Aussie school bans handstands, cartwheels at playtime

**mashman** · 28th August 2012, 23:46

Oh good gawd...

"But a parent also quoted in the article says she understands the position of the school.

"So many principals are wary about children injuring themselves, due to the growing litigative culture we live in," she said."

So it's not to protect the children, but it's to protect the school from being sued by a disgruntled parent. AWESOMENESS. I'm sorry children, you'll have to stop having fun because these things might get me into trouble.

**Virago** · 29th August 2012, 00:16

"Schools band handstands, cartwheels at playtime"

That must be quite difficult for a band. Don't their instruments get in the way?

**ducatilover** · 29th August 2012, 00:25

Originally Posted by Virago

That must be quite difficult for a band. Don't their instruments get in the way?

Perhaps they play small instruments? Why do you think they'd play big bulky ones? Have you got a penis complex?

Oh, and did you hear a school has banned similar activities?
That's not even PC, that's ridiculous to the point of abuse of the word ridiculous. I'd like to find the perpetrators of such a rule and cut them up.

**caseye** · 29th August 2012, 08:47

There was a bit of a balancing to this article on the telly a few weeks back.
The principal ( a fella ) he decided that PC in school had gone to far, his kids play bull rush, boys and girls, they are encouraged to slide down the banks and CLIMB TREES, jungle gyms are there too.
Heaven for any ordinary kid.
This sort of crap has to stop soon, thank God it's going to be the newby parents, mine are ll growed up now.Look out though i any of our future GK's need assistance G Dad'll be down there toots sweet.

**SS90** · 29th August 2012, 09:04

We can right comical comments all we like, but the fact remains this is a relaity in the world we now live in, and is only going to get worse.
As has been said, it is the ligitive culture that drives these decisions, and nothing more.

Just as so many parents lined up to get an "over night slumber party" at Michael Jacksons house for their kids after he paid his way out of kiddy fiddling charges (chaaaa chingggg) many parents see there childrens injuries these days as a payday.

Shame on them all I say, but it is only going to get worse, as when it comes down to it, our legal system was (inadvertanty) set up to be rorted by citizens who feel their childrens rights have been contravened if they receive an injury (anywhere except for home that is.... Well unless they can apportion blame to a third party,such as a furniture manufacturer for example).

Just you wait until ACC is privatised (this WILL happen) and you all meet "ambulance chaser" Lawyers. I have lived in 2 countries that this is a reality, and I assure you it is no joke, new industries spawn from this evil, and all consumers lose out, vehicles get sued, opposed to the driver, ensuring that, no matter what, a cheque is written, keeping the the devils circle spinning.

I feel a little like a grizzled old soothsayer pointing his twisted walking stick, but I assure you, this is NZ's future, and in the next decade.

**Maha** · 29th August 2012, 11:17

Bullrush was the lunch time game of choice back in the early 70's...I was a skinny wee fulla back then and my mate was the school giant, I would sit on his shoulders when Bullrush was called with my stretched out legs pointing forward (shoes on)
Both Big Roy Boxall and myself would always get through.
Ok sometimes we didn't, cos quite a few kids (all at once) would hang onto Roys legs, but not often..
No broken bones or black eyes, the odd blood nose from memory (nothing that a plaster and a bit dab of Savlon would't fix) but damn! it was fun!

**Swoop** · 29th August 2012, 12:37

Surely the Aussies should be getting schools back into playing more cricket?

The game was specifically invented for them as it can be played while wearing handcuffs (batting and fielding!).

**Usarka** · 29th August 2012, 15:05

Originally Posted by Maha

Bullrush was the lunch time game of choice back in the early 70's...I was a skinny wee fulla back then and my mate was the school giant, I would sit on his shoulders when Bullrush was called with my stretched out legs pointing forward (shoes on)
Both Big Roy Boxall and myself would always get through.
Ok sometimes we didn't, cos quite a few kids (all at once) would hang onto Roys legs, but not often..
No broken bones or black eyes, the odd blood nose from memory (nothing that a plaster and a bit dab of Savlon would't fix) but damn! it was fun!

We used to go down to the local reserve after school and play unorganised "friendly" games of rugby league. Carnage and lots of injuries but fuck it was fun.

**tbs** · 29th August 2012, 16:57

We sat down for lunch at a Coffee Club restaurant the other day, and the owner brought out some cutlery for us. He put it all in a pile a the far end of the table away form the kids and explained that a Coffee Club in Tauranga had just been sued because some kid had been playing with a knife and had cut her own face. This was an ordinary dinner knife.

People suck. If one of my kids hurts him or herself playing with a knife or doing a handstand then that will be a valuable life lesson.... And any teacher who calls me into the school to explain that my child is in trouble for persistently and willfully doing cartwheels and handstands is going to get a serious earful.

How difficult would it be for any judge faced with a frivolous personal injury claim to award $10,000 damages to the party being sued? That would very soon put a stop to this sort of crap.

**Laava** · 29th August 2012, 17:09

Heaven forbid our children should be competitive or enjoy themselves.

**mashman** · 29th August 2012, 17:36

It seems to be the norm these days, as SS90 points out, any form of fun that could cost someone some money is being legislated against. Damned shame that it has gotten to the playground... but the one thing I won't do is blame the parents who claim negligence. The lawmakers have made this world, they should fuckin well live in it and deal with the fall out that they create. If anything else it'll underpin the right for people to claim... otherwise why would you ban it. If there was any sense a court would laugh anything that is the child fault out of court.

**Usarka** · 29th August 2012, 17:44

Interesting guy on the radio yesterday talking about the important role fathers play teaching kids to take risks.

Seems like we're fucking this notion right up the arse.

**mashman** · 29th August 2012, 17:46

Originally Posted by Usarka

Interesting guy on the radio yesterday talking about the important role fathers play teaching kids to take risks.

Seems like we're fucking this notion right up the arse.

Interesting turn of phrase... quick, ban fathers.

**steve_t** · 29th August 2012, 18:23

Originally Posted by tbs

We sat down for lunch at a Coffee Club restaurant the other day, and the owner brought out some cutlery for us. He put it all in a pile a the far end of the table away form the kids and explained that a Coffee Club in Tauranga had just been sued because some kid had been playing with a knife and had cut her own face. This was an ordinary dinner knife.

How difficult would it be for any judge faced with a frivolous personal injury claim to award $10,000 damages to the party being sued? That would very soon put a stop to this sort of crap.

Not sure how this would come to be. ACC would cover the cost of the injury for sure. That's the whole point with ACC - you can't sue UNLESS you can prove that the other party has been recklessly negligent. We haven't even begun to become half of the litigious society that the USA and Australia are thanks to ACC.