Everyone has witnessed some form of Public Displays of Affection. Some cases might have been more extreme than others, however, for many, it is seen as uncomfortable or strange. A majority of the time, students don’t know how to react, so they turn a blind eye to it.
“I just look away,” Julian Cerna (9) said.
The randomness of it all is a reason many don’t know what to do in these situations. As people are walking to class, they don’t expect to see PDA, making it more awkward than it needs to be.
Because of this, students have been putting up signs around school in hopes to limit PDA. The signs are seen as an attempt to ban PDA to make the school environment more welcoming and manageable as a whole.
Throughout Liberty, there are mixed opinions on Public Displays of Affection. Some think it’s normal, while others think school isn’t the place for it.
For principal Ed Nelson, PDA is slightly acceptable in the sense of minimal activity. However, he believes teenagers shouldn’t be too involved in extreme PDA because it can lead to mistakes they may regret later on in life.
Overall, the signs set up throughout school are a way for students to express their opinions, while trying to resolve an issue they see as problematic. The signs have not shown many results yet, however, there is always a chance for change in the future.
People like to agree there is a time and place for certain things in certain areas. Some can agree school isn’t the best place for things like PDA in different circumstances. Some say there sometimes is a level of these actions that can make them uncomfortable that can be saved for private time between people in relationships.
“PDA is okay to a certain extent,” Sydney Schuster (9) said. Holding hands is about the most she’s comfortable with, seeing people hug and kiss in the hallways grosses her and most other people out.
Aliyah Winters (9) is not okay with PDA at all. She believes that “that stuff should be left at home.”
People are getting more comfortable showing Public Display of Affection at school. There are couples who will be kissing or making out in the halls during the passing period and at lunch. These actions have caught the teachers’ attention and they aren’t to the point yet where they believe that those students should have consequences.
The way people can react to seeing this may be different. Some don’t care or ignore it and some stare and judge it all depending on people’s personal beliefs and environment around them. A lot of people agree to keep these kinds of things at home to make the space around them good for everyone and not just themselves.
