A recently concluded inter-school conference at The British School in the city saw the passing of a diktat forbidding public display of affection (PDA) in the school premises. Other prominent schools in the city seem to approve.
“This is a rule which came from the organising committee of the conference. But, we have a behaviour policy, including on PDA among opposite sex students. In a co-education environment, it’s very important to know where to draw a line,” says Vanita Uppal, Principal (Secondary School), The British School.
Other schools that are toeing the same line on the policy include the Modern School at Barakhamba Road, among others. “We do follow certain behaviour norms regarding students’ physical interaction in the school campus, which are conveyed very clearly,” says Lata Vaidyanathan, principal. Nita Bali, principal, GD Goenka World School, says, “We have a stringent policy on paper. In fact, it’s mentioned in the school almanac and the guidelines that are given to the parents. Students are monitored very carefully. Friendly contact is okay, but not PDA.”
Students, however, feel such a diktat is a “silly” measure. “It’s a bit totalitarian to say that boys and girls can’t even hold hands and walk in school! We are intelligent enough to know what proper behaviour is all about. It’s not like we’ll start making out in school if there aren’t such rules,” says 16-year-old Suchit Sharma (name changed to protect privacy).
{{/usCountry}}Students, however, feel such a diktat is a “silly” measure. “It’s a bit totalitarian to say that boys and girls can’t even hold hands and walk in school! We are intelligent enough to know what proper behaviour is all about. It’s not like we’ll start making out in school if there aren’t such rules,” says 16-year-old Suchit Sharma (name changed to protect privacy).
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