NationStates Jolt Archive

At long last, there is a zero tolerance policy in a government school that I can support. From USA Today, (http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-06-26-recess-bans_x.htm)

Some traditional childhood games are disappearing from school playgrounds because educators say they're dangerous.

Elementary schools in Cheyenne, Wyo., and Spokane, Wash., banned tag at recess this year. Others, including a suburban Charleston, S.C., school, dumped contact sports such as soccer and touch football.

A ban on metric football is just what the doctor ordered. Although, in typical government school fashion, they have mistaken soccer for a contact sport. They should be banning NBA basketball.

On a slightly more serious note, kids need to play. All we are going to see from these sorts of policies is more pent-up energy that is released in the classroom. I'm sure that there is a direct relationship between the number of minutes given to free play in schools with the number of newly diagnosed ADD and ADHD victims. I'll say it again. Kids need to play and the schools need to let them.

If their kids end up as fat couch potatoes, they have no one to blame but the parents in that locale.

And the parents will say, "but.. but... the government said that soccer was dangerous..."

Good thing they never heard about the British Bulldog we used to play. Like rugby, but without a ball.

No touch football? Ahhh! Craziness.

What are they hoping to acheive? Obessity (sp?)? This really doesn't make any sense to me. How you can ban something like tag, that's insane.

I'm lost for words now.

This is rather rediculous.. Banning tag? and Soccer?
Why don't they go all out and strap the kids to a table, so they can't move and possible trip and hurt themselves..
They're kids, they should go out and hurt themselves, not severely so, but certainly scrape a knee, and 1 in a dozen should break something in their lifetime.. That's life.

I don't understand. You support school's zero tolerance towards contact sports? And why is banning soccer a good thing? The worst I ever heard someone getting from soccer is graze or a sprained ankle (this is at a school level, on a professional level I've seen things get a bit rougher).

Pretty soon they'll ban going outside, on the statistical chance that you might be struck by a falling meteorite.

omfg... where will it end?...I played tag as a kid and it never hurt me!! *twitch*

Seriously... that's rediculous - There's a school here in the UK that started to go through kids lunch box's from home and confiscate crisps and biscuits... needless to say parents hit the roof. They can ban what ever they want from the canteen, but going through home lunches is crap - it's not like the parents dont know what's in them

why dont we wrap them in bubble wrap and bounce then around a cushioned room?...

Good thing they never heard about the British Bulldog we used to play. Like rugby, but without a ball.
We call that Bullrush :).

Great game that. I can't remember any lunches back at primary school when I wasn't playing either soccer, touch rugby, cricket or 'fox' (kinda like tag, but turns into a team game). Boy, they were like the most enjoyable days of my life!

omfg... where will it end?...I played tag as a kid and it never hurt me!! *twitch*

Seriously... that's rediculous - There's a school here in the UK that started to go through kids lunch box's from home and confiscate crisps and biscuits... needless to say parents hit the roof. They can ban what ever they want from the canteen, but going through home lunches is crap - it's not like the parents dont know what's in them

why dont we wrap them in bubble wrap and bounce then around a cushioned room?...

This is what happens when you believe that "the government knows what's good for you, and you're just an ignorant citizen who needs to shut up and obey"

This is what happens when you believe that "the government knows what's good for you, and you're just an ignorant citizen who needs to shut up and obey"

how dare they dictate! (makes note to change NationState nation to a non dictatorship regieme)

Good thing they never heard about the British Bulldog we used to play. Like rugby, but without a ball.

that was a great game

We call that Bullrush :).

Great game that. I can't remember any lunches back at primary school when I wasn't playing either soccer, touch rugby, cricket or 'fox' (kinda like tag, but turns into a team game). Boy, they were like the most enjoyable days of my life!
Yeah, our school rules were your arms had to touch the ground before you were out. Sucks to be the last man standing, as it always resulted in a pile on. :D

why dont we wrap them in bubble wrap and bounce then around a cushioned room?...They might suffocate themselves.. Best to tie them down, or up..

