Valentines Day cards banned

I had the news on TV on Thursday (11th Feb) evening, there was a report on about a primary school in Somerset whose Headteacher has banned Valentines cards because the children may get "upset by rejection". I thought I'd misheard it at first, and as I only caught the last part of the story decided to have a look online to see if I could find the full story and lo and behold... Here it is:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article7022651.ece

Surely this is a step too far? When I was at primary school, we made Valentines cards and gave them to our parents. The primary school in Somerset are saying that the children will be "upset by rejection" (that was the quote on the news on the TV), well correct me if I'm wrong but isn't being rejected in one form or another a fact of life that we all go through at some stage (on more than one occasion too I might add). It's part of growing up. Surely if we weren't rejected in one way or another, then we would go through life with too many high expectations. We would have totally the wrong attitude, and we'd be told what we 'want' to hear rather than the truth, therefore living on false hopes?

The sooner we can adapt the better I say. If anything, by experiencing rejection we are enhancing the social and emotional development of children. I mean, what is the alternative... that they learn to 'hate' for God's sake??? The sending of Valentines cards is so they can learn about love and love comes in different forms, not just sexually. Of course some children, or indeed people in general cope better with certain things (in this case rejection) better than others, that's what makes us individuals. Everyone is different, that's life. It is stated in the last quote at the end of the article that "cards declaring love can be confusing". If anything I think that this is an insult to the children's intelligence.

This whole thing has just been blown out of proportion and it comes across that the school are twisting things round by bringing the concept/boardering on insinuating sexual relationships going from this quote from the Headteacher:

"Some children and parents encourage a lot of talk about boyfriends and girlfriends. We believe that such ideas should wait until children are mature enough emotionally and socially to understand the commitment involved in having or being a boyfriend or girlfriend"

Maybe I misinterpreted this quote, but.... The kids aren't getting married to each other for God's sake. If they're (the headteacher I mean) making an issue of the school's theory that by sending Valentines cards to each other it insinuates sexual relationships, then it is only bringing the subjects children's attention and curiosity to what sex is more? Therefore, encouraging it? and by 'encouraging' I mean encouraging the kids to ask what sex is? I don't know, to me it just seems that their perspectives are wrong.

What I do know is that from my own experience at primary school, I didn't know what sex was at that age nor did I fully understand about relationships, I just knew that I loved my parents, and my family and that they loved me and that's basically it.

I also understand that times are changing fast (now, maybe I'm showing my age here or old before my time by what I'm about to say? lol)but times are changing and not for the better in some instances sadly. But parents are getting younger so it seems, and maybe their parents were also very young when they had their firstborn? therefore aren't maybe as well educated about relationships as perhaps they could/should've been? I'm not saying that this is the case for all young parents, as I feel strongly against tarring everyone with the same brush etc. I'm just saying this as an example.

Anyway, however you're spending your Valentines day, whatever you do, wherever you go and whoever you're with, enjoy the day and have a good 'un!