An occurring problem happening around FHS is PDA and it is creating an uncomfortability for not just other students but teachers as well. PDA is an acronym for public display of affection and it can happen in many different ways. The administration has seen an increase of PDA all around the school. But the administration hasn’t done anything to front their concern about stopping public display of affection. But when is PDA too far?

What counts as PDA?

There are many things that someone could consider PDA. But the main sorts of PDA can be hugging, kissing, holding hands, touching, and many more ways of showing affection. “Definitely anything mouth to mouth and certain parts of the body shouldn’t be touching each other.” said assistant principal Doug Jackson.

This doesn’t seem to apply to some students. Junior Miguel Flores said, “In my opinion, I don’t care. I’m not the kind of person to be bugged or mind it. I just wouldn’t acknowledge it but if it was me I’d do that on my own time for the sake of my peers and for the people around me who do care.”Although PDA can come in many forms hugging and holding hands are something that you will see everyday and its something that many students and teachers aren’t bothered by. But, kissing and inappropriate touching can be crossing the line.

How bad is the PDA at Frederick?

Assistant principal Doug Jackson said “Yes we have rules here at Frederick on PDA. It’s a St. Vrain rule that we also inform at Frederick High.” Jackson also said that he “definitely enforces the rules when he sees it in the hallways.” To a certain extent, PDA is okay for some but when it’s over the top some people seem to have a lot of problems with PDA but in the schooling environment, it might not be okay for a lot of the teachers, administrators, and students. But how much is the administration trying to enforce the PDA rules? Have they done anything to promote the rules?

At FHS the PDA can be found almost anywhere even in places where you’d least expect it. For example the lunch line. Sophomore Julissa Solorzano said, “I witness people kissing and making out during lunch and even in the line. I also see it in the hallways and it’s not an ideal place to watch that. It’s kind of uncomfortable honestly. I also see people hugging and holding hands but that doesn’t bother me at all.”

But teachers might have different opinions on PDA because of the consistency of how much they have to see it. Mr. Coon has a very strong opinion on PDA. “It’s just something that doesn’t belong in a school. I’m glad there’s so many students that are in relationships where they really care about someone else and they want to be close with someone else. However, the problem is that it could easily cross into an unhealthy relationship if there are no boundaries and school is one of those boundaries. You can’t be macking on the person you like every second of the day because that’s unhealthy and obsessive.”

As you can see teachers constantly have to go around and have to see students kissing, or whatever and sometimes it might be better to keep it more private for the more intense side of PDA. “You should have some time just for you and that’s why they call it intimacy; it’s not supposed to be for everyone to see.”

What should Frederick do about PDA?

There’s not much you could really enforce when there are so many students who will not follow the rules. There is a problem where they don’t really enforce the rules here at FHS around the halls because the students obviously aren’t even aware that there are rules set in place.

Everyone has their different opinions on PDA and how much of it is okay specifically in the schooling environment. Some can be bothered, some just simply don’t care. But although PDA does depend on the people doing it, it depends on their comfortability, personality, and how they care about other people’s opinions. “Well I’m in a relationship and I believe that PDA is to a certain extent” said sophomore Francisco Gutierrez.

The only way to stop the amount of PDA that goes around at Frederick is to really put out and show the rules and for the admin and teachers to put their feet down when they see PDA. Around school here at FHS there has been no official show of the rules on PDA and teachers and administration. If they feel the need to stop it they should keep their word and do something about it.

Should there be limitations on only certain types of PDA? Everybody has their own opinions on public display of affection. Do the opinions differ to people based on the setting? There’s many questions to be asked. Here at FHS PDA is an overall occurring problem and the admin has taken almost little to no steps to enforcing the so called rules. There’s only one way for this problem to be stopped and that is the admin putting their foot forward. Overall PDA could be  something for students to save for their own one on ones somewhere else as it does not only just affect the teachers but as well as other students.