Elementary School Reverse 'Zero Dating Policy' For 5th Graders After Heated Backlash

Oct 02, 2019 by apost team

Young love, or puppy love as it's often called, is something we all experience in some form growing up. Usually this type of love develops around middle school when kids are discovering their affection for their classmates beyond just being friends.

For one elementary school in the Greater Clark County School District, they had seen enough of their students developing relationships with other children and decided to put a stop to it.

In a letter sent home to parents, the staff at Riverside Elementary School stated that it's come to their attention that many of their 5th grade students are dating each other. These relationships are generally fleeting and only last a few days, with breakups occurring frequently.

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The broken hearts their students are experiencing from these sudden breakups are affecting the learning in the classroom, according to teachers at Riverside Elementary School. In an effort to put the emphasis back on learning and less on relationships, the teachers began implementing a "Zero Dating Policy".

According to CBS local news, his policy required all students to end any romantic relationships they had developed with their classmates within a certain time frame. The teachers let parents know that they had already discussed the no dating policy with their students.

Despite wanting their students to refrain from romantic relationships with their classmates, teachers were still encouraging the 5th graders to develop close friendships with other Riverside Elementary students.

One parent, Briana Bower, posted the letter to her Facebook page after she received it. Bower's 10-year-old son is a student in one of the teacher's classrooms. Her son has a girlfriend at school and she stated on her Facebook page that she will not force him to break up with her just because of the letter.

After receiving several complaints from parents, the school sent out an email notifying the school community that the "Zero Dating Policy" will not be enforced.

The district also stated that the letter had not been reviewed prior to being sent out to parents and that the teacher's only had the intention to encourage their students to develop age-appropriate relationships within their classroom.

What do you think about the "Zero Dating Policy" that these teachers were trying to enforce? Do you think 5th grade is too young to start dating, or is age nothing but a number? Be sure to give us your opinion and then pass this astonishing story along to others.