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McNair Scholars Journal Volume 16 | Issue 1 Article 5 2012 The ouchiesT t Topic in High School: A Textual Analysis of Public High School Policies Regarding Student-to-Student Touch Adam Burl Grand Valley State University Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/mcnair Recommended Citation Burl, Adam (2012) "The ouchieT st Topic in High School: A Textual Analysis of Public High School Policies Regarding Student-to- Student Touch," McNair Scholars Journal: Vol. 16: Iss. 1, Article 5. Available at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/mcnair/vol16/iss1/5 Copyright © 2012 by the authors. McNair Scholars Journal is reproduced electronically by ScholarWorks@GVSU. http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/ mcnair?utm_source=scholarworks.gvsu.edu%2Fmcnair%2Fvol16%2Fiss1%2F5&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages The Touchiest Topic in High School: A Textual Analysis of Public High School Policies Regarding Student-to-Student Touch Introduction subdivided into categories such as sexuality, Human touch is socially regulated violence, romance, friendship, and benign because of its significance as praxis touch. I argue that these discipline codes for meaning making in culture. This are meaning-shaping texts that aim to regulation materializes in many ways, transform student conceptions of touch much of which occurs within and through into those prescribed by the school’s discourse. In other words, the way that administration. In regard to touch, many we talk about touch shapes the way of these conceptions have the capacity to individuals come to understand what will negatively affect students’ physical comfort count as “good” and “bad” touch. Thus, as well as their psychological well-being; this cultural focus on the nature of touch furthermore, these conceptions may between individuals frequently emerges in serve to hinder students’ capacities for discourse as a consideration of touch in communicating and meaning-making. terms of its relation to social roles. Our discussion of touch seems to concretize in Literature Review conversation about “appropriate touch” by Adam Burl News broadcasts and magazine McNair Scholar whom, when, and where. This discourse is highlighted in news-making events about articles have sparked major public debate what happens with touch in public schools. regarding student-to-student touching in For instance, when teachers are touching public high schools. Although the tighter students may be involved in touch regulation of school policies regarding discourse. Many students have highlighted physical contact began to emerge in the (and as this paper specifically focuses) how 1980s, the majority of public attention has students touch other students as well. One grown in the past decade. This is likely due place where this type of touch is explicitly to the growing media exposure to violence discussed, and therefore, “normalized” is (i.e., physical, verbal) and the explosion in the student handbooks and codes of of touch regulation within public schools. conduct for public high schools. Occurrences of these stricter regulations became extremely frequent after a 1999 These school documents offer a unique Supreme Court decision that indicated place of study because of the groups of schools as a liable party for damages in people they involve. Public high schools peer-to-peer sexual harassment situations are state institutions; therefore, the state’s (Thomas, 2007). Many schools may have citizens have interest in the policies that implemented new policies so that they Danielle Weise Leek, Ph.D. are established insofar as they necessarily would not be responsible since the schools Faculty Mentor affect a portion of their lives. Far more strictly forbade any type of physical important is that these documents involve contact between pupils. Administrators the regulation of behavior for minors justified these restrictions on touch for through a public institution. issues of hallway traffic, violence, and the Although high school student role of the educational institution, often handbooks and codes of conduct appear uttering, “School is a place for learning not humdrum and innocuous, they play a large … ” These new regulations often meant part in the broad discourse about touch in students could no longer hug, high-five, or America. They may be the most important even shake hands. In some instances, often documents in the controversial discourse highlighted by local and national news about student-to-student touching. The media (Celizic, 2007; Gray, 2007; and current project utilizes textual analysis Sher, 2011) students have been suspended to critically examine school policies and for embracing friends in school. In May individual rules from traditional public 2012, the Tennessee state government high schools in the state of Michigan. I passed a statewide bill that disallows any investigate the rules in these documents talk about “gateway sexual behavior” with a focus on touch. This concept is in classrooms (Taylor, 2012). This event 5 VOLUME 16, 2012 stirred an enormous amount of debate confirmed