Georgia High School Student Receives One-Year Suspension for Hugging Teacher (VIDEO)

A Georgia high school senior received a one-year suspension as punishment for hugging a teacher in November.

The Gwinnett County Public School District ruled in a hearing last week that 17-year-old Sam McNair violated rules on sexual harassment. He won't be able to return to school for the next 12 months, and won't graduate on time as a result.

"Something so innocent can be perceived as something totally opposite," McNair told CBS' local station in Atlanta.

A surveillance camera captured video footage of the embrace. McNair is seen walking into a room, then drapes his arms around a teacher, burrowing his face into her neck. The teacher then pushes his arms off of her.

According to the discipline report obtained by CBS, the teacher accused McNair of touching his cheek and lips on the back of her neck and cheek.

McNair, a senior with five remaining months of school before graduation, denied that he gave his teacher a kiss. He also denied the sexual harassment allegations against him, adding that he often hugs his instructors-including the one currently in question-and hasn't even encountered issues for his actions in the past.

Sam's mother April McNair stated that the harsh charge might impact his chances of going on to higher education.

"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," April McNair told WECT.

An attorney not involved in the case told WECT that the school must pay close attention to all sexual harassment issues brought to their attention.

"The school district should do a very good job communicating to both parents and students what appropriate contact is between students and teachers and to the extent that they have not done that it was an extreme punishment for the student," Sharese Shields Ages said.

But McNair maintained that his clean record, coupled with the positive intentions behind the hug that first brought on the allegations, shouldn't lead to such harsh punishment.

"You never know what someone's going through," McNair said. "A hug might help."
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