NJ Middle School Principal Who Banned Hugging Resigns
Last month, The Blaze reported about Matawan-Aberdeen Middle School Principal Tyler Blackmore’s decision that his school would become a “no hugging” zone. As you may recall, the reasoning behind the ban on student embraces was centered upon the allegation that there were some “incidents of unsuitable physical interactions.”

Now, it seems the principal is moving on — literally. On April 5, Blackmore filed his resignation from Matawan-Aberdeen Middle School, where he had worked since July 2010. In an interview with the Asbury Park Press, School Board President Charles Kenny said that the resignation was a personnel matter and the reasons behind it were confidential. The Press recaps last month’s events:
On March 22, Blackmore told students at the middle school that they were in a “no-hugging school.” District officials came to Blackmore’s support at the time, with Superintendent David M. Healy releasing a statement that night saying the announcement was intended to address incidents of “unsuitable physical interactions between students.”
“There is no policy specific to hugging, and we have not, nor will we be, suspending students for hugging,” Healy said in the statement, adding that the Board of Education does have policies in place to address bullying, inappropriate relationships and inappropriate conduct.
At a Board of Education meeting on March 26, Kenny explained the principal’s controversial “no hugging policy” and maintained that it was “not at all intended to prohibit a passing embrace.”
“Some students had prolonged, overly physical contact that (Blackmore) considered inappropriate for the middle school,” Kenny said at the time.
There is no indication that the hugging controversy was at the center of his decision to leave the school.
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Ch
Posted on April 13, 2012 at 5:25amYes, let them screw in the halls. Encourage it. Screw in the classroom. YES, YES, YES. Americans, do nothing but screw. DEMAND IT. Don’t work. Focus on your private parts being rewarded.
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EP46
Posted on April 13, 2012 at 5:20amHow about parents hug their children and we do not have ‘hugging at school, either by students or pedophile teachers’. Perhaps if children are hugged at home and are told that they are loved they would not be so needy for physical contact.
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Blazeanswerman
Posted on April 13, 2012 at 12:56amAll of that hugging sure brings out the worst in kids. It’s not the violent video games, it’s not a father missing from the family, it’s not the evil books of killing each other and making it seem romantic… It’s all that loving hugging of appreciation that is destroying our children and we will not have that kind of behavior in this school or in any other!!!
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bikerdogred1
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:19pmThe commie’s are taking over and you fools are letting it happen.
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TheSoundOf Truth
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 5:55pmHugging Bad?
Abortion…good? HUH?
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EqualJustice
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 3:51pmWhy didn’t he just say a NO MAKING OUT rule in the first place?
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Rowgue
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 4:14pmAlmost all schools of the high school level and below don’t allow public displays of affection in school. It’s not something new, those rules have been in place since before most people alive today were born.
I doubt this guy’s resignation had anything to do with this rule. Sometimes the blaze picks up on the dumbest stories and keeps beating them into the ground as if they are real news.
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LetsBeSmartAboutThis
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 1:41pmRight about now I bet that ex-principal could use a big ol’ hug !
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jackact
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 1:29pmBet that principal still gets to keep their ‘taxpayer gifted’ pension.
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whitelephant
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 11:16amWe have that in Florida in Seminole County Schools……..No P.D.A. or (Personal Displays of Affection).
I told my Kids to Ignore it. Stupid Rules deserve to be ignored and shunned! Sadly I have complained but not many parents seem to care.
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joe conservative
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:32pmGood! That’s one less socialist nutjob running the education of our children. People need to fight back against these people that “know what’s best” for us. Leave our kids alone!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhpXDNIocJw
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ColoradoMaverick
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:54amDuh, it’s middle school kids with raging hormones.
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Abraham Young
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:15amThe ideological war on men plays into the hands of our enemies who want a weakened vulnerable America
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765552031/The-war-on-boys-young-men-are-facing-a-new-crisis.html
The secret combination is real. The shadow government is playing behind the scenes manipulating public opinion and the press. Masculinity is the target, as is American exceptionalism.
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piper60
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:41amThe government would rather have the students at each other’s throats.
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Legal Immigrant
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:50amMore hugging less slugging!
