Who Wants To Play Tag?

[GL]

I just saw this on Yahoo news:

Not it! Mass. elementary school bans tag

1 hour, 8 minutes ago



Tag, you're out! Officials at an elementary school south of Boston have banned kids from playing tag, touch football and any other unsupervised chase game during recess for fear they'll get hurt and hold the school liable.
Recess is "a time when accidents can happen," said Willett Elementary School Principal Gaylene Heppe, who approved the ban.

While there is no districtwide ban on contact sports during recess, local rules have been cropping up. Several school administrators around Attleboro, a city of about 45,000 residents, took aim at dodgeball a few years ago, saying it was exclusionary and dangerous.

Elementary schools in Cheyenne, Wyo., and Spokane, Wash., also recently banned tag during recess. A suburban Charleston, S.C., school outlawed all unsupervised contact sports.

"I think that it's unfortunate that kids' lives are micromanaged and there are social skills they'll never develop on their own," said Debbie Laferriere, who has two children at Willett, about 40 miles south of Boston. "Playing tag is just part of being a kid."

Another Willett parent, Celeste D'Elia, said her son feels safer because of the rule. "I've witnessed enough near collisions," she said.

Do kids still get to have fun anymore? What will they think of next?

 

[-live-]

thats well going over the top! glad im not at school anymore!

 

[jjc_7]

We weren't allowed to play tag in the latter years of elementary school due to a "hands-off" policy. Yeah, I went to a shitty school.

I've never stepped foot in it since I left, and I don't plan to either (never stepped foot in my high school after I graduated either, hell, I didn't even go to my graduation). But if I ever saw some of the teachers that I had at either of those schools I'm sure I would have a few choice words with them And let's just say they wouldn't be very nice words either

 

[Lube]

Soon they'll just strap them down so they can't move.

Or is that my gay fantasy?

 

[GL]

We weren't allowed to play tag in the latter years of elementary school due to a "hands-off" policy. Yeah, I went to a shitty school.

I've never stepped foot in it since I left, and I don't plan to either (never stepped foot in my high school after I graduated either, hell, I didn't even go to my graduation). But if I ever saw some of the teachers that I had at either of those schools I'm sure I would have a few choice words with them And let's just say they wouldn't be very nice words either

J? What's with this hostility? Goodness, come over here so I can give you a hug.

Actually, I sort of feel as you do. I skipped on the 10 year reunion a couple of years back. All these people who I never talked to in high school were calling me asking me to attend. I was polite and told them I'd consider it. Feh.

 

[jjc_7]

J? What's with this hostility? Goodness, come over here so I can give you a hug.

Actually, I sort of feel as you do. I skipped on the 10 year reunion a couple of years back. All these people who I never talked to in high school were calling me asking me to attend. I was polite and told them I'd consider it. Feh.

[hijack]

Sorry for the hostility I really did hate both of the schools that I went to, they both sucked and all but a few teachers actually enjoyed what they did. As my dad put it "high school is the best time of your life"....umm, yeah, right. My high school career started with a month long strike, followed by 3 years of non-stop bitching and whining from the teachers...so we had NO extra-curricular activities and zero school spirit. By the time I hit grade 12 and the sports slowly came back, I don't think I could have cared less about getting involved in anything. So yeah, I graduated a year early (I was part of the grade 13 cohort, but I finished everything by grade 12), and moved as far away as I could I'm much happier here and have competed for my school on various sports teams since I started.

And the no tag thing in elementary school? How LAME is that?!

's to you too Dan

[/hijack]

 

[gmoney]

Soon they'll just strap them down so they can't move.

Or is that my gay fantasy?

OMG, Lube! I never knew that about you!

The rule is just so ridiculous. Kids are going to become robots!

 

[JakeBequette]

Or is that my gay fantasy?

I know it's mine


We didn't play any type of rough games during recess at my Catholic school - we only played four-square and on the playground equiptment. Once I moved to public school (and missouri) they played football and basketball and stuff, but that was grades 6-8, so kind of older... That is a little crazy though that tag isn't allowed,​

 

[marcus85]

Hey thats kinda sad. I used to play tag at primary school all the time but i do remember one time when my friend triped and slid into a pole which had a bolt sticking out of it about an inch. So yeah we all thought it was a hoot but he had to go to hospital for a while.

 

[GL]

Here's my take on it... running around and playing is all part of growing up. This includes getting a bump, a bruise or a skinned knee from time to time. The thing that galls me about this article is that the school district is afraid of being sued. This country has become so lawsuit happy that its even forcing kids not to play. That is just plain sad.

