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High school senior suspended for a year for sexual harassment after he HUGGED a teacher
Sam McNair, 17, was recently put on suspension for the rest of the school year for hugging a teacher
The hug was caught on school cameras, and shows McNair hugging the female teacher from behind
In the report, the teacher says McNair also kissed her on the neck
Mother April McNair is appealing the suspension to the school board
She says she should have been warned about the problem before such a long suspension was handed out
By Ashley Collman
A high school senior in Duluth, Georgia will not graduate this year after being put on suspension for hugging a teacher.
Gwinnett Public School District officials say the move was sexual harassment, but 17-year-old Duluth High School student Sam McNair says he was just trying to comfort the female teacher and that he comes from a family of 'huggers'.
'Something so innocent can be perceived as something totally opposite,' McNair told CBS Atlanta.
His mother also says the suspension cold also cost him an athletic college scholarship.
The teacher says she warned McNair that hugging was inappropriate and that the hug was more than just a hug - that McNair also kissed her.
The unwelcome embrace was caught on one of the school's cameras and shows McNair hugging the teacher from behind, and resting his head on her shoulder.
In the discipline report, the teacher says McNair's cheeks and lips touched her neck.
McNair denies kissing the teacher, and says he didn't know it was against the school's rules on sexual harassment to hug a teacher. He says he's hugged other teachers before - including the teacher in question.
Mother April McNair says she should have at least been notified of the problem before a disciplinary action was taken that jeopardized her son's future.
'He's a senior he plays football and was getting ready for lacrosse and you're stripping him of even getting a full scholarship for athletics for college,' she said.
According to officials, Ms McNair can appeal the suspension to the school board.
They would not respond to questions about the case directly, but issued a statement saying 'hearing officers consider witness testimony, a review of the known facts, and a student's past disciplinary hearing...when determining consequences.'
While McNair does have a disciplinary record, none of his prior actions involved sexual assault.
Sam McNair, 17, was recently put on suspension for the rest of the school year for hugging a teacher
The hug was caught on school cameras, and shows McNair hugging the female teacher from behind
In the report, the teacher says McNair also kissed her on the neck
Mother April McNair is appealing the suspension to the school board
She says she should have been warned about the problem before such a long suspension was handed out
By Ashley Collman
A high school senior in Duluth, Georgia will not graduate this year after being put on suspension for hugging a teacher.
Gwinnett Public School District officials say the move was sexual harassment, but 17-year-old Duluth High School student Sam McNair says he was just trying to comfort the female teacher and that he comes from a family of 'huggers'.
'Something so innocent can be perceived as something totally opposite,' McNair told CBS Atlanta.
His mother also says the suspension cold also cost him an athletic college scholarship.
The teacher says she warned McNair that hugging was inappropriate and that the hug was more than just a hug - that McNair also kissed her.
The unwelcome embrace was caught on one of the school's cameras and shows McNair hugging the teacher from behind, and resting his head on her shoulder.
In the discipline report, the teacher says McNair's cheeks and lips touched her neck.
McNair denies kissing the teacher, and says he didn't know it was against the school's rules on sexual harassment to hug a teacher. He says he's hugged other teachers before - including the teacher in question.
Mother April McNair says she should have at least been notified of the problem before a disciplinary action was taken that jeopardized her son's future.
'He's a senior he plays football and was getting ready for lacrosse and you're stripping him of even getting a full scholarship for athletics for college,' she said.
According to officials, Ms McNair can appeal the suspension to the school board.
They would not respond to questions about the case directly, but issued a statement saying 'hearing officers consider witness testimony, a review of the known facts, and a student's past disciplinary hearing...when determining consequences.'
While McNair does have a disciplinary record, none of his prior actions involved sexual assault.
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