First Dodge Ball, Now Tag

Daryl Cobranchi and Joanne Jacobs report that a Santa Monica school principal has banned students from playing tag at recess.

According to Joanne, the principal wrote in a newsletter:

The running part of this activity is healthy and encouraged; however, in this game, there is a 'victim' or 'It,' which creates a self-esteem issue. The oldest or biggest child usually dominates.

She asks: "What will these kids do when they grow up and encounter the bumps, bruise and esteem-crunching reality of adult life? Whine, I guess. Sue, definitely."

At The Growing Place, where my kids go to school, the teachers allow dodge ball and tag. They even let Jacob bring a squirt gun to school today for water play. Of course, Jacob told me that he wasn't allowed to call it a "gun." The preferred term is "water toy."