UK School Bans "Gymnastic Movements" on Playground
Source: eagnews.org
How are children supposed to stay fit and healthy if they're not allowed to burn off those calories?
That's what parents at Old Priory Primary Academy in Plymouth, England want to know.
The school's interim headteacher, Emma Hermon-Wright, banned "gymnastic movements" during recess after she says a number of students were injured.
"Following a number of minor incidents we took action to ban these gymnastic activities during play and lunch," she says, according to the Plymouth Herald.
“Through PE lessons in primary schools, pupils are carefully taught to develop movements of their bodies in safe, controlled and supported ways.
“At playtime our children were not performing these in such a way and pupils were attempting gymnastic movements beyond their capability.
“This was resulting in injuries,” she concludes.
safe kid bubbleParents were swift in their condemnation of the school’s new policy.
“Are we to wrap them up in cotton wool every morning before sending them in to school? What happened to kids being kids?” one mother wonders.
“Climbing, running, jumping and indeed cartwheels are all part of childhood.
“When I was at school, coming home with a grazed knee and bruised shins meant that you’d had a good day.
“Not to mention the fact that you are moving your body, gaining confidence, building self-esteem, developing resilience, working on balance, strengthening and stretching muscles, developing co-ordination, taking risks and delighting in shared play experiences.”
Another parent with two children at the school, Sarah Evans, adds, “It is officially the world gone mad.
“They are taking away a child’s right to be a child and they are taking away the things we took for granted as children.”
Headteacher Hermon-Wright defends the new rule.
“This action was carefully considered in order to safeguard the pupils of Old Priory which is the most important thing to us,” she tells the paper.
“Ultimately safety and wellbeing of the pupils whilst at Old Priory is our responsibility and I feel very strongly that this is the correct decision to make at this time.”
Source: eagnews.org
