School bans ALL physical contact

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The parents haven't been informed by the school of this rule, but the kids have been told they will get a warning for the first transgression and then a detention is it happens again. No physical contact at all permitted. How are they going to enforce it and is this the case is any other school (from a quick Google I found that a school in Essex has done this) and AIBU to think it's ridiculous? I have 2 DCs in this school so it will affect them.

Same as banning any fighting, some will do it anyway. Can start from one puts their arm round another’s shoulder and the other doesn’t like it. Leads to an argument or physical altercation maybe. Even an accusation of bullying/intimidation. Male students especially tend to wrap their arms round each others shoulders and for some weird reason it gets them hyped up, start bouncing around like at a football match etc. Causes issues in the corridor etc especially with younger students trying to walk past. Female students tend to hug before each and every lesson as if they’ll never see each other again. In the corridors all grouped together. Causes obstruction and lateness again between lessons mostly because they drag it out like one of them is off to war. It’s weird but true. These are two of thousands of examples.

Sounds overdramatic and far fetched but when you’ve 1000 teenagers in a building these scenarios happen every flipping day and then you’ve student statements to get, consequences given, dealing with parents complaining etc if there is an escalation.

Most schools have this rule and if one student is upset etc and others are consoling them by hugging etc I’ve never known consequences handed out for this but for the most part them touching each other never tend to end particularly well and again for the most part it’s completely unnecessary.

Check out the Everyone's Invited website. Sexual assaults against girls in schools is prolific and not everyone is brave enough to call it out. Children especially are often scared of backlash, both the victim and those who witness it. Then there are general assaults masquerading as messing around. A blanket ban goes some way to helping this.

It must be the organisation’s policy (and a stupid policy in my view- withholding support from children if they aren’t good victims who does what they’re told?!’)

the legislation is what it is though- it’s the same in every LA.

@Dilapidateddilapidate I'm assuming the legislation only covers schools? The police told me the same thing- the parents must report it to the police.

What laws are there about touching? Can you name one?

No, they were incorrect. The legislation around reporting only covers mandatory reporting for certain professionals (teachers, doctors, social workers etc), and ‘reporting’ means reporting through their channels- not necessarily to the police.

@Dilapidateddilapidate thank you! This has been really helpful. It's actually explained a big part of this situation to me which wasn't making sense.

I haven't had a reply yet, will update once I do.

Having talked to my DCs, they aren't that bothered by bit, because they think they aren't going to get into trouble and the teachers aren't going to bother implementing it.
DH, who's been a secondary school teacher for 20 years, also says it's not a big deal and its just so that teachers will have the justification to deal with actual unacceptable behaviour. Well I hope so!

I thought dealing with unacceptable behaviour is always justified...hmm

What, not even a bit of light flogging or the occasional strap?

Even in primary school sexual touching is on the rise. I can imagine the outcry on here if someone's child was sexually assaulted -.hand up skirt, breast groped etc It would be the school's fault of course for not enforcing a no touching ban.

Usually a bigger issue surely? Sexual assaults etc.