Yeah, our school rules were your arms had to touch the ground before you were out. Sucks to be the last man standing, as it always resulted in a pile on. :D
Lol, that's brilliant. We didn't play that too much. Occasionally we were able to bring boots and a mouth guard to school and play some tackle rugby. I used to love that. There was real tough little guys who would run at me all day. It was great fun. Usually played in the mud and rain. Lots of bruises but everyone had a good laugh after. Hell, we were only like 10 haha.

To be fair, statistically I believe football actually is the most dangerous sport on the planet. :p

But that's fine. Get rock-hard balls and heavy wooden or metallic bats instead.

To be fair, statistically I believe football actually is the most dangerous sport on the planet. :p

But that's fine. Get rock-hard balls and heavy wooden or metallic bats instead.

No, no. We need to have the X-Games at every elementary school. Kids on skateboards and dirt bikes, and everyone leaping about and falling.

They might suffocate themselves.. Best to tie them down, or up..
Unfortunately, it turns out that teachers aren't allowed to use duct tape on students.

a very postmodern initiative

why dont we wrap them in bubble wrap and bounce then around a cushioned room?...

actually, that sounds like fun :)

Good thing they never heard about the British Bulldog we used to play. Like rugby, but without a ball.

We used to play British Bulldog at my school too.

Another game we played was Brandy. It was the same as Chasey, but instead of tagging someone with your hand, you threw a tennis ball at them, the harder, the better. I assume it was called Brandy because of the marks the ball would leave on your body.

We used to play British Bulldog at my school too.

Another game we played was Brandy. It was the same as Chasey, but instead of tagging someone with your hand, you threw a tennis ball at them, the harder, the better. I assume it was called Brandy because of the marks the ball would leave on your body.

I guess wrestling and boxing are right out.

We used to play British Bulldog at my school too.

Another game we played was Brandy. It was the same as Chasey, but instead of tagging someone with your hand, you threw a tennis ball at them, the harder, the better. I assume it was called Brandy because of the marks the ball would leave on your body.
Ohh!! I love that game. As a cricket player I was particularly good. We didn't call it brandy, just ball tag I think. Great game though.

Man, I miss the care-free days of primary school.

actually, that sounds like fun :)

doesnt it?... they should do an adult version.. i'd be up for that

actually, that sounds like fun :)
I love bouncy castles.

I love bouncy castles.

far too dangerous.. imagine if you jumped too high and went over the side?...... s.p.l.a.t

far too dangerous.. imagine if you jumped too high and went over the side?...... s.p.l.a.t
Most of them have roofs though!! Soft, bouncy roofs!

Most of them have roofs though!! Soft, bouncy roofs!

I've only been on ones with no roof.. poor neighbourhood growing up *sniff*

I've played bouncy castle volley ball... hillllllarious fun

I guess wrestling and boxing are right out.
The article points out that contact activities are supposed to be conducted in classes. But with more and more schools, in Georgia anyway, turning Phys Ed over to the homeroom teachers, I doubt that will happen. My wife is content to take the kids out for a walk around the track. And she's one of the more ambitious ones.

I remember boxing in college and in flight school. After the first couple punches, I was just a target.

The article points out that contact activities are supposed to be conducted in classes. But with more and more schools, in Georgia anyway, turning Phys Ed over to the homeroom teachers, I doubt that will happen. My wife is content to take the kids out for a walk around the track. And she's one of the more ambitious ones.

I remember boxing in college and in flight school. After the first couple punches, I was just a target.

I've been teaching Boy Scouts how to shoot rifles. Much to the horror of many parents who are surprised that you can get a badge for it.

I guess having a fat inactive kid is better than your kid coming home with a scraped knee.

I played a lot of violent games.

So, when are they outlawing Wall Ball (Red Ass/Hand Ball); the game where if you don't catch the ball, you have to run and touch the wall. If you don't make it, you have to place your hands on the wall and stick out your ass for the ball to be thrown at it.

