Flirting vs. Crossing the Line-- But where do hugs fit in?

In preparation for moving on to the 8th grade and being at the "top" of the school, we have begun to discuss the theme of leadership and its different forms in advisory. Our recent advisory meetings have addressed the topic flirting vs. sexual harassment in the context of appropriate behavior that they as older students will want to model for younger students in the school. Last week, students categorized and discussed different behaviors that would fall into the "flirting" category, the "sexual harassment" category, and the "it depends" category. A recent New York Times article titled "For Teenagers, Hello Means 'How About a Hug'" is a good read for both students and parents about a growing trend amongst adolescents.