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.
No ball jokes in the comments. (Score:5, Funny)
I'm watching you.
Re:No ball jokes in the comments. (Score:5, Funny)
"No ball jokes in the comments."
Can we at least make jokes about Coxwell Ave.?
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i had to eat my words.
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I don't have a joke because mr. T ate my balls [flamesgif.com].
Re:No ball jokes in the comments. (Score:5, Funny)
I'm watching you.
Whoops, I didn't realize anybody was watching.
(/me puts down his balls)
Re:No ball jokes in the comments. (Score:5, Insightful)
No way. Last time [slashdot.org] I got yelled at.
Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
What next? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:What next? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:What next? (Score:5, Funny)
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Re:What next? (Score:5, Funny)
Whacking someone with an iPad is against the EULA.
Balls, lacking software, are not protected by IP laws. Ergo, iPads are safer than balls.
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You should join my movement: Occupy The Woods. It's all the fucking trees' fault. On the plus side, no one gives us all that much shit about setting up tents.
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You joke... but I did get stabbed with a pencil on the playground. I had a "graphite" tattoo where the lead entered me- faded over a few years- but it remained for a while.
Re:What next? (Score:5, Insightful)
So you are agreeing that banning pencils is a good idea? I hope not. Once we eliminate all risks in life, we eliminate all rewards as well.
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mods!
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Re:What next? (Score:5, Funny)
Well... maybe not ban pencils... but perhaps force people to need a license to obtain a pencil- and maybe go through a 60 day wait period to stop crimes of passion.
Pencils are a dangerous weapon!
- I'm just not sure what they would use to fill out the application form for the license.
Re:What next? (Score:4, Insightful)
A pen?
Re:What next? (Score:5, Funny)
Good God man! Haven't you heard the pen is mightier than the sword!
We can't have children carrying an item more deadly than a claymore.
THIS SIDE TOWARDS HIGHLANDERS (Score:4, Funny)
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I have a piece of graphite in my knee still from where I got stabbed with a pencil!
In all seriousness though, I remember a student that got kicked from my High School and had to go to the "bad kids" school. Apparently (not sure if this is true or not) he had to do his work in crayon because he tried to stab one of the teachers with a pen/pencil.
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It could be because it was when I was quite young (probably about 7) so still growing. I'm much larger, obviously, than when I was 7 so I think it just stretch out until it was unnoticable.
I could still make out the stab wound for several years... I guess it was about my teenage growth-spurt that I couldn't see it anymore.
Might also matter where it is- mine was on my stomache... so softer tissue than between the fingers.
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i also still have my graphite tattoo from 1997.. i gave a kid a flat tire as we were walking out of study hall and he instantly did some whirlwind ninja spin and stabbed me right in the arm with his pencil D;
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Technically it is graphite- but it is often called "lead" despite not containing any lead. I don't know why it is called lead- if it ever indeed contained lead.
Re:What next? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:pencils can be sharpened into "stabbing weapons (Score:3)
Ooh I know this one!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K3E5tLoado [youtube.com]
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i was expecting the old governor to say "knives and stabbing weapons"
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Hell, some were designed to be weapons that you can carry anywhere.
http://www.tuffwriter.com/tactical-pens.html [tuffwriter.com]
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Will they ban pencils, because they can be sharpened into "stabbing weapons?"
Yep, they'll have to go back to carving their words into blocks of wood with knives, stilettos and daggers.
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Or typing them into PCs or pads...maybe...
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It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen.
Re:What next? (Score:5, Interesting)
Right after the Columbine thing happend (I was in highschool), the school I was at started banning stuff left and right. Noting the ridiculousness in a very similar fashion to waht you are doing here, me and a few buddies printed out a ream of flyers declaring that "Sharp writing utensils, including pencils and pens will be confiscated" and that you have to use "approved safe" writing instruments like markers and crayons.
We then snuck out during an assembly and taped them up everywhere. Amazing, noone got caught - but it was effective. A few students took them home, some discussion started, and some of the bans were lifted (including dusters/long coats).
It was the proudest moment of highschool for me :)
The larger question is... (Score:5, Insightful)
Why is this relevant news to this site? Has /. become Fark?
This is also an elementary school in the middle of Toronto. It has limited yard space, and hence, not much room for kids to share a relatively small space.
