Swine flu! *gasp*
Those two words have caused a panic in public schools across the United States. Why? It's basically just the flu with an "exotic" name. Yet, schools are taking extreme measures "for the children" - and parents are letting them get away with it.
In New York (surprise, surprise...), schools are passing new "hands-off" rules. The schools are banning all physical contact. Now, a rule like this is a school's dream-come-true. Several schools have tried to implement similar rules in the past. However, the difference now is that there is no backlash against the schools for enacting it. Public schools have finally found a parental fear they can exploit to allow them to ban all physical contact.
Schools are going so far as to request athletes to limit skin-on-skin contact during practice and games. According to one parent:
Less contact would mean less germs and less illnesses and I think it's a good recommendation.Only it's not a recommendation - it's a rule. More accurately, it's a punishable offense. Fearful parents see this rule as a means to protect their children. Schools see this as an opportunity to gain further control over the lives of their students.
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