Wednesday, October 9, 1996

Local teachers have different views about youthful kisses By LESLIE STRADER
Staff Writer

When it comes to youngsters showing affection, most Abilene teachers believe a kiss is just a kiss.

Many first-grade teachers in AISD say they disagree with the school officials in North Carolina who removed first-grader Johnathan Prevette from his class for a day and excluded him from an ice cream party for kissing a female classmate last month.

The school district originally said they interpreted the first-grader's kiss as sexual harassment.
But Abilene first-grade teachers said children showing affection toward each other is not only normal at that age, it's pretty common.

"I thought what they did to the little boy was silly because I seriously doubt he was trying to sexually harass that little girl," Alta Vista Elementary first-grade teacher Hainey Price said. "I'm sure he doesn't even know what that is."

Price said children giving or exchanging kisses in her class has happened only twice in the five years she's been teaching. What she sees more often is children holding hands.

"There's a lot of hand holding, and I try to discourage that because I think they're a little too young to be doing it," Price said. "But I don't think they're trying to be sexually explicit. It's just a natural thing. It's just their way of showing 'This is my best friend.' "

Bonnie Hood has taught first grade at Johnston Elementary for 27 years. Students' kissing each other is rare, she said, and isn't a big deal.

"It happens occasionally but not real often. And it's not always boys kissing girls; sometimes girls kiss the boys," Hood said. "Really, it's probably happened two or three times in 27 years, and it was handled - she doesn't like it, don't do it again."

The AISD student Code of Conduct does not discuss specifics such as age or grade level under the Sexual Harassment section. Garnie Hatch, assistant superintendent for student services, said it's written that way on purpose.

"It applies to everyone," he said. "The intent of the Code of Conduct is to make parents are aware of the process. We do take it seriously, from who to go to if you have a complaint up to expulsion."

In cases where sexual harassment is alleged, there is a specific, three-level process complainants should go through. First, the student and/or parent takes his or her complaint to the principal, who investigates the allegation.

If the matter isn't resolved to the student's or parent's satisfaction, a request may be made to meet with the superintendent. If the complaint is still unresolved, the student or parent may go before the school board.

Hatch said AISD has never had to deal with anything like the situation in North Carolina, but all complaints are investigated.

"We try to handle situations before they get to that point," he said. In the case of the first-grader, "you have to look at what had been done up to that point. Were there any other confrontations, any attempts made to stop it, or is it an isolated thing? There's so many variables there to deal with, you don't know."

Fannin Elementary principal Dr. Steve Galloway said he thought the North Carolina elementary school blew the situation "way out of proportion." Instead of punishing the child so severely, he said, they could've turned it into a learning experience for him.

"I don't think it could be sexual harassment at that age, but at the same time, kids need to know about inappropriate behavior," he said. "That opens the door for teaching kids appropriate ways to touch, and when and where it's appropriate. It's a teaching area. Just like we teach academics in school, we teach socialization."

Educators should never let political correctness get in the way of learning, Galloway said, which seems to be what happened in this case.

"We don't want them to fight, but we don't want them to express affection?," Galloway said. "If it doesn't get in the way of learning or cause a disturbance, it's no big deal.

"Sometimes I think we're so worried about being politically correct, we lose our common sense. Let the punishment fit the crime."

Bonham Elementary teacher Molly Lenker has 17 years of experience teaching first-graders. She said children often become very attached to each other at that age, but isn't anything more than friendship.

"Children become enamored with one another. They really love their friends," Lenker said. "Children are affectionate with each other because their parents taught them that. It's a natural outpouring of feelings.

"I don't think it's a sexual thing at this age. It's 'My goodness, you're pretty and you're my friend and isn't that wonderful!' It's definitely innocent. We shouldn't put political issues ahead of the welfare of the child."