TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A youth advocacy group issued a protest on Monday (July 3) after a Taichung high school announced a “love ban," which punishes students for behaviors such as holding hands, hugging, or touching one another’s heads on campus and on school buses.

The Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy submitted a complaint to the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the local mayor regarding the ban implemented by Lizen High School in Taichung, per CNA. The group said that if students were caught engaging in the above behaviors, they faced punishments such as writing lines for “reflection” or having their parents notified.

The group believes the ban violates MOE guidelines regulating the punishment of students. “What is wrong with holding hands? What is there to reflect on? The school leadership is taking our campus back to the authoritarian period 30 years ago. The discipline method is obviously outdated,” they said.

The MOE responded to the complaint on Monday and said that if violations were discovered, those responsible would be held accountable. Despite the complaints, the school’s principal reportedly remained defiant.

According to the youth group, the principal addressed students on June 30 via the school PA system, saying that the school is burdened by parents’ expectations, and the school’s management is in line with ministry standards. “I know who you are,” the principal reportedly said, inviting students to come directly to his office to complain.

The youth group called this approach “blatant intimidation.” They said the MOE stipulates complainants' identities are to be kept confidential, and inviting students to raise complaints directly with those who they complained about went against regulations.

After the complaints were initially raised, the school issued a statement saying that social contact had not been forbidden, and they reiterated that the regulations were within MOE guidelines. According to Taiwan’s education administration, schools may punish students for harming campus order, the public interest, or affecting other students’ learning.

The education administration also said that emotional connections or behaviors are not generally considered a cause for punishment.

The Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy statement, released on Monday.