Why one Ontario school wants to ban cartwheels on school property

Many schools have a number of measures in place to help protect children from injuries – banning “distracting” and possibly hazardous fidget spinners is one thing, but what if the element of danger is a traditional childhood pastime? Take cartwheels.

A school in Callander, ON., is reportedly looking to ban the popular sideways handspring on school property. In a recent draft handbook of playground rules for the 2017-2018 school year, officials at M.T. Davidson public school have apparently included cartwheels among its list of prohibited activities.

And according to school Principal Todd Gribbon, there were no reported injuries that caused the ban.

“The activity can cause concussions, and neck and wrist injuries,” Gribbon said.

Since the 14-page handbook is in draft mode, the school’s advisory committee will meet at the beginning of October to review it. As reported, there’s no opportunity for feedback, and both parents and students are obligated to sign the code of conduct before returning it.

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This wasn’t the first school that took issue with cartwheels. A middle school in Australia faced backlash after it banned students from performing cartwheels and other gymnastic moves on school property unless they were properly supervised by a gym teacher. At least one student was forced to “sit out of play” after being caught performing a cartwheel downhill.

Locally, a Toronto Catholic elementary school was criticized for banning kids from playing ‘tag’ – more specifically, overly-rough versions of the schoolyard game after a few injuries were reported.

And it’s not just schools that are putting procedures in place to create safe, stress-free environments for children — parents are following suit.

Proud mom Bunmi Laditan recently sent an email to her 10-year-old daughter’s teachers letting them know that her daughter was ‘done’ with homework as it caused too much stress and impacted her daughter’s health.

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“Going forward, this is a homework-free household and I don’t care who knows it. My kid needs to be a kid.”

What do you think — are some educators and parents going a little too far with measures that are meant to assist children?

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