Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Politics/National
NationalNews

Schools Consider Banning the Term ‘Best Friend’ to Prevent Students from Feeling Left Out

Posted byBy Shamone Nelson | Published on: CommentsComments (0)

Most children know and use the term “best friend” to describe their favorite pal. But now there is a growing movement in Europe and America to ban the term to keep children from feeling alone. “I see kids come in all week long who are feeling dreadful because they are excluded and because they are either nobody’s best friend or their best friend has moved on,” said clinical psychologist Dr. Barbara Greenberg.

The movement apparently started at Prince George’s school in South London. Greenberg  said the idea isn’t to discourage close relationships but “to foster the idea of kids having more than a single friend.”

While the proposal may concern some people, Jay Jacobs, the owner of Timber Lake Camp said the ban makes a valid point. “I think that there are pitfalls in just having one friend. Remember as you grow up, interests change, children go in different directions.” Jacob continued “It’s now about promoting kindness, looking to children to be kind to one another and to be aware of what it looks like when you’re not.”

Greenberg said the point of the ban is to teach kids at an early age to “be inclusive rather than exclusive.

Independent journalism still matters.

We hope this story was worth your time. For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed Black-owned and independently run. We didn't get here by waiting on ad budgets that were never built to prioritize us. Our readers did that.

Corporate support for Black media has always been thin. Outlets like ours get roughly 1% of the $170 billion spent on U.S. advertising each year, and that margin is shrinking further as advertisers walk back the DEI-linked commitments they made in 2020. That's the backdrop. It's not why we're asking.

The wider picture isn't any steadier. Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under, it's rarely the ones built to center a Black perspective from the ground up that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top