School bans illicit kisses

By AINSLEY THOMSON and NZPA

Snogging behind the bikesheds is out for students at a Northland college where kissing, cuddling and even hand-holding are banned.

Otamatea High School principal Haydn Hutching has chastised pupils for showing "dating" behaviour in front of other students - some as young as 10 years old.

Students from Year 10 upwards have been caught holding hands, hugging and kissing on the lips around the school in Maungaturoto, 64km south of Whangarei.

They have been given on-the-spot warnings and reminded in the school's newsletter that "persistent failure to obey this rule can result in stand-downs or even suspensions".

Mr Hutching said the rule was not new; it had been in place for the nine years that he had been at the school.

He said no student had been suspended or expelled for flouting the rule.

"Our rule is 'talk but not touch' - we have no objection to students, who are fond of each other, talking but I feel if they start other behaviour such as kissing, that's totally inappropriate."

He said students at the area school, which has students from Year 7 to Year 13, had complained to teachers about the kissing and cuddling.

What he described as excessive affection by students was not a major issue as only about three couples had been caught.

"It's just one of those things that happen from time to time ... and we need to remind the students not to do it."

Mr Hutching, who has been teaching for 32 years, said other schools he had taught at had similar rules.

School Trustees Association president Chris France said he had never come across such a rule before, but if it was in line with what the community wanted, it was appropriate.

Hamilton's Fraser High School principal Martin Elliott - whose college has a teen parenting unit - said his school did not have such a rule, but it made sense.

Kissing or cuddling one's partner in the workforce would not be appropriate, so it should not be correct at school, he said.

Secondary Principals Association vice-president Graham Young agreed that it was an appropriate rule.

But one Whangarei school has questioned whether banning hand-holding is excessive.

Tikipunga High principal Bernie Taffs said his school had no formal policy on how student couples should act.

"Occasionally students hold hands but it hasn't really become an issue. Holding hands is a normal and healthy thing to do and if people say that's unhealthy, I think we've got a problem."

Mr Taffs said kissing and cuddling were inappropriate, but he was fine with students sitting in the courtyard holding hands at lunchtime.

The chairman of the Northland Secondary Schools Principals Association, William Tailby, said the issue was nothing new. With ball season starting, he said it was a timely reminder as "there is a tendency for students to want to pair off".