«No touch» policies, where caregivers, teachers, and other child workers are being informed they cannot touch children in their care, are growing in popularity, Hands Off! critically engages «no touch» by sharing related stories from the field, stories that validate the popularity of «no touch.» «No touch» is presented and interrogated as a moral panic prevalent throughout our society. In an attempt to reframe «no touch,» sexuality is considered when evaluating child identity and the role of the caregivers.

The Author: Richard T. Johnson is a Professor in the Department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies at the University of Hawaii in Manoa and strongly believes in the importance of touch in early childhood education. He has written in a number of journals and has spoken to early childhood education audiences regarding this issue. He taught preschool children before completing his doctoral work at Peadbody College.