STOP THE MADNESS!

I really didn't plan on posting today because I'm busy, busy, busy. But...I made the mistake of checking out some "news" stories while I was on a break and look at what I found:

Girl, 13, gets detention for hugging two friends
Illinois middle school bans public displays of affection; parents urge change
updated 8:57 p.m. CT, Tues., Nov. 6, 2007
MASCOUTAH, Ill. - Two hugs equals two days of detention for 13-year-old Megan Coulter. The eighth-grader was punished for violating a school policy banning public displays of affection when she hugged two friends Friday. “I feel it is crazy,” said Megan, who was to serve her second detention Tuesday after classes at Mascoutah Middle School. “I was just giving them a hug goodbye for the weekend,” she said.
Megan’s mother, Melissa Coulter, said the embraces weren’t even real hugs — just an arm around the shoulder and slight squeeze. “It’s hilarious to the point of ridicule,” Coulter said. “I’m still dumbfounded that she’s having to do this.”
District Superintendent Sam McGowen said that he thinks the penalty is fair and that administrators in the school east of St. Louis were following policy in the student handbook. It states: “Displays of affection should not occur on the school campus at any time. It is in poor taste, reflects poor judgment, and brings discredit to the school and to the persons involved.”

(Full story at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21661718/?GT1=10547)

You have got to be kidding me. What's next? Placing muzzles on students who smile at one another too much? Automatic removal of vocal cords for laughing too often? Hermetically sealing kids in body plastic to prevent all human contact? Come on, society! This is positively Orwellian and for those of you who don't know what that means, look it up. I have a feeling we're all going to be way too familiar with that word before too long. And just to clarify...I do understand what the school board was trying to prevent (i.e, kids making out on school grounds, etc.). However, considering the fact that these are the very people who are, in theory, teaching our children things such as...oh, I don't know...the English language maybe...I think they could work a little harder at defining their "Public Display of Affection" policy by employing a more intelligent use of said English language so that they might better delineate the intended meaning of the policy from the broad interpretation so obviously being used by the school officials in this case. (taking a deep breath) This kind of blatant stupidity just TICKS. ME. OFF.