM
I don't know--it seems like it went past a hug. And every woman on here knows it is inappropriate for any man who is not a love interest to hug you from behind that way. It is sexual and only OK if the woman is comfortable with it. It sounds like he had a crush and decided to get in a bump n grind off of an authority figure. I don't think he should be suspended for a year, but some disciplinary action was definitely warranted.
Posted by: Emiene | 12/18/2013 at 06:40 AM
I think that the consequences are extreme. As a Therapist I have to maintain boundaries but so many children are thirsty for affection that I made adjustments like giving side hugs and if a child is inappropriate I address it by telling them what is acceptable. This incident reminds me of the many extreme measures that schools in NC take over small things. I am from NJ inner city where they have way too many serious issues to be as petty and punitive as they are here. I hope that this student's parents take just as extreme measures to get this rectified.
Posted by: Isis Reddick Umoja | 12/22/2013 at 05:31 AM