A 6-year-old boy near Colorado Springs, Colorado, was
suspended from school for kissing a girl on the hand. You read that correctly.
suspended from school for kissing a girl on the hand. You read that correctly.
“It was during class,” first-grader Hunter Yelton
said in an interview with CNN affiliate KRDO.
“We were doing reading group, and I leaned over and kissed her on
the hand. That’s what happened.”
said in an interview with CNN affiliate KRDO.
“We were doing reading group, and I leaned over and kissed her on
the hand. That’s what happened.”
Not only did Hunter’s peck get him suspended from school,
but the school accused him of s*xual harassment, KRDO reported.
but the school accused him of s*xual harassment, KRDO reported.
Hunter’s mom, Jennifer Saunders, is outraged.
“This is taking it to an extreme that doesn’t need to
be met with a 6-year-old,” Saunders told KRDO. Now my son’s asking
questions, ‘What is s*x, mommy?'”
be met with a 6-year-old,” Saunders told KRDO. Now my son’s asking
questions, ‘What is s*x, mommy?'”
She said Hunter had problems at school before, getting
suspended for rough-housing and for kissing the same girl on the cheek. The
family has been working with him on “class disruptions” by grounding
him and giving him “big restrictions,” Saunders said.
suspended for rough-housing and for kissing the same girl on the cheek. The
family has been working with him on “class disruptions” by grounding
him and giving him “big restrictions,” Saunders said.
Robin Gooldy, the superintendent of Cañon City Schools, told
KRDO that Hunter’s record will remain within the district and that his behavior
fits the school policy description of s*xual harassment, which includes
unwanted touching.
KRDO that Hunter’s record will remain within the district and that his behavior
fits the school policy description of s*xual harassment, which includes
unwanted touching.
“Our main interest in this is having the behavior stop
because the story is not just about the student that was disciplined, it is
also about the student receiving the unwanted advances,” Gooldy told
HLN. “We have to think about both
students in the situation.”
because the story is not just about the student that was disciplined, it is
also about the student receiving the unwanted advances,” Gooldy told
HLN. “We have to think about both
students in the situation.”
Saunders said the girl in question was “fine with
it” because Hunter and the girl consider themselves “boyfriend and
girlfriend.” She wants her son’s record cleared of anything suggesting
s*xual harassment.
it” because Hunter and the girl consider themselves “boyfriend and
girlfriend.” She wants her son’s record cleared of anything suggesting
s*xual harassment.
“Remove it from his record,” she told KRDO.
“I need to stand up and fight for him. I can’t just let that happen
because it’s not the case. It’s not what happened at all.”
“I need to stand up and fight for him. I can’t just let that happen
because it’s not the case. It’s not what happened at all.”
Hunter for his part said he feels “sorry” for
doing something wrong and tries to be good in school.
doing something wrong and tries to be good in school.
“But I just have a lot of energy. Six-year-olds, they
have a lot of energy,” Hunter said.
have a lot of energy,” Hunter said.
They sure do, and as a parent of a 6-year-old and a
7-year-old, an innocent peck on the cheek or on the hand seems as natural for
kids this age as declarations of who they plan to marry.
7-year-old, an innocent peck on the cheek or on the hand seems as natural for
kids this age as declarations of who they plan to marry.
They don’t know anything about s*x or s*xual harassment. So
how on earth can they be accused of such behavior?
how on earth can they be accused of such behavior?
Reaction online to Hunter’s story has been swift, with the
majority of commenters expressing pure outrage.
majority of commenters expressing pure outrage.
CNN
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