Hi there,
There are different ways that people might touch us. There are friendly ways and there are more intimate ways. It wouldnt be okay for a teacher to touch you in an intimate way. And however they mean it, only you get to decide if youre comfortable with someone touching you.
I cant tell you whether your teacher is doing something wrong or not, but whats important is how you feel. You are clearly uncomfortable, which is all that matters. If you ever feel that any part of your body is being touched by someone in a way that you dont feel comfortable with, its always okay to say something about it.
You have a right to feel safe and secure at school. So if someone is making you uncomfortable its okay to tell someone especially if that person is a teacher. There are boundaries between a teacher and a pupil. Proper physical contact should always be respected.
Deciding who to talk to about this is important. If you feel comfortable and confident talking to your teacher directly then you could tell him how you feel about him holding your hand. But if you dont feel able to do this then you could tell someone else, like another teacher or someone at home.
If you're not sure what to say, you can always talk to a counsellor to practise what youll say first. You may also find that other young people on our message boards have been in similar situations and could share their thoughts and experiences.
I hope this helps you work out what is the best thing to do.
Take care
Sam
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.
