“No Touch Policy” in Schools
Many schools have focussed on school safety on ensuring that schools are places where all students and staff feel physically and psychologically safe. The emphasis on safe schools has as much to do with changing social attitudes of the society as with increases in aggressive or violent behaviour, sexual abuse and other forms of behaviour which was considered “normal” in the past is viewed today as unacceptable and illegal. Males working in nurturing roles surely attract attention in today’s society because they are breaking out of gender stereotypes such as nurses, school teachers, day care providers, and full-time parents. Anytime people step into new roles, they face both institutional and personal roadblocks. What is so surprising, however, is the strident hostility from both men and women, faced by these men as they take on these nurturing roles. Male teachers face real personal and legal challenges about how they touch the children under their care. In schools, these concerns are more readily apparent to where the lines meet for the low numbers of male figures and the high needs the children have for personal attention from male teachers. These teachers are struggling more and more frequently with how to deal with these kids they care so much about.
Current introduction of “No touch Policy” into the education system where once showing of affection towards students was not considered an offence putsteachers under microscopic scrutiny are suddenly finding themselves targets of sensitivity of showing affection, touch awareness programs, and lectures on harassment. For example, female teachers have had to be called away from their own groups to assist male colleagues who are afraid to touch or be alone with a female child. According to Theresa (2003) said that an act of child abuse by teachers which is considered “rare” causes anxiety among male teachers when child sexual abuse policy has become embedded in the school system. A research conducted by Jones (2003) on Touching Children: Policy, Social Anxiety and the "Safe" Teacher revealed that male and female teachers are very much aware of their actions they might once have seen as pleasant, sensible or helpful are now uncomfortable, distressing and unpleasant. The research also revealed that children were often hurt and confused by the lack of affection and especially affection from male figures where they do not get much affection at home tend to crave for it at schools.
Touch deprivation was considered to produce depressive, violent or aggressive behaviour, difficulty empathizing with others, trouble expressing feelings, impaired social maturity and delays in development. One has to also look at the repercussions of the other side if there were no such policies in the education system where do teachers draw the line when it comes to showing of affection towards the opposite gender students. Not forgetting the sexual abuse cases that have been reported in schools between teacher and student, where history tend to repeat itself, so it’s safe to have a policy that safeguards everybody’s interest and well being rather then being sorry. Teachers who do their job with genuine passion for the profession and love working with children might find this policy as a major hurdle with regards to showing how much they care and feel for the children regardless whether it’s a male or female teacher. The outcome of this policy could only be learned in the long run with in depth research conducted in schools.
References
Garner, T. (2003). New look at no-touch teaching. [Online]. Retrieved on March 30, 2004 from World Wide Web:
Jones, C. (2003).Touching Children: Policy, Social Anxiety and the "Safe" Teacher. [Online]. Retrieved on March 30, 2004 from World Wide Web: