According to the regulations of two local secondary schools, public displays of affection – hugging and kissing – do not have a place in school. However, the rules, which are on the books at Myllytulli Secondary School and Oulu International School, are not absolute and displays of affection are not forbidden as such.
The “no PDA” rule was introduced at Myllytulli about five years ago after a number parents voiced concerns about the romantic goings-on of the school’s older students.
Among other affectations, some teenagers were professing their affection for one another by lying down in the hallways, understandably something the school administration wished to root out.
“The rule helped tone such problems down. The other rules, too, remind the students to consider others before they act,” says Helena Pirilä, principal of Myllytulli Secondary School.
Anneli Jokelainen, deputy head of Oulu International School, cited a passage from her school’s rulebook which states that students should display their romantic affection discreetly.
“Our school has students and staff of various ages and differing cultural backgrounds. This rule exists to ensure that everyone feel respected.”
Both schools inform their students about the rule every autumn at the start of the semester.
