School policy creating sissies

Dear editor:

Mountain Home School District's "NO TOUCH" policy sends the wrong message to victims of (physical) bullying; it says "be passive."

This one-size-fits-all policy is convenient for school administrators; it relieves them of the responsibility to investigate the facts: the bully and his victim are punished equally. The consequence of this blanket policy is that adolescent victims are conditioned to be submissive to violence and oblivious to their rights.

Certainly as a practical matter the school needs a policy to address most of these in-house incidents of physical bullying (simple batteries) so as not to clog the courts with school discipline issues, but the policy should loosely mirror our system of justice by seeking truth and balanced punishment.

The "No Touch" policy is a quick fix for lazy school administrators. It runs contrary to law and the sovereignty of the individual. Citizens (including adolescents) have a right to self-defense. In fact, Idaho jurors are instructed that there is no duty to retreat when threatened or accosted.

So, what is a father to do when his son (or daughter) is snared by the No Touch policy for defending himself from violence or inappropriate touching? Praise and reward from dad will undermine and erase the otherwise damaging psychological hold of this inane policy aimed at feminizing boys.

One day your son will have the duty to protect a wife, a family and perhaps our country. He won't be able to stand up for others if he cannot muster the courage and self-respect to stand up for himself.

Win, lose or draw, a black eye suffered defending himself is a badge of honor and a step toward manhood. Sitting in the principal's office is a price worth paying for defending yourself.

-- Doug Traubel