Re:What next? (Score:5, Insightful)
No, no, you don't understand. Schools in the US "socialize" children in such a way that they will support "team sport" both as children and later as adults, which in turn pushes revenue to the town businesses when other teams come to town for competitions. The businesses, in turn, "rah rah" like crazy, perhaps even buy some uniforms for the kids. It's entirely financial. As far as injuries go, that's ok as long as the team can still play. My ex-wife, a surgeon, dealt with spleen and bone injuries on a regular basis from the local sports programs. A couple of real bad spinal injuries as well over the course of a decade. Trashed immune system? Broken growth plates? Destroyed knee? No problem! And it's always interesting to hear a coach tell the kids to really get in there and injure the opposition (or, in one case I know of, the opposing JV team.) "Gotta practice like you play, kids!"
If government has a legitimate role here, it is educating kids. Reading, writing, math, history, civics, science, and so on. Not "sports." Kids should be done with school early and then, if they want sport, they should go to a private club or other entity that does the sport in question. School sports -- from taxpayer funded playing fields to the huge busses that carry the teams around -- are a huge misuse of tax money, and clear-headed parents don't support them in any way.
There's another issue as well, and that is bullying/lording; kids in sports are inevitably given leeway and options that kids not in sports do not receive, and along with the whole snotty "I'm a football player / cheerleader and you're not" comes mistreatment and isolation. And don't even get me started on "sports scholarships" -- the very idea is a contradiction in terms. There's nothing "scholarly" about school sports at all. It's about money.
It's bad enough that kids naturally aren't on an equal footing intelligence wise; that's something we have to deal with because they have to be educated anyway. There's no need to add an entirely superfluous level of ostracizing to the kid's lives.
The small town I live in is saturated to the gills with child sports-related nonsense. It's a crying shame.
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Trust me, you will want the government funding physical education unless you want to choke on the health costs later
Considering how damned fat the younger generations are, I think you're going to have to come up with a little proof there, fellow, because I don't see how PE has done anything for anybody. The jocks on the football team? Obese before age 35. Damned lot of good PE did them. They would have been far better off learning that you don't use an apostrophe with plural's,* and their "they're" is there
Ballocks! (Score:2)
Yep, that says it all.
Hard Balls? (Score:5, Funny)
soccer ball, football, volleyball or even tennis ball
None of those listed are even hard! What do they consider soft, Nerf?
Re:Hard Balls? (Score:5, Funny)
In fact that is the school's new slogan: Nerf or nothing.
Re:Hard Balls? (Score:4, Informative)
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They'll be banned in the next 5 years as kids far too dumbed down to be viable start suffocating when they try to inhale the Nerf balls.
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That was my first thought.
My second thought was "Time to buy me some stocks in Nerf... their value is about to skyrocket"
Course... they tend to be form-molded, which has edges that can be kinda scratchy sorta. Perhaps I should go back a step and get stocks in sponge manufacturers instead.
Or both... can't hurt *ducks*
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How the fuck are they supposed to play lacrosse? Try playing that with a Nerf ball.
Or are they banning lacrosse, too, because you might hit someone?
Getting beaned with a speeding lacrosse ball teaches you to pay attention to your surroundings. Good lesson to learn. Why do they want their kids to be dumb? (Rhetorical, folks - don't need an answer...)
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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).
Are you from penn state? (Score:4, Funny)
Stop thinking of the children and their balls.. That's not what we ment when we said 'think of the children'.
Slashdot, what is up today? (Score:5, Funny)
First, a story about a Boeing "Penetrator". Now, a summary about balls. "In an attempt to finally "think of the children" Earl Beatty Publid school has prohibited students from playing with balls" practically shoves it in your face. Dick jokes... actually, are still pretty funny. Nevermind go right ahead.
The ban on hard balls being brought to school is a “proactive measure. It’s also a preventative measure,”
Yes. That would work as a preventative too. Most schools take a slightly... different approach, but I suppose banning balls period works too. To prevent head injuries.
Ah Pocket Billiards on a cold day... (Score:2)
How can they ban this?
What, no fences? (Score:2)
Almost as wacky, I mean, zany; no, I mean bombastic as US laws .. or so I'm led to believe by the news these days.
Probably next ban saying "Eh!"
Title Should Be (Score:4, Funny)
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Vote out the school board!! (Score:5, Insightful)
If you don't like crap like this, get yourself or someone you trust on the school board. It can't be that hard!
The general voting public ignores local politics, which is much more important for day to day life.
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get yourself or someone you trust on the school board
Does serving on the school board require experience as a licensed teacher?
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More trash on /. (Score:5, Informative)
Re:More trash on /. (Score:4, Funny)
Because chubby tech-geeks in their big chairs like to feel smug about how the Nanny State is taking away their time-travel-based rights to return to elementary school and get hit by a baseball, like God intended?
