There seems to be no end to zero-tolerance stories in education these days. The latest is brought to us by a high school in Atlanta.

Eric Owens of the Daily Caller reports.

Student hugs his teacher, gets suspended for a YEAR for sexual harassment

A high school senior in the suburbs of Atlanta has been suspended for an entire year for hugging a teacher.

As an obvious consequence, the student, Sam McNair, won’t graduate on time.

The incident leading to the  suspension occurred in November. McNair, 17, went into a room, put his arms around a teacher and gave her a big bear hug and tucking his head into her neck, reports CBS News.

The unidentified teacher then wrote McNair up, alleging that the senior touched both her neck and her cheek with his lips.

A surveillance camera caught the incident on video.

McNair denies that he kissed the teacher. He denied that he had any sexual intent. He also observed that he has hugged other teachers and this one on many previous occasions without any repercussions—let alone a yearlong suspension.

“Something so innocent can be perceived as something totally opposite,” he told local CBS affiliate WGCL.

A hearing officer at Duluth High School disagreed, finding McNair in violation of the sexual harassment policy adopted by the Gwinnett County Public Schools.

McNair’s mother, April McNair, told WGCL that the result is outrageous and will likely put her son’s plans for college at risk.

“He’s a senior. He plays football and was getting ready for lacrosse and you’re stripping him of even getting a full scholarship for athletics for college,” she told the station.

The teenager’s mother suggested that her son should have been put on notice if his hugging habit was a problem and would lead to such a draconian punishment.

A school district representative offered no comment on the specifics of McNair’s case.