Preschool: No Policy Bans Use Of Term 'Best Friends'
GEORGETOWN (CBS) – A Georgetown preschool says it does not have a policy banning students from calling classmates their "best friends" after a woman said her daughter was discouraged from doing so.
Christine Hartwell told WBZ-TV earlier this month that her 4-year-old daughter, who attends Pentucket Workshop Preschool, was told she could not use the term.
Hartwell said she was told in a letter from the school the term best friend "can lead other children to feel excluded" and it "can ultimately lead to the formation of "cliques" and "outsiders."
Pentucket Workshop Preschool did not respond to a request for comment at the time of the story. On Thursday, however, the school said no such policy exists.
"Contrary to erroneous reports in the news media and on social media, Pentucket Workshop Preschool has no policy banning the use of the term, 'best friends'. It is unfortunate that our best intentions have been mischaracterized," the school said. "For over 47 years, Pentucket Workshop Preschool has helped nurture young children by promoting kindness and respect. We continue that work by fostering a climate of acceptance."