My high school in Texas, J. Frank Dobie, had the most rules of any school I have ever attended. No gum, no candy, boys had to have short hair and could never wear shorts, girls had to wear dresses to their knees no shorter, no longer, never shorts only dress slacks. No PDA (public display of affection) no hand holding, kissing or putting your arm around anyone.
Dobie not only had many rules but some fairly stiff penalties. There was before school or after school detention. You had to report to the cafeteria for your detention. You were required to bring work to do, you sat at a table alone, silently, without any unnecessary movement and did your work for an hour, with a teacher watching you as if they would eat you if you moved. Now let me tell you how I know this:
Gary Brown and I had been dating for the entire school year. He was part of the schools' track team and had to stay after school frequently for practices. I occasionally stayed after school for my speech class, this was one of those days. This day Gary met me at my locker AFTER SCHOOL to let me know he would see me a little later than usual as he had other school responsibilities. I continued to grab my books from my locker as he spoke and as I responded. After finishing gathering my things I reached up to close my locker and Gary leaned in and kissed my right CHEEK, of course I responded with a smile and a "twinkle." I turned to walk away and I heard a teacher yell "STOP!" at Gary and I. It was after school and neither Gary or I had this teacher for any class so we were both curious as to what she wanted. She angrily took our arms; one of us on each side of her and stomped us down to the principals office then plopped us into the chairs outside his office. We were still curious as to what had happened. The teacher was in the office for only a few minutes when she exited and we were ushered in.
Upon entering the principal told us we had been seen kissing in the hallway. I was confused at first and then taken back, there was no kissing, there was only a peck on my cheek. He gave us each a chance to "tell our side of the story," which was exactly the same from both of us although we had to rehearse it to the principal separately, like we were criminals. I was afterschool, I was at my locker, Gary kissed me on the CHEEK, my lips were NOT involved. We were both excellent students who never got in trouble, it just wasn't who we were.
The principal reminded us that there was a "no kissing rule". Well I told him it was after school, we were the only students in the hallway and Gary kissed ME on the CHEEK and I had nothing to do with it technically. The principals response? "It takes two to tango." We were each given a WEEK of after school detention. I was so mad. The principal gave us our detention sheets to be signed by our parents. This ought to be fun to explain.
I was so upset, how was I going to explain this to my mother? A weeks detention for a kiss on the cheek. When I got home from school the principal had already called my house and told my mother that I had the weeks detention for "making out" on school property!
I WHAT? I NEVER!
I explained what happened to my mother, she neither believe me or defended me to the school. I was kind of crushed that she didn't defend my "honor." I served my week as did Gary for a kiss on the cheek I didn't really participate in that was labeled "making out." That was what became part of my permanent school record thanks to J. Frank Dobie High School. Although Gary and I continued to date and, yes, even kiss, he NEVER came within an arms length of me at school again.
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