re: Did he overstep his boundries?

I am sure the boys had a choice. I think its awesome. Take it from someone who has been suspended..its a vacation!!!!...of course if I could rewind time I wouldnt have been such an ass!

If my kids are fighting I make them stop to hug it out.
I think it's a great 'punishment'.

Quoting IDID-VBAC 12/09:" Ugh, I think it is great and not the least bit harmful. They are high school students for crying out ... [snip!] ... other to fight they can hold hands for an hour. I live in AZ as well so now we are going to be hearing about this for months."

This. It's not a bad punishment at all. Those whining need to get over it.

When I got in trouble for fighting I had a 3 day suspension, stuck in a room alone with that girl. We were best friends by the 3rd hour, lol

It's a violation of their bodily rights.

I'm usually supportive of public humiliation, but forcing them to touch was wrong.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Viv, Ev & Gwen ♥:</b>" It's a violation of their bodily rights. I'm usually supportive of public humiliation, but forcing them to touch was wrong."</blockquote>




They weren't smurfing forced! They had a CHOICE!
God.

I think it's a great alternative to suspension. The boys had a choice, they were not forced. The principal could have just suspended them but he didn't and he provided them with another option and I think it was a very clever option.

I don't promote public humiliation for a young child, but I don't think it's damaging for a kid that age. Especially when they were able to choose their punishment.

Quoting Brink:" I think it's fine. He didn't force them to hold hands. They could of taken the suspension."

Yep. This.

I guess I wouldn't have even went to the whole "public humiliation" conclusion. I just thought that he was getting them to settle next to each other and understand that this was an actual human being they were fighting and give them an hour to cool off and perhaps talk.

It's like toddlers: If they get too heated, they need a cool-down period.

At least he didn't have them kiss and make up  .

Ridiculous or not you can bet this will be the end of his teaching career :-P. However they could have chosen to take the suspension, though I imagine they preferred this to their parents wrath. I don't think it's effective though. I'm pretty sure they will still end up in fights regardless.

I don't see an issue... Why is this bad?  

<blockquote><b>Quoting Jenna+1:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting Viv, Ev & Gwen ♥:</b>" It's a violation of their bodily ... [snip!] ... humiliation, but forcing them to touch was wrong."</blockquote> They weren't smurfing forced! They had a CHOICE! God."</blockquote>



Really not much of a choice, since a suspension would interfere with their schooling.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Viv, Ev & Gwen ♥:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting Jenna+1:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting Viv, Ev & Gwen ... [snip!] ... a CHOICE! God."</blockquote> Really not much of a choice, since a suspension would interfere with their schooling."</blockquote>



Like two kids who were fighting care about "interfering with schooling."
Most kids say "heck yeah a few days off from school."
They probably just didn't want mommy and daddy to find out. So yeah, they still had a choice z

Quoting Viv, Ev & Gwen ♥:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Jenna+1:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting Viv, Ev & Gwen ... [snip!] ... a CHOICE! God."</blockquote> Really not much of a choice, since a suspension would interfere with their schooling."

well I suppose the principal could have just suspended them outright. I mean, they need to have some type of consequence.

Quoting Jenna+1:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Viv, Ev & Gwen ♥:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting ... [snip!] ... a few days off from school." They probably just didn't want mommy and daddy to find out. So yeah, they still had a choice z"

or the parents made the choice for them  

because I'm sure the school is required to notify the parents when a fight takes place so I'm sure the parents knew

That's smurfing amazing.