In our last blog post, we talked about the sexual assault allegations a 6-year-old boy was facing. The boy had been playing with other first-grade boys during recess, when, according to the allegations, the boy's hand touched another boy's upper thigh or groin.

It's unclear how the case progressed to the stage of sexual assault charges. There were no witnesses, and it's unclear whether anyone complained about the incident. Regardless, the boy was suspended from school because of the sexual assault allegations.

The disciplinary actions seem unnecessarily harsh, but what's even more alarming, is realizing that this overreaction is happening in schools in St. Paul and throughout the country.

The principal at the boy's school claimed the boy had "committed or attempted to commit a sexual assault or sexual battery." When the boy's mother searched for help, she learned that several other parents had children who were in similar situations.

Some parents reported that their children had faced disciplinary action for hugging. Another mother said that her 7-year-old son faced sexual harassment charges for kicking another boy his age in the groin during a fight.

According to the director of education policy studies, many schools are responding aggressively to anti-bullying efforts. The director said that "the policies being adopted set forth pretty strong rules regarding categories of behavior. This means there's less room, and more risk, for principals who would make sensible accommodations based on student age and the circumstances in question."

Source: The New York Times, "A Touch During Recess, and Reaction Is Swift," Scott James, Jan. 26, 2012