I worked in an elementary school, and we were not allowed to touch the kids in any manner. I had young kids come up and hug me, and I was instructed not to hug back. The policy was in place because of a fear of lawsuits for inappropriate touching. I was standing on the steps beside a child who was going to topple backwards. I put my hands on his bum and back, to prevent him from falling. He said, "You touched my bum" and I had to go through rigorous questioning from adults who heard his comment, but didn't see what happened. Luckily, the child said, "She stopped me from falling." or who knows what would have happened. We live in a sad world where due to the legitimate fear of pedophiles, we question every touch. Every elementary teacher I know (many of my friends teach) follows a "no-touch" policy.