I played a lot of violent games.

So, when are they outlawing Wall Ball (Red Ass/Hand Ball); the game where if you don't catch the ball, you have to run and touch the wall. If you don't make it, you have to place your hands on the wall and stick out your ass for the ball to be thrown at it.

That and dodge ball have disappeared in the US, because of policies like this.

Can't play anything that hurts, or can psychologically scar you.

Dodgeball - it isn't for pussies. People hitting you with half-inflated balls from three feet away. We played unsupervised dodgeball, it was a bitch.

:p That and dodge ball have disappeared in the US, because of policies like this.

Can't play anything that hurts, or can psychologically scar you.

lets all kill ourselves now then.... life being the biggest game of them all!... doesnt give you much to look forward to.. let them get hit in the head with a softball or two.. it's character building

....tehe

I've been teaching Boy Scouts how to shoot rifles. Much to the horror of many parents who are surprised that you can get a badge for it.
That's another relic of bygone days. I used to shoot on the school rifle team in high school. Brought my rifle to school on those days and kept in in my locker. We had a range in a room beneath the gym.

Brought my shotgun to school during hunting season, too. Kept it in the truck, though.

That and dodge ball have disappeared in the US, because of policies like this.

Can't play anything that hurts, or can psychologically scar you.
I'm waiting for grades to disappear. Imagine the loss of self-respect that must accompany an average grade, let alone a failing one.

That's another relic of bygone days. I used to shoot on the school rifle team in high school. Brought my rifle to school on those days and kept in in my locker. We had a range in a room beneath the gym.

Brought my shotgun to school during hunting season, too. Kept it in the truck, though.

you'd get arrested for that now

psst.. do you have a uniform to go wif it? ;)

So they'd rather just let their kids stay still and rot into mushrooms during recess as opposed to running around getting fit? The logic some peoples have...

you'd get arrested for that now

psst.. do you have a uniform to go wif it? ;)
Sure, but this was during those dangerous days in the 70's when kids could take some responsibility for themselves.

Uniform? We didn't have high school ROTC. Just a lot of farm kids that liked to shoot.

Sure, but this was during those dangerous days in the 70's when kids could take some responsibility for themselves.

Uniform? We didn't have high school ROTC. Just a lot of farm kids that liked to shoot.

sounds like a good time to me

i moved a lot... i went from a school that demanded skirts be x long and your tie be x inches from your waist line etc etc to the another school where the only rule was it had to black, white, or grey... but you could wear what ever you wanted

I'm waiting for grades to disappear. Imagine the loss of self-respect that must accompany an average grade, let alone a failing one.
Aren't they starting to do that by discouraging the use of red pens?

We call that Bullrush :).

Great game that. I can't remember any lunches back at primary school when I wasn't playing either soccer, touch rugby, cricket or 'fox' (kinda like tag, but turns into a team game). Boy, they were like the most enjoyable days of my life!
Yay for Bullrush!
Running full tilt into other kids, punching and kicking your way to freedom, dragging kids facedown into the dirt and piling onto them, clotheslining, picking on the weak and slow,...
Ah. Happy times.

Yay for Bullrush!
Running full tilt into other kids, punching and kicking your way to freedom, dragging kids facedown into the dirt and piling onto them, clotheslining, picking on the weak and slow,...
Ah. Happy times.

......and not getting detention for it!.. yay

they'll ban kiss chasey next

Aren't they starting to do that by discouraging the use of red pens?
That practice hasn't infiltrated the school systems here in North Georgia, yet. But you're right.

Blame this on the idiots who try to get rich by bringing a lawsuit against the school when little johnny breaks a leg, or sprains an ankle, or gets a bruise.

Blame this on the idiots who try to get rich by bringing a lawsuit against the school when little johnny breaks a leg, or sprains an ankle, or gets a bruise.
My wife does tell me that schools are quite shy of litigation. I'm sure that's the primary motivation behind this nonsense. There's a time and place for litigation and I think a "Loser Pays" system would help sort that out.

