High-fives, hugs, clowning around ... kids adore this US primary school principal but would he be celebrated or sacked in Australia?
This US principal has become a viral sensation for uplifting TikToks of him clowning around with students. We asked four experts whether this would get him sacked in Australia.
Feel-good principal Zac Bauermaster has become a viral sensation in the United States thanks to videos of him hugging, high-fiving and hip-bumping his primary school students.
His social media posts have been seen by millions, with most viewers embracing his unique hands-on style of teaching.
An elementary school principal in Pennsylvania, Dr Bauermaster – known to his students as “Dr B” – says his mission is to “make kids feel connected, make them feel seen, making them feel valued”.
“When I think about a high-five or a fist-bump, it’s that idea of being seen. It’s not just a celebration, it’s letting them know ‘I am here for you’,” he said.
Mr Bauermaster said he has been “blown away by the response, encouragement, and support received from the video all across the world”.
“School should be a place where kids want to be. Don’t forget to have fun!”
So how would the hugging, fist-bumping principal go down in Australian schools? Would an Australian principal who behaves like this be sacked or celebrated?
We asked a former principal, a lawyer, a parent representative and a wellbeing expert for their views.
Tina King
Victorian branch president of the Australian Principals Federation
Gestures such as high-fives or fist bumps are generally regarded as positive and low-risk ways to affirm and encourage students, helping to build rapport and connection. For many children, particularly in the early years of primary school, such physical gestures are a natural and important form of affirmation and sense of belonging.
Hugging, however, is more complex. Professional standards and the Victorian Child Safe Standards emphasise the importance of maintaining clear and appropriate boundaries.
In this context, physical contact should be student-initiated, age-appropriate, culturally sensitive, and non-intrusive.
After all, it is a natural human response to extend a hug in a time of distress or upset, and this can be particularly important for children in the early years of primary school. Where this occurs, it should be brief, non-exclusive, and in a safe and transparent context.
Principals and school staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of professional conduct and child safety.
Nick Duggal
Lawyer and partner at Moray & Agnew
Teachers need to be very careful about what physical contact they initiate with students.
Even well-intentioned physical contact can make students feel uncomfortable, and lead to complaints.
Teachers should recognise the inherent power imbalance in their relationships with students, along with cultural, generational and gender divides that can influence how physical contact is received.
In fostering a positive environment, however, I’d be more comfortable with a practice of fist bumps rather than hugs.
Dianne Giblin
CEO of the Australian Council of State School Organisations
We don’t engage in sensationalism – the majority of our principals and senior staff are out in playgrounds greeting students and families on arrivals and departure from school.
Fist bumps, waves, smiles, high-fives, and verbal greetings are widely celebrated, low-risk ways of building rapport.
Hugging is not prohibited, but it is riskier if initiated by adults. It is safest when the student initiates, the context is culturally appropriate and the staff member ensures no child feels pressured to participate.
They would be celebrated if they foster connection through respectful, student-led greetings. However, they would be questioned or cautioned if hugs were adult-initiated, routine, or if some families felt boundaries were not respected.
We envision a principal who ensures that every child feels acknowledged and welcomed as they arrive at school.
In Australia, the focus is on student-led greetings that align with our child-safe standards, whether it’s a fist bump, a wave, or even a hug if the child initiates it. What truly matters is that every student feels safe, appreciated, and ready to engage in learning.”
Dr Catherine Smith
Centre for Wellbeing Science, Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne
Gestures like fist bumps or brief greetings can be understood as the “little things” that matter. Students themselves emphasise that small, respectful interactions help them to feel known and valued as individuals and that this sense of connectedness directly supports their learning and wellbeing.
These actions also support teacher (and school leader) wellbeing, with research showing that positive relationships benefit both teachers and students, reinforcing a climate of mutual care and reducing psychological distress.
That said, context matters. In Australia, professional codes of conduct emphasis maintaining professional boundaries and exercising caution around physical contact.
What we see in the video is that the principal largely uses a fist bump, which is a form of touch that is socially normalised, invitational and easy for students to decline. This suggests a sensitivity to appropriateness while still enacting connection.
Interpreting this behaviour also requires attention to culture. Schools are living communities shaped by the ethos that leaders, staff and students co-create.
In some school cultures, a principal greeting students warmly at the gate may be read as embodying care, accessibility and commitment to student wellbeing. In others, more reserved interactions may be the norm.
What matters most is not whether the practice is universally adopted, I think, but whether it is received positively in that school community.
What’s your view? Leave a comment below or share your story ideas by emailing us at education@news.com.au
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Originally published as High-fives, hugs, clowning around ... kids adore this US primary school principal but would he be celebrated or sacked in Australia?
