Column: Keep public displays of affection off sidewalks

by Amber Blair

Finding yourself in the hallway face-to-face with a make-out scene is like watching some cheap romantic comedy. Between cuffing season and Valentine’s Day, the couples on campus have definitely increased and so has the PDA, or as I like to call it JPN – “just plain nastiness.”

I didn’t really notice all of the love and affection in our school until recently. On the way to class, I saw a couple kissing like it was the last time they would ever see each other.

In the cafeteria, a friend pointed out a couple making out at a nearby table. Of course, a little entertainment isn’t a bad thing between bites of my greasy pizza, but PDA is not appetizing. 

Normally, a little smooch on the cheek doesn’t bother anyone, but some students take PDA to a new level.

It’s no longer adorable to see that couple  in the hallway holding more than each others’ hands; it has gotten to a point where walking around campus can be downright disturbing.

PDA is a problem at schools across the country. In fact, a middle school in New York banned hugging and handholding altogether. At a Texas school, administrators removed the doors from bathroom stalls after receiving reports of inappropriate activities.

According to the  Henrico County Code of Student Conduct, “Students are entitled to a learning environment free of unnecessary disruption. Any physical, written or verbal disturbance, communication or activity, within the school setting or during related activities, which may interrupt or interfere with teaching and the orderly conduct of school activities is prohibited.”

I’m not sure about others, but  all of the spit swapping that happens on the way to class, during lunch and sometimes even in class is definitely an unnecessary disruption to the learning environment.

Of course, handholding and hugging isn’t harmful, but some students take PDA to an entirely new level. Principal Tracie Omohundro said that PDA is allowed at Varina as long as it’s not “excessive.” In other words, smothering another person in the hallway is not OK.

I don’t suggest Varina ban hugging or remove bathroom stall doors, but faculty and administrators should monitor and work to limit hallway PDA. Campus couples can also help out by being considerate of their peers. Whatever the solution may be, the hallway tonsil hockey has got to stop.