That practice hasn't infiltrated the school systems here in North Georgia, yet. But you're right.
If kids aren't expose to it, it'll be culture shock MUCH later in life, such as when they enter a post-secondary school, where red is normal and grading is a bitch.

Yay for Bullrush!
Running full tilt into other kids, punching and kicking your way to freedom, dragging kids facedown into the dirt and piling onto them, clotheslining, picking on the weak and slow,...
Ah. Happy times.
Oh man, happy times indeed.
I miss them.

Let's not forget Red Rover... and playing Good Guys n' Bad Guys... (you know, where you use your hands as guns; fond memories. I was one of the bad guys when I played with the boys).

Aren't they starting to do that by discouraging the use of red pens?
When I did my teaching quals we were told by a total arse* not to use a red pen, as it would 'hurt' their feelings and make the poor dears feel bad about themselves.

Problem is, writing in blue or black doesn't work as they can't see what the corrections are (just looks like their own work). Green's no good, cause it's too light, which leaves just red. It's perfect as it immediately highlights the corrections. I've never had a student get upset cause I used a red pen.


*He was a guest lecturer who apparently was a child psychologist. He spent an entire day once telling us how we were all part of a higher consciousness (like that has anything to do with teaching). Another day was taken up telling us how Christianity was all lies and that it had stolen everything from Paganism (again, wtf does that have to do with teaching?).
Only other thing I remember about him was his assertion that we're all made up of different types of energy. A disruptive child has too much negative energy and is in need of more positive energy, which is why he calms down when the teacher stands near him. Not, as one would assume, stop playing the fool cause a Teacher is standing right next to him!
No! Because our 'positive' energy flows from us to the little shit giving him more 'balance'.
Of course the biggest fuck-up was his own son...

Let's not forget Red Rover... and playing Good Guys n' Bad Guys... (you know, where you use your hands as guns; fond memories. I was one of the bad guys when I played with the boys).

red rover rocked!

When I did my teaching quals we were told by a total arse* not to use a red pen, as it would 'hurt' their feelings and make the poor dears feel bad about themselves.

Problem is, writing in blue or black doesn't work as you can't see what the corrections are (just looks like their own work). Green's no good, cause it's too light, which leaves just red. It's perfect as it immediately highlights the corrections. I've never had a student get upset cause I used a red pen.


*He was a guest lecturer who apparently was a child psychologist. He spent an entire day once telling us how we were all part of a higher consciousness (like that has anything to do with teaching). Another day was taken up telling us how Christianity was all lies and that it had stolen everything from Paganism (again, wtf does that have to do with teaching?).
Only other thing I remember about him was his assertion that we're all made up of different types of energy. A disruptive child has too much negative energy and is in need of more positive energy, which is why he calms down when the teacher stands near him. Not, as one would assume, stop playing the fool cause a Teacher is standing right next to him!
No! Because our 'positive' energy flows from us to the little shit giving him more 'balance'.
Of course the biggest fuck-up was his own son...

our teachers used to use smiley stickers - or not so smiley stickers of your work was bad.. they'd be a sad face, or a thumb down, and a smiley face, and a thumbs up, and a STAR... if you got 4 gold stars you got a free lollie from the tuck shop... happy days

My wife does tell me that schools are quite shy of litigation. I'm sure that's the primary motivation behind this nonsense. There's a time and place for litigation and I think a "Loser Pays" system would help sort that out.
It hasn't gotten that bad in Canada yet. Teachers themselves are mostly protected from litigation...unless they are found guilty, at which point they can be hung out to dry if the Association doesn't support them. But still, litigation is a major issue. No gymnastics classes, certain playground equipment is forbidden...it's certainly a problem. There are some things that have happened at schools that were not right, and deserved to be dealt with in that manner...but this policy of 'protect the school from litigation above all else' is not a great way to go.

our teachers used to use smiley stickers - or not so smiley stickers of your work was bad.. they'd be a sad face, or a thumb down, and a smiley face, and a thumbs up, and a STAR... if you got 4 gold stars you got a free lollie from the tuck shop... happy days
I use stamps cause I can't be arsed peeling stickers off. I have an 'excellent' stamp, a 'Great work!' one and a 'Good work' stamp.
I even have a 'You can do better' stamp, which I use occasionally. Mostly when I'm bored.

