I was told that when a child hugs me, I am to walk away and ignore them in order to show them that touching is not okay.

I wasn’t even allowed to hug the five year old who watched his dad get shot to death the night before. “That’s a matter for the mother to deal with,” my boss said.

I called my mom, who’s worked in childcare her whole life, expecting sympathy. But they had brainwashed her too. “That’s just how it is. Just don’t touch them.”

I started hugging the kids more than ever, telling them how many things they could grow up to be, and then I quit. Rules like this make me sad about humanity, and I’ll never stop wondering how those kids are doing.

I would have done the same exact thing. My students are my life and I would not be able to stand there idly while his world has crashed around him.