that they believe high school to simply news, but overtly entertainment and and the entire conversation about touch, be a preparatory ground and small-scale opinion as well. Important within the first children, and schools was featured on the model of what the “real world” is like paragraph of this article, is the mentioning news satire program The Colbert Report. (Raby, 2005). that prior legends and discussions about The issue of student-to-student touch Raby has shown that public high hugging and kissing children existed prior is significant because it enters the realm of schools aim to create citizens and promote to its own publication; this suggests that the public high school. The location of the self-discipline through the use of both these discussions took place long before public school is particularly unique for two prohibitive (preventing a certain behavior) this was published. The dialogue about reasons. First, it is a public institution and and proscriptive (promoting a certain young people and touch is not a new one, therefore meant to be used for the public behavior) measures (Raby, 2012). In this, but decisions were often left up to the good. Second, it deals with the subjects the high school handbook sets up the parents on how to bestow meanings about of children/adolescents. Because of the students to belong to a culture and function touch. With the possibility those students’ sensitive nature of ethical issues dealing within its norms. Additionally, students touching behaviors will be regulated by a with children and the overarching nature of have been shown to adopt the discourses public entity, the dialogue takes on a new public institutions, the conversation about of their school’s administration when perspective. Due to the importance of student-to-student touch will prevail in its speaking about rules (Raby, 2012; Raby touch in human life, this debate holds great relevance. While the argument continues & Domitrek, 2007). Raby has shown that repercussions. in the public sphere, the conversation fails even if students disagree with the rules set to address the how these policies may affect by the administration, they are often only Biological and Psychological students’ perceptions and actions outside able to speak about the controversial inside Consequences of Touch of high school. the language used by the rule givers. Harry Harlow’s (1958) particularly famous study, on the “affection or love Student Handbooks Discourse on Touch responses in neonatal and infant primates,” Past literature on content and discourse In the 1920s, American advice is one of the most commonly cited pieces analysis of school rules has focused on manuals on raising children began to of literature on touch. In the study, rhesus “zero tolerance policies,” dress codes, and advise parents against spoiling their macaque monkeys repeatedly chose the expected responsibilities of students children to avoid having them become pleasant tactile sensation over feeding. (Raby, 2005, p.72). Within the context of “sissies” or too effeminate. One manual Only after continual exposure to this tactile public high schools, zero tolerance policies read, “Never hug and kiss them. Never let experience did monkeys feel confident function by suspending or expelling them sit on your lap. If you must, kiss them to be able to independently venture students for first time offenses. These on the head when they say goodnight. out and expose themselves to unknown efforts are often established in an attempt Shake hands with them in the morning. objects. Harlow remarked, “These data to mitigate fighting and other forms of A manual by Watson read, “Give them make it obvious that contact comfort is a violence (Raby, 2005, p. 72). Brady (2008) a pat on the head if they have made an variable of overwhelming importance in has examined the high school as a culture. extraordinarily good job of a difficult task” the development of affection response, Students participate with artifacts and (as cited in Heller, 1997). A 1935 article whereas lactation is a variable of negligible rites of passage, and many systems of within an issue of The New York Times importance” (Harlow, 1958). Harlow beliefs and values are laid down for the serves as a good example of news that was concluded that touch rather than feeding, student to comply and obey; additionally, brought to the public about the topic of bonds infant to caregiver. This was one of axiomatic assumptions are deeply imbued touch. The first paragraph reads, “The the first pieces of social scientific evidence into the minds of parents, students, and latest bulletin from the child-study front that demonstrated the significance of administrations that are rarely challenged completely destroys ancient legends about touch in human life. Later studies, like and even more rarely noted as present. mother’s darling and teacher’s pet. Kisses those of Carlson and Earls (1997) showed Brady uses the term “mini-societies” to and hugs, at least in the home, do not turn that there was not only a psychological describe this social organization and notes little boys into sissies.

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