New ‘no touch’ policy implemented in Aldergrove school

Kindergarten kids at a school in Aldergrove are being told to keep their hands to themselves.

The new mandate was given by letter to parents of students in two classes at Coghlan Fundamental Elementary School on Nov. 1.

The letter was to inform parents of a new temporary “no-touch” policy, which bans kids from play fighting, tag, holding hands or even simply touching someone.

In the written notice parents were told the new policy came into effect after several injuries during recess in the past few weeks.

Ken Hoff, with the Langley School District says the injuries were minor, but they want to keep their students safe.

While some parents agree with the move, others say it is just going way too far.

“They’re stepping way out of the line on that,” says one parent. “That’s pushing bullying to a new limit. They’re stepping out of their grounds, I don’t agree with that. Playing is playing, touching is touching, I’m sure if it gets out of hand they can deal with it then, but kids touch each other. It’s not meant in harm. You’re going to put a kid in a bubble the rest of his life? He’s never going to learn nothing.”

Another parent who does not have a child in kindergarten says this letter makes her really sad.

One mother says she thought it was a little ridiculous. “I don’t think you can tell kids they can’t touch, especially in kindergarten, they’re too young,” she told Global News, “I think you need to teach them properly the right ways to do it. I think sometimes maybe the school goes a little over the top with their rules. I think it’s overkill and not really necessary. They should have dealt with the kids that needed to be spoken to.”

“It’s just turned into a big ordeal over nothing. I shouldn’t say nothing, a big ordeal over something that could have been kept small and dealt with.”

Penalties for having any physical contact with a classmate include no play time and a possible trip to the principal’s office.

Parenting expert Kathy Lynn says, in her opinion, the move is just silly. “Of course they’re going to touch each other, and you know, sometimes, one of them is going to fall down and scrape their knee, and that’s just part of being five.”