I Would Have Been In Jail For Life

There was a headline in the Des Moines Register this morning that didn't surprise me.

Iowa Supreme Court: 'Hugs can constitute sexual conduct' for teachers

We live in a different age, don't we? I'm certain the Social Justice Warriors are shouting 'hurrah' after the decision of the Iowa Supreme Court. 

If you're a reader of this column you know I taught secondary education in Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois for twenty years. During that time I came in contact, obviously, with thousands of students. 

Did I ever hug one? Absolutely! More than once even. Probably thirty times all told.

Did I hug them when they walked into the classroom after Christmas vacation? What do you think I am, nuts?

In 1986 our principal called me into his office early one morning during my first period class. One of my students in that class, a junior boy, was best friends with a buddy who went to another high school in town. I had been the second secondary high school teacher in the nation to teach a course on Death and Dying so the principal picked me to tell this young man his best friend had been killed that morning in a car accident. When I gave Steve, his name, the tragic news, I put my arms around him an hugged him dearly while his shoulders shudder and he cried and cried.

Two years later another of my students, a lovely junior female was not herself; mind wandering, morose. I asked her to stay after class(doors open, of course). I asked her if she had a problem. Immediately tears ran down her cheeks. She explained she was pregnant and was afraid to tell her parents. Mom and dad were good people. Actually, her father was a noted state Illinois politician. The girl was distraught. Guess what happened? I put my arms around her and told her it was going to be okay and then we called mom and dad. They came to school and the girl had the strength to tell them the news.

I could go on and on but you get the drift.

Since it was 1988 going to jail never entered my mind. Today? I would have backed off like an Anaconda blocking my path on a walk way.

Let's hope this Supreme Court ruling only applies to sexual contact, texting, Facebook and the other nonsense forms of communication.

I'm glad I left education when I did. Who wants to spend their life wearing soap on a rope.