No Hugging in School

(Eugene Volokh)

A story from last Thursday's Orlando Sentinel (thanks to Robert Dittmer for the pointer):

[Nick Martinez, age 14,] said he quickly hugged the girl, whom he called his best friend, between classes. The principal saw it and hauled them off to the dean for an in-school suspension. The principal even told WKMG Local 6 that the hug was innocent....

The school has a strict no-hugging policy and is the only school in the district where hugging is not allowed. Under the policy, there is no difference between an unwanted hug, like sexual harassment, and a hug between friends....

The principal said there is no plan to change the no-hugging policy.