 

[RationalLunacy]

What the article fails to mention is that these same children are now allowed to join the tackle football team.

 

[GL]

What the article fails to mention is that these same children are now allowed to join the tackle football team.

Go fig.

I wonder if they make those kids who join up on a sports team (little league, pee wee football, soccer) sign a waiver of some sort in case they get hurt?

 

[J-23]

Here's my take on it... running around and playing is all part of growing up. This includes getting a bump, a bruise or a skinned knee from time to time. The thing that galls me about this article is that the school district is afraid of being sued. This country has become so lawsuit happy that its even forcing kids not to play. That is just plain sad.

I actually broke a finger playing tag during recess back when I was about 8 years old. And I LIKED IT. Okay, I didn't actually like it... But my parents certainly didn't consider suing the school.

 

[epicAdam]

The Massachusetts School District blamed the courts for the move, saying that it's possible that the school will be held liable if a student is injured.

Don't blame the courts, blame the parents, attorneys and juries that bring forth these cases and award them money.

"Another Willett parent, Celeste D'Elia, said her son feels safer because of the rule. "I've witnessed enough near collisions," she said (as she ran a red light, narrowly missing another vehicle)." Shit happens. We can't protect everybody, every second, from every instance where they may get hurt. It's just not possible. These parents need to learn to grow up.

 

[jjc_7]

Let me give you a second hug JJ! I graduated from the International School of Bangkok. Other than being on the swimming team and drawing cartoons for the school paper, I didn't do much of anything else. I think I was generally viewed as a rather somber kid who stayed to himself, after all I attempted suicide when I 14 (most of the other kids kind of think your strange after that.) Didn't go to my graduation either and have never attented any of the reunions they have had here in the US either! Anyway, for some strange reason, I relate to ya', but I agree with GL as there is no need for any hostility!

Come here you big lug.............

My apologies for any hostility...I didn't really intend for it to be a hostile post, it just kinda turned out that way

 

[GL]

My apologies for any hostility...I didn't really intend for it to be a hostile post, it just kinda turned out that way

GROUP HUG!!!

 

[frankfrank]

Do playgrounds have "monkey bars" anymore? We used to climb all over them in grade school, and we thought NOTHING of it. I haven't noticed, but I'd be very surprised if they exist anywhere anymore, because a little kid might fall-down-an'-go-boom, and the school might be sued for $383 MILLION because the kid got a hangnail.

I think there are still pogo sticks, though, which surprises me. Those seem to be more dangerous than anything else that was around. I think I'd feel a lot safer skydiving than using a pogo stick.

 

[Sausy]

[hijack]

Sorry for the hostility I really did hate both of the schools that I went to, they both sucked and all but a few teachers actually enjoyed what they did. As my dad put it "high school is the best time of your life"....umm, yeah, right. My high school career started with a month long strike, followed by 3 years of non-stop bitching and whining from the teachers...so we had NO extra-curricular activities and zero school spirit. By the time I hit grade 12 and the sports slowly came back, I don't think I could have cared less about getting involved in anything. So yeah, I graduated a year early (I was part of the grade 13 cohort, but I finished everything by grade 12), and moved as far away as I could I'm much happier here and have competed for my school on various sports teams since I started.

And the no tag thing in elementary school? How LAME is that?!

's to you too Dan

[/hijack]

Wow,you had two really lousy school situations....thankfully you were able to find a great experience during your college years.That kind of school lack of spirit and professionalism is horrible....but you did the right thing,nd you're right not to look back.No need to apologize,you had the maturity and character to see how things were not as they were supposed to be,and put yourself into a situation that was far better,much more of what the learning experience,and and socializing experience,should be all about.Another group hug,everyone?

 

[cocktales]

Short "RANT" here:

Hey, we tell the kids that they are fat from eating high caloric food; but now we tell them they canNOT play a basic kids game of tag or running after one another!

Blah!

This game is one of the foundation games that kids play ALL around the world....if we have someone supervising the play-ground, then we should NOT have any trouble of bullies hurting other kids, etc.....

If teachers canNOT, or have NO time to supervise the playground, then the school police (if they have them, or hired people to supervise the safety of the playground) can watch over the kids playing so that NO one is injured or bullied around!

Sorry; but kids need to be able to have "free" play where they just run and run and run........

 

[Soilwork]

They're not allowed to play Dodge Ball either, although I kinda support that.

Fuck knows that the mean kids always got a chance to throw balls at the slow and fat kids who weren't able to defend themselves...

Tag.. well, that's just stupid.