Was it a specific letter? (Score:2)
no child could bring a soccer ball, football, volleyball or even tennis ball
Better learn cricket or hockey then. Those games have nice soft balls that are completely armless.
Re:Was it a specific letter? (Score:5, Funny)
I don't think they banned balls with arms.
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Perhaps they should take up overhand bowling.
This is Getting Out of Hand (Score:2)
This is
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In a generation or so, we are going to have a lot of 18 year old people dying as soon as they stop being protected.
When I was a kid... (Score:3)
We used to use these so called "hard" balls explicitly to throw at people with the intent to hit them. I believe they called it a "game"... Ball tag?
Schools will attempt to ban any and everything that could possibly be fun even if there is no chance of someone getting hurt (trading hockey cards was banned from my elementary school), its ridiculous.
What about rocks? (Score:5, Insightful)
Rocks are not balls and you can still play catch, baseball, hockey, etc. with them.
Solution: Helmets for wimpy parents (Score:5, Insightful)
..the most serious injury at the school to date involved a parent, who was hit in the head by a soccer ball and suffered a concussion.
If that parent can suffer a concussion from a soccer ball kicked by a kid then they need to wear a helmet whenever they leave the house. Don't punish everybody else for having a skull made out of jello.
Typical (Score:2)
Well this is toronto, so it's pretty damn typical of the over-reaction. Then again this is the same city that has flown in the face and allowed segregated based schools, and religious discrimination to occur on the tax payer dole, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
How does this educate kids ? (Score:2)
Kids learn by doing things. Some things have nice results, some are unpleasant. They don't do the unpleasant things again. Part of the reason for having them learn in a school is that it is an environment where they can be guided and with adults around the effects of the unpleasant can be switfly dealt with.
So kids will now not learn that intercepting a hard ball with your head might hurt. They will do that outside of school where if they get knocked down there will not be a responsible adult who can act sw
I brought the orange one, and the orange one (Score:2)
Beyond reasonable (Score:4, Interesting)
Many kids today are inactive and do everything to play sports. School is an environment to grow, learn, play and socialize. Sports seems to fit this very well.
A colleague of mine at work said their 8 yr old son was sent home from school on Halloween, because their outfit was 'too scary'. The parents got a letter and other kids were apparently dismissed. He had a mummy or vampire costume mom had made him.
I don't have kids yet. It seems odd that the generation that grew out of having hippie pot smoking, acid dropping, heavy metal parents to their kids who, like myself, grew up listening to and enjoying even crazier music and exposed to more sex, drugs and alcohol are the same that are deeply offended by 'scary' Halloween costumes or kids playing sports at school.
I live in Toronto and compared to what goes on in the rest of the city, playing with your (or other people's) balls should be the least of parents' concerns. (pun intended),
The Canadians will be OK with this... (Score:2)
Hit or almost hit (Score:3)
This wasn't brought on by a series of injuries, but a series on "incidents". People were getting hit or almost hit. Oh No! One of those people hit got a concussion! Yes, concussions can be serious, but if you let your kids get any kinds of exercise at all they run the risk of a concussion. I got a concussion falling off a jungle gym. No balls involved at all.
One concussion and some bruises or abrasions is no reason to ban a fun form of exercise. No one ever suggested I stop climbing on things after I hurt myself. (I know that since I've left school, people have made that demand of today's kids, but that's just as unreasonable.
You laugh... (Score:2)
I demand equal treatment! (Score:2)
Uh, those are hard balls? (Score:2)
I don't know how it works in the USA, but I would have thought "hard balls" only encompasses things like baseballs and hockey pucks (and maybe lacross - I can't remember for sure, but I watched my cousin play a few games when I was in CA and I seem to recall I did not want to get hit by the ball).
Here in Australia I would classify cricket balls as hard balls as well. Hockey balls (my g/f plays grass hockey) as well.
Banning hard balls, I could in some way understand - those things can cause some pretty serio
Are they gonna ban Physical education classes? (Score:2)
You know how many times I got hurt playing soccer and floor hockey during lunch and recess? No one cared and you looked cool with scars in front of the ladies.
oyfg... (Score:3)
... is this the same school that first stopped keeping scores in soccer because they didn't want to "emotionally harm" the losing side?
I weep for the species.
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
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Next up.. (Score:2)
Pool Safety (Score:4, Funny)
I went to kindergarten at this school and almost drowned while on a class trip, I'm ok with them taking a safety-focused approach.
Re:This is why socialism doesn't work (Score:4, Insightful)
I call bullshit, you are a passive aggressive American who wants to paint socialism in a shitty light. This has nothing to do with Canada's economy.
