Aussie school pupils stage protest after hugs and high five ban extended to 'all physical contact'

Year six students have staged a protest over a decision to extend a ban on contact sport to all physical contact including high-fives and hugs.

Students from Mount Martha Primary yesterday held a sit-in to highlight their anger at the new rule.

After the demonstration the pupils reportedly gathered in the school’s gym and were told off by their teachers.

The new rule was broadcasted over the school’s PA system with the children left to notify their parents, the Harold Sun reports.

Tracy, the mother of a student at Mount Martha told radio station 3AW her son had the wind knocked out of him on the playground and when a friend placed his hand on the child’s back to comfort him a teacher reprimanded him for breaking the rules.

Children have also been threatened with an instant detention for high-fiving other students.

However, Mount Martha principal Judy Beckworth said the practice was adopted in response to a number of playground injuries in recent weeks and would be only applied for no-contact games week.

The new move is meant to raise awareness that it’s unacceptable to play roughly in the playground.

Parents will be informed of the new rule through the school’s newsletter this week, that’s if they haven’t heard of it from their disgruntled pre-teens.

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