Students and Staff at Colonie High Share Similar Opinions on PDA in School

By Jordan Orenstein

March 7, 2023

(Colonie, NY) Public displays of affection (also referred to as PDA) have become a well known issue at Colonie Central High School, and with no written rules outlawing such a practice, students and staff have much to say.

The Colonie school code of conduct has no specific statements that prohibit students from enacting in PDA, but rather vague generalizations it may fall under. These rules only mention inappropriate/indecent behavior and engaging in disorderly conduct, neither of which have subscripts mentioning public displays of affection.

Colonie High English educator, Victoria Isaacs, mentions she has seen things pertaining to kissing, hand holding, and hugging, which lead the students involved to be late to class and distracts others who are trying to learn.

“I think there needs to be something [such as rules on PDA] because it's not the place or the time for it.” said Isaacs.

Melissa Judge, Colonie High’s Sophomore Principal, noted how if the PDA she sees seems outlandish, she uses her wisdom and judgment to speak up.

“I try to stay out of it but again, you need to be in class when the bell rings.” Judge said, “I know there's little corners of the school where kids hang out.”

She also said how kids are kids, and she does not want to shame anybody, but certain intimate actions are simply not appropriate for the school environment and could be seen as disrespectful. Judge noted that there are codes of conduct against public displays of affection, but it's difficult for administration to address as it's kept very vague and general.

Colonie senior, Nora Mooney, touched on many different ways students engage in PDA, and believes it to be inappropriate. She said it makes her feel sick, and she has accidentally bumped into students who were lip-locked.

Kevqinne Ruane, who has been teaching English at Colonie for 18 years, notes how PDA does not necessarily impact his day, and is just more of an eyeroll. But, he has noticed other students showing signs of annoyance with these personal acts via eyerolls and scoffs. He also mentions how things regarding PDA have changed from pre-pandemic to post-pandemic.

“I've certainly seen less of it since March 13, 2020, obviously.” Ruane said, “I [now] see more just mass grouping of people together as opposed to smaller intimate pockets, but before the pandemic I guess a lot of shameless behavior.”

He mentioned how there is a time and a place for such acts and he sees these displays as nothing more than a dramatic cry for attention. He says that when he notices PDA in the building he calls out the students and tells them to move along before the bell rings.

He believes that creating rules and regulations against public displays of affection is a slippery slope, as something like that is difficult to define.

Both students and staff at Colonie High notice the extensive PDA in the hallways and corridors, however they do little to stop it.

The Colonie community seems to agree, for the most part, that public displays of affection are not appropriate for the learning environment, but feel that policing such a thing would be moot.