Overlawyered: Chronicling The High Cost Of Our Legal System

The terrors of tag

From McLean, Va., one of D.C.’s most affluent suburbs: “Robyn Hooker, principal of Kent Gardens Elementary School, has told students they may no longer play tag during recess after determining that the game of chasing, dodging and yelling ‘You’re it!’ had gotten out of hand. Hooker explained to parents in a letter this month that […]

From McLean, Va., one of D.C.’s most affluent suburbs: “Robyn Hooker, principal of Kent Gardens Elementary School, has told students they may no longer play tag during recess after determining that the game of chasing, dodging and yelling ‘You’re it!’ had gotten out of hand. Hooker explained to parents in a letter this month that tag had become a game ‘of intense aggression.’ … Many schools nationwide have whittled down playground activities in response to concerns about injuries, bullying or litigation.” (Michael Alison Chandler, “At McLean School, Playing Tag Turns Into Hot Potato”, Washington Post, Apr. 15; reaction via Technorati).

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3 Comments

  • When I was in first grade we had to wait outside the building until it was time to start school. We played tag, running up and down the stairs and jumping off the garden walls.

    Every Wednesday was “Wedding Day”. Mondays were “Marriage Day”. It was a game of tag, except all the girls chased the boys and if a boy was tagged then the pair was supposedly going to get married some day. Talk about “intense aggression”, those girls were persistent, we were never safe from the terroristic prospect of getting married to a (yuck) girl. It was a big relief when the bell rang and the boys dashed inside. Maybe some hurt feelings among boys who were not pursued by as many girls, so probably can’t play this game today.

    • By JB

  • In our school district, children are not allowed to use a football or baseball while out in recess because of the fear of liability. In fact you cant even read the bible while out on recess! http://www.religionandsocialpolicy.org/article_index/article_display.cfm?SiteTopicRequest=17&id=2870

  • I’ll bet that Ms. Hooker was always last picked for a team at recess.

    • By KDP