It hasn't gotten that bad in Canada yet. Teachers themselves are mostly protected from litigation...unless they are found guilty, at which point they can be hung out to dry if the Association doesn't support them. But still, litigation is a major issue. No gymnastics classes, certain playground equipment is forbidden...it's certainly a problem. There are some things that have happened at schools that were not right, and deserved to be dealt with in that manner...but this policy of 'protect the school from litigation above all else' is not a great way to go.
In Ontario, we have an insane Zero Tolerance Policy, which was introduced by the Harris Conservatives. It puts the one here to shame.

It put too much authority in the hands of the teachers and the VPs as well as principals. Students could be suspended for the tinest infraction.

I know because I was suspended because I didn't want to give up a computer because I was trying to find up an assignment for class. They needed a computer but wouldn't accomadate me when it was clear that other students were violating the rules of the school by using the school computers for chatting and playing games. As well as telling teachers that they were using the entrance as the exit (yes, seriously...)

I was sent to the VP's office and suspended for a day.

One of the other reasons given was because of a bunch of stuff I did when I was between the ages of 6-10... yes, suspended 9 years later for it, and it was extremely asinine stuff too, like talking back, which I never even got a detention for.

There was one thing I did, I accidently punched someone (ok, I was running and when one runs, they tend to ball their hands into fists and we collided. She burst into tears and lied saying that I deliberately punched her. I got a week's detention and this was in grade 4). So, even though I had been disciplined for this AND apologised, the VP who suspended me because of my refusal to give up a computer on which I was actually going school work, used this against me...

Yes, Canada is just as bad in some ways. The Zero Tolerance Policy knows no limits.

I use stamps cause I can't be arsed peeling stickers off. I have an 'excellent' stamp, a 'Great work!' one and a 'Good work' stamp.
I even have a 'You can do better' stamp, which I use occasionally. Mostly when I'm bored.
That's a good idea.

red rover rocked!
It was like unsupervised dodgeball - get a bunch of kids holding hands together then get some other kid to run at them like a crazed she-bear, usually right towards the smallest, scrawniest looking kid and see if they can take out some one's arms.

It was like unsupervised dodgeball - get a bunch of kids holding hands together then get some other kid to run at them like a crazed she-bear, usually right towards the smallest, scrawniest looking kid and see if they can take out some one's arms.
And it was the same little scrwany twit that always got bumped into...

I use stamps cause I can't be arsed peeling stickers off. I have an 'excellent' stamp, a 'Great work!' one and a 'Good work' stamp.
I even have a 'You can do better' stamp, which I use occasionally. Mostly when I'm bored.

wonder if i can grade boyfriends in a similar fashion

I don't want to sound like some dumb ass ranting on this thread, but who the hell are you to say its a good idea to ban tag. I mean i grew up palying tag, and just because some kids get hurt a little every once and a while its an important part of american culture. I mean what the hell are they going to do instead. My freinds just came up with even more dangerous games.

And just so you no, I tried realy hard not to through in a few F's and B's, if you know what I mean.

I don't want to sound like some dumb ass ranting on this thread, but who the hell are you to say its a good idea to ban tag. I mean i grew up palying tag, and just because some kids get hurt a little every once and a while its an important part of american culture. I mean what the hell are they going to do instead. My freinds just came up with even more dangerous games.

And just so you no, I tried realy hard not to through in a few F's and B's, if you know what I mean.

tell us what you really think... dont hold back or anything :)

Well, this is what can happen when you play football. (http://www.joga.com/VideoView.aspx?videoId=691271332472055172)

Blame this on the idiots who try to get rich by bringing a lawsuit against the school when little johnny breaks a leg, or sprains an ankle, or gets a bruise.


