School enforces strict no-touching rule

In a move that shouldn't be surprising nowadays in our politically-correct and lawsuit-happy society, a middle school in Virginia has established a strict no-touching policy. Not even high-fives. How Orwellian, eh?

While the reasoning may certainly be understandable - the school wants to discourage both public expressions of affection as well as fighting - the application of that reasoning is rather draconian. However, it's easy to understand why school administrators would be pushed to such extreme measures, given that our society is so quick to sue over just about anything. What else can they do to cover their respective buttocks other than to make and enforce such obviously ridiculous policies?

The thing that this story represents is NOT a problem so much as it is a symptom of a larger problem, and that problem is our current legalistic scare tactics that has everyone from schools to the medical industry intimidated to virtually the point of paralysis over the possibility that someone with an axe to grind can put them through possibly years of legal and financial hell, and sometimes for the most frivolous of things. So rather than go through such legal and financial stress, it's easier to just give in - even if the result of that is a bunch of ridiculous rules.

Fixing this larger problem won't be easy, because things got the way they are over a period of many years, and it will take probably as long to correct. In the meantime, we're going to have more such ridiculous rules until such time that reason rules instead of the Mike Nifongs of the world. Sadly, it's probably going to take more Mike Nifongs to make the news before any serious change will occur. All the more reason why we have to be selective in who we vote for, folks! Remember this in 2008!