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MidWestMom
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:47amAmen to that.
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possom
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:47amBut tsa hug’s people all the time.
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BurntHills
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:20amwe do believe in the ”keep your hands to yourself”. quick hugs didn’t seem to be REAL bad, however, with the combined Planned Parenthood pedophile degenerate ”sex ed” agenda and that degenerate obama and his obamademocrats [like obama's close friend the school czar NAMBLA pedophile kevin jennings] encouraging these 3rd graders having oral sex under the desks, maybe it is time we do start reinforcing NO TOUCHEE–NO FEELEE in school again.
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Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:00amHe obviously wasn’t hugged enough as a child, and hugged too much by his football coach.
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SpankDaMonkey
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:15am.
I thought it was his Basketball Coach?……
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123456beatriz
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:59amThis idiot “principal” maybe learned a lesson
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BurntHills
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:22amwhat school was it that just had those 3rd graders were having oral sex under the desk???
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biohazard23
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:47amBurntHills, WHAT??????
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SageInWaiting
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 11:20amhttp://houston.cbslocal.com/2012/03/23/teacher-fired-after-not-noticing-third-graders-having-oral-sex-under-desk/
TALLULAH, La. That Kindergarten sexual orientation curriculum at work. Are we SURPRISED? (I guess only that teacher… who would expect your 3rd graders practicing what they were taught a few hours before?)
I think this society has surpassed Sodom and Gomorrah. God help us.
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biohazard23
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 3:03pmHoly crap…. What happened to Barbies and GI Joe’s???
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JACKTHETOAD
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:59amI hope Leo Buscaglia opens a can of whoop-ass on him to boot.
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Dismayed Veteran
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:18pmLeo is dead. To have him opening a can of whoop now would be really frightening.
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JACKTHETOAD
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 1:35pmI didn’t know that DISMAYED. Maybe Leo could haunt him a little, then.
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Ella
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:58amSince when is hugging appropriate beahvior in school? Of course it should have been banned. It should have been banned from day one as part of school rules. I teach in a private elementary school
and one of the school rules is, keep your hands to yourself. This avoids all possible problems that can stem from touching another student for any reason.
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sawbuck
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:46amI find your post disturbing…Private School..?
The Parents and Teachers, I would have thought, in “private school” would have a more common sense approach on public affection.. Greeting…Saying good-bye.. consoling someone.. ect
these are all actions that are “real life” scenarios
I would think a private school would “teach” what kind of actions is appropriate ,instead of being politically correct and say hands off because we cant come to a conclusion on what’s right and wrong.
There use to be a lady called Miss Manner’s ..that taught proper etiquette ..
I guess this is where we are today.
We either don’t have time in a day or
We cant come to some kind of understanding ..
So we “remove” all possibilities.
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MidWestMom
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:46am@ella
Why do you immediately assume a hug or physical contact is a bad thing? A hug transmits comfort, compassion, support, joy, love, friendship, unselfishness and acceptance. A hug sends the message “I care about you”. Human beings thrive on positive verbal & physical interaction with others. Of course there will be a few instances of inappropriate “hugs” but those should be dealt with on an individual basis. Unfortunately people like you find it easier, less time consuming and less bothersome to ban something(which implies that it is always a bad thing) instead of putting forth the effort to teach children when, where, why and how it is appropriate or inappropriate.
I bet you don’t allow kids to play Ring Around the Rosie or Red Rover because they’d be (gasp!) holding hands. And we certainly can’t have that.
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Abraham Young
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:57amBlanket policies are questionable. One size does not fit all.
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louzyana
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:57amOn his way out, the Hug Nazi was told… “No hugs for you”
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kschmud
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:56amIf 2 students are inappropriately “hugging” too long…deal with it individually, not a by universal mandate
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MidWestMom
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:35amAh, the voice of common sense. Well said.
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BrerRabbit
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:50amPolicy sounds reasonable to me.
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brntout
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:46amWonder if he recieved any consolation hugs on his way out the door.
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TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:12amHe got a group hug…
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brntout
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:18am@ Time Maybe more like a group shrug, or maybe the cold shoulder.
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TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:41amBRNTOUT. That’s a possibility also…
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