I agree the answer I think lies in the shcools and the parents working closer together. After all when we are out at work our kids are at school for something like 7-8 hours, and the shcools needs to both teach and look after the physical welfare of our children during this time.

Well, this is what can happen when you play football. (http://www.joga.com/VideoView.aspx?videoId=691271332472055172)
Yes, thank you, I did NOT want to see that again. *shudder*

Yes, thank you, I did NOT want to see that again. *shudder*
Kinda makes me feel sick. :)

And it was the same little scrwany twit that always got bumped into...
... and who later became a personal injury lawyer and made sure that no contact sports were ever, again, played in schools.

On a slightly more serious note, kids need to play. All we are going to see from these sorts of policies is more pent-up energy that is released in the classroom. I'm sure that there is a direct relationship between the number of minutes given to free play in schools with the number of newly diagnosed ADD and ADHD victims. I'll say it again. Kids need to play and the schools need to let them.
Exactly! I'd love to see a school where teachers could require over-energized students, particularly boys, to go outside and run around the building a few times. That would be far, far better than doping them up on Ritilin.

metric football
You mean "the game where the ball is controlled by the foot".

My little brothers' school banned tag last year because "some kids don't want to be it." :rolleyes:

Let kids be kids. I got hurt all the time playing soccer (or football if you will) when I was younger, and I didn't care at all. It was fun. I'd get the wind knocked out of me, stumble around gasping for breath for a minute or two, and get right back into it. :) It was also my personal belief that soccer was a contact sport, despite what the other kids claimed. :D

Well, this is what can happen when you play football. (http://www.joga.com/VideoView.aspx?videoId=691271332472055172)
Bah! Just an excuse to express one's homosexual desires. Heh... ;) Just kidding.

... and who later became a personal injury lawyer and made sure that no contact sports were ever, again, played in schools.
And this same person is the one who the formerly aggressive kids hire in order to sue schools because their little brats got a damn bruise.

Bah! Just an excuse to express one's homosexual desires. Heh... ;) Just kidding.
Lol, yea. Something like that :p

You mean "the game where the ball is controlled by the foot".
Exactly. The game which is only popular in countries that have adopted metric measurements. It could also be called binary football because of the preponderance of 1's and 0's in the scores.

:headbang: That's all I can say.

I never liked recess all that much. I would try and smuggle a book outside and sit in the shade while everyone played touch football, but the teacher would force me to stop reading and play, wherein I was mercilessly mocked because I had really sucky aim while passing, and was slow. The only recess sport I liked was Soccer, because the pitch was so large I did not have to do much the entire game, Because I usually played defence. And now they banned that. My old school got around the dodgeball ban by creating new sport that was basically the same as dodgeball, except there was a net between the teams.

Being mocked mercilessly builds character.

I usually side with the lawyers, but this is a tad ridiculous. In my view, it should hereby be enacted that any school district attorney who automatically settles a questionable case should be tied down for a period of five minutes to be struck in the groin with whiffle bats and dodgeballs. God knows they could use some character, too.

I never liked recess all that much. I would try and smuggle a book outside and sit in the shade while everyone played touch football, but the teacher would force me to stop reading and play, wherein I was mercilessly mocked because I had really sucky aim while passing, and was slow. The only recess sport I liked was Soccer, because the pitch was so large I did not have to do much the entire game, Because I usually played defence. And now they banned that. My old school got around the dodgeball ban by creating new sport that was basically the same as dodgeball, except there was a net between the teams.

Banning sports like soccer, dodgeball, and touch football at recess is stupid and horrible. Those poor kids! But its just as stupid to stop kids from reading. I thought the point of recess was for kids to have 20 minutes to themselves, to spend how they like. As long as they arent hurting anyone, I don't see the problem. I hope some parents are raising hell. I know I would.

I don't recall ever playing games quite that organised at recess.

Red Rover was about as complex as we got. And marbles.