Re:So I should stop (Score:5, Funny)
No, I think anyone who has started that practice should probably never stop ... best for the gene pool really.
Re:Well... (Score:5, Insightful)
In the days where there are lawsuit trolls roaming the earth trying to turn any mishap into $$$, I can't really blame them.
Of course, take it out on the kids instead of the lawyers or politicians that allow the lawyers to conduct business as they do.
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In the days where there are lawsuit trolls roaming the earth trying to turn any mishap into $$$, I can't really blame them.
Of course, take it out on the kids instead of the lawyers or politicians that allow the lawyers to conduct business as they do.
Now that is insightful. Seriously, what is next? Broken legs are bad. Everyone is to have their legs removed to avoid law suits from leg injuries.
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What's cheaper for the school? Going after the lawyers and politicians, or printing a few hundred letters and sending them home with the kids?
No contest, from the schools point of view.
When I was at school, we weren't allowed to throw snowballs when it snowed, and we were only allowed soft soccer balls during winter periods when the playing fields were closed during "recess" and we had to play on the concrete areas. This was 20 years ago...
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When I was a kid we were banned from throwing snowballs in the winter. They told us there could be a piece of ice inside that would take someone's eye out.
So the snowball fights had to wait until after school :-(
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What? Most US public elementary schools have recess, and all US public schools are required to have physical education.
Imagine high school PE without any "balls" allowed (soccer, softball, football, basketball, etc). And of course, that must imply getting rid of any other "dangerous" sports, so there goes all of the gymnastics equipment, floor hockey (the plastic puck might be ok, but letting kids carry 5' long sticks? The horror!), wrestling mats (it's like publicly sanctioned ultimate fighting!), and f
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.
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I think we can still safely call it incredibly stupid. They say the most 'serious' incident so far is that an adult was hit in the head w/ a soccer ball. Then they claim it caused a concussion?!? I don't care if the school includes "Moose" McCormick who has repeated the 3rd grade 20 times, no student has the strength to cause a concussion with a soccer ball, many players get hit in the head with a soccer ball on purpose repeatedly throughout the game.
Soccer and the Brain (Score:3)
Head injuries account for between 4% and 22% of all soccer injuries.
In soccer, concussions make up 2-3% of all injuries. This is the same rate as for American football!
A study involving men's and women's college soccer teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference found a total of 29 concussions in a 2-year period. The most common cause of the concussions was when one player's head struck the head of another player. This was also the most common source of concussions in a group of soccer players at the US Olympic Sport Festival in 1993. The second most common cause of concussions occurred when a ball struck a player's head. These head-to-ball concussions happened when a player was hit in the head by a ball kicked from close range. In many cases, the ball traveled so quickly the player did not have time to react. NONE of the concussions were caused by proper heading of the ball. Heading the ball, however, is not without consequences. A player may head the ball many times during practice sessions and about eight times during a game. Many players at the 1993 US Olympic Festival experienced headaches after heading the ball. These headaches lasted from a few seconds to several days.
A Norwegian study found that 35% of 69 Division I soccer players had abnormal electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns. This is more than twice the rate of abnormal EEG patterns in control subjects. Retired soccer players had several brain abnormalities including reduced cortical tissue and increased lateral ventricle size.
Soccer players also seem to perform more poorly than control subjects on some types of IQ tests and many former players (81%) suffer from problems with attention, concentration, and memory. Players who typically head the ball have also been found to have more neurological problems than non-headers. Compared to goalies and midfielders ("non-headers"), forwards and defenders ("headers") performed more poorly on some memory, visual perception and planning tests.
Most of the data come from players at the elite level who have played soccer for many years. Professional soccer players head the ball thousands of times during their careers. There has not been much research on the effects of heading the soccer ball on children or recreational players. Although helmets may protect players from concussions, their usefulness has not been tested. At least one company is selling helmets to be used by children while playing soccer.
So, how can head injuries be reduced and minimized? Here are some recommendations:
Players should have proper instruction on the correct way to head the ball.
The ball should be the appropriate size for the age of the players. Smaller balls are less likely to cause injury. Also, make sure the ball is inflated properly.
Use "no heading" rules for younger players. If a player is not allowed to head the ball, the ball is less likely to hit a player's head.
Use padded goalposts.
Soccer and the Brain [washington.edu]
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Ick. No thank you! We like ours spicy, a little chewy and with a bit of fight left in them. After all, half the fun is chasing 'em down and catching them. Weren't you paying attention when we got Hollywood to make our "Predator" movies?
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