'Touching Ban' Enforced in Kindergarten in Canada; 'Policy Is for Kids' Protection,' Says School

By Daniel Distant, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, November 06, 2013

A kindergarten touching ban was put in place Friday at a Canada elementary school and the new rules have some parents upset. Coghlan Fundamental Elementary school educators say the policy is for the kids own protection, but some Langley, British Columbia parents disagree.

The kindergarten touching ban was put in place Friday and parents were informed via a letter sent home with the Coghlan school kids. The policy was put in place because of "a number of injuries" because of play at recess, educators said.

"We have unfortunately had to ban all forms of hands-on play for the immediate future," the letter read. "This includes tag, holding hands, and any and all imaginary fighting games. … We will have a zero-tolerance policy with regards to hands-on play, resulting in the missing of playtime and trips to the office for those who are unable to follow the rules."

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Parents didn't take kindly to the rules, which they found overbearing and unnecessary.

"I was upset," parent Julie Chen told CBC News. "You are just trying to control them, and contain them, so they don't do anything out of the norm."

"I can't imagine little kids not being able to hug each other of help each other on the playground," she told CTV News. "Where do we draw the line? I am not going to tell my daughter she can't touch her friends at school. I am going to teach her boundaries."

However, school officials said the issue was planned as a temporary measure, and that the plan was to reintroduce proper, positive play after a while.

"We needed some time to teach them how to play safely," Coghlan Principal Barb Dayco said. "We wanted to teach them how to make contact in a positive way."

Despite the strongly-worded letter, educators say the language existed to draw real attention to the issue, not to threaten children with punishment.

"It wasn't meant to be an instantaneous situation where the hammer is just going to drop if a child touches another child," district spokesman Ken Hoff explained. "I think what it was meant to convey is we are taking the issue seriously."