Uhhhhh---wow.
As the parent of a child who very well COULD have a decent reason to avoid physical contact with another person in such a setting* I find it horrifying that the district would do such a thing. Of course, my own child would probably never, ever, EVER make it a "point" to do it publicly and overtly, as seems to have been the case here. Her reasons aren't about personal hard feelings or indignation toward those in positions of authority. She knows how to avoid shaking hands without seeming disrespectful because this is a major life skill for her.
I have to conclude that this is all the result of a MASSIVE escalation of issues that may have only tangentially involved the student-- seems like parents and administrators are the ones with axes to grind. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but that's sure what it smacks of to me. I'm pretty familiar with what escalation looks like and when it becomes about "winning" rather than your kid. As a 2e parent, you always have to keep those things in mind as you respond/engage with others.
* No, really-- it's possible that this is the exact kind of contact that nearly killed her at her own 8th grade graduation. We've never figured out exactly what happened there, but it's as plausible an explanation as I have.
