Toronto School Bans Hard Balls 319
In an attempt to finally "think of the children," Earl Beatty Public school has prohibited students from playing with balls after a "few serious incidents" in which students and staff were hit or almost hit by balls. From the article: "The happy days of kicking a ball around at recess ended Monday after students took home a letter advising that henceforth, no child could bring a soccer ball, football, volleyball or even tennis ball to the junior and senior school in the area of Coxwell and Danforth Aves." I assume all lunches will soon be taken via feeding tube to minimize choking hazards.
More trash on /. (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Hard Balls? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Absurd of course, but... (Score:5, Informative)
Granted, I am probably the first person to RTFA, but of course, despite the play to the aesthetics of outrage, the true story is less absurd, less dramatic:
1. the "ban" is temporary until they can find a better solution to the problem
2. the problem is not that the precious little angels might get hit by balls, it's that the play area is much too small, making accidents too likely.
But don't let me stop the hand-wringing. Carry on, carry on.
Re:Hard Balls? (Score:4, Informative)
If you get a football in the face, I think you'll agree with the classification of it being hard.
I have (both soccer and pigskin), and I don't agree. I've also been hit in the face with a baseball, so I know what's hard (pain lasting weeks), and what isn't (a bloodied nose for a few minutes).
Where is the story here? (Score:5, Informative)
Google maps shows a urban JK-8 school with a tiny green space and playground.
The street level view is crowded.
There is a small area set aside with a handful of shade trees, a slide, climbers, etc., for the youngest kids.
A running track frames the play area for the older ones.
There is a batting cage at the far end of the field, but no other permanent structures.
You could probably safely practice and play some team sports here under controlled conditions. But 350 kids on break each doing their own thing?
I don't think so.
The Address: 55 Woodington Avenue, Toronto, ON M43 3J3, Canada
Re:What next? (Score:4, Informative)