I sure am glad playing tag's been banned. I don't like being chased. What all that running around good for anyhow?
Posted on 8/31/2007, 10:51:34 PM by My Favorite Headache
Springs elementary gives tag a timeout By BRIAN NEWSOME THE GAZETTE
On the playground of a northern Colorado Springs elementary school, tag is not “it.”
The touch-and-run game and any other form of chasing was banned this year at Discovery Canyon Campus’ elementary school by administrators who say it fuels schoolyard disputes.
“It causes a lot of conflict on the playground,” said Assistant Principal Cindy Fesgen. In the first days of school, before tag was banned, she said students would complain to her about being chased or harassed.
Fesgen said she would hear: “Well, I don’t want to be chased, but he won’t stop chasing me, or she won’t stop chasing me.”
Fesgen said two parents complained to her about the demise of tag, but she said that generally, parents and children didn’t fuss about the new rules. Running games are still OK, she said, as long as students don’t run after one another.
The Academy School District 20 elementary school isn’t the first in the Pikes Peak region to take issue with traditional recess games.
In 2005, two elementaries in Falcon School District 49 adopted a structured recess program, Trouble-Free Playground, that did away with games like tag in favor of alternative activities that cut down on physical contact. Evans and Meridian Ranch elementaries said the program encouraged more students to play games and helped reduce playground squabbles.
Nationally, several schools have done away with tag and other games because of the accidents and arguments they can lead to. It’s a trend that has rankled some parents and childhood experts who say games such as tag contribute to children’s social and physical development.
Fesgen, who has supervised playgrounds for more than 20 years, said this is not the first school where she’s restricted chase games. She still believes in free play. Students can run races and run around with friends, she said.
“There is plenty for them to do,” she said.
DETAILS
In 2005, two elementaries in Falcon School District 49 adopted a structured recess program, Trouble-Free Playground, that did away with chasing games in favor of other activities that cut down on physical contact. Evans and Meridian Ranch elementaries said the program helped reduce playground squabbles.
What about “frozen” tag? That’s a little safer < /S >
My sentiments exactly.
PC irrationality gone even further amuck.
We used rocks when I was a kid.
Oh brother! "Have your people fax my people!"
Do any of you remember that. We used to have to make ourselves a hat and dance around a pole holding a piece of ribbon to unite with our communist brethren.
I had no idea about the communist tilt until adulthood and wondered why it vanished.
Besides, it is an opportunity to teach the kids self control — be good and we will allow you to play the game, be bad and we will take it away for a couple of days.
These are elementary kids.
And the the food police complain because children are over weight. How the hell can they maintain an average weight if they can not excercise you idiots??
So, I guess football and basketball are out...?
It won’t be long before we have school uniforms — unisex - skirts for both boys and girls.
Oh, golly gee...let’s not subject them to something they don’t like. After all, in the real world, you always get your way.
It would be a rather piss poor teacher when I was in school who could not handle an elementary school playground squabble.
Educators used to understand that the playground was where students learned conflict resolution.
Let me see, if you don't want to be chased you don't run. Too simple for educated minds, I guess.
Hey, kids!
Since they won’t let you play tag with your classmates, I suggest you play murder-ball with the administrators - use rocks if no balls are handy.
ExCalifornian’s are doing their best to ruin this once conservative state.
In other news, America is more obese than ever...........
mrs
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