Walking down the hallways of any high school can be an adventure. The halls are filled with high-energy students, yelling, swearing and in short just being kids. Most of the activities are harmless. The occasional profanity is not an issue, but should we have to watch the long goodbyes?

Everyone in a school knows the ones I am talking about. When I walk in the hallways I could see at least three different couples in the halls doing whatever it is they like to do. Whether that is holding each other’s faces or kissing, it is uncomfortable. 

The majority of the students who take part in such activities would say “you’re just jealous.” In person, I would say nothing because I wouldn’t let such an “insult” bother me, but in my head, I am confused as to why someone would think I am jealous over your lips touching in a crowded area. Public Display of Affection (PDA) is something I wouldn’t take part in. To me, it is embarrassing for you to be doing that in a public place and most students agree.

Schools have policies that forbid this type of behavior on campus or at school-related functions. Schools typically have a zero-tolerance stance on PDA because they recognize that even innocent displays of affection can turn into something more. In the 2021 Kennedy HandBook, it states on page 34; Additional Prohibited Activities, “Any sexual activity on campus” is prohibited.

The Kennedy handbook leaves it to us and our imagination. What is the sexual activity? If it truly is prohibited, why isn’t there any explanation of what we shouldn’t be doing? PDA is not something teachers should have to police. Let’s face it, the definition in the handbook is unclear and no one is sure what should and should not be allowed. Where does the line of what is allowed or not need to be drawn? We have the right to do what we want in private places, but a public school is not private. 

It really isn’t that big of a deal if you are hugging or holding hands, but when it turns into long hugging, picking each other up and complaining about how much you’re going to miss this person even though you will spend all of that class period texting or Snapchatting them. It is unreal the way that human beings depend on others for happiness. At some point, it must come to end.