Help Revoke the "No Touching" Policy at Kilmer Middle School in Vienna, VA!

Dear Board Members of Kilmer Middle School,

We, the undersigned, are here to express our concern for your "no touching" policy, and ask that it be revoked with other methods in its place.

Touching is an essential part to healthy human development and expression, and a powerful tool to build deep connections, personal safety, and share unconditional compassion.  By taking this means away from your students you are harming and miseducating them - telling them for the rest of their lives that all touch is immoral.  We feel this policy will lead to other problems.

Their development is harmed:

-         psychological growth is stunted

-         relationships are unhealthy

-         self-expression is stamped out

-         confusion on what is right and wrong

-         moral and social anxiety (fear of getting in trouble)

-         isolation occurs

-         resentment builds

-         repression occurs

What they learn from this will be passed on to the rest of their lives:

-         avoidance measures

-         maintain isolation

-         to repress emotion

-         not express themselves

-         teach their children that all touch is inappropriate

Without the knowledge and support of their educators on how to manage issues regarding touch:

-         there will be more problems outside of the school

-         feelings get built up rather than released

-         students will not know how to deal with feelings

As it is the responsibility of our public schools to educate our children, we feel it is better to speak with them and educate them on these matters rather than not deal with them at all.  We understand that you have cultural diversity to deal with, a school to manage, and also simply want to protect the students from violence and unwanted touch.  In exchange of the policy, we offer the following suggestions as possible steps to take to accomplish what the school authorities desire and to teach the students how to face life and healthily express themselves:

-         making sure the students know they will be listened to and supported if they have issues by setting an example of unconditional compassion and respect rather than avoidance

-         let the students teach each other about their different cultures, or have more discussions on what it means to be a citizen of a diverse country

-         showing those students respect by informing them how to manage these matters through workshops, so they see what is better for them and how to handle it when issues occur - respect them they respect you

-         training for the teachers on emotional self-care so they may be more available as a demonstration of healthy expression and self-care, and more emotionally available to the students

-         utilize guidance counselors and public speakers

-         training for the teachers on current teenage psychological development in order to best understand today's teens and how to help them, additional training on the benefits of positive touch

-         training for the teachers in how to handle violent situations, or a certain group, so they feel more prepared to face these issues with the children

No one said education was easy, and we greatly appreciate your efforts and work.  The above suggestions and those accompanying the signatures are feedback to help you in return.  We feel facing today's problems is better than avoiding.  Please help be an example for how the power of good touch can create more peace and harmony in our world.  Healthy children makes for a healthy future.