Can banning dodgeball cut down on bullying in schools? The Windham (N.H.) school district is about to find out.
The Windham school board voted 4-1 this month to ban dodgeball and other "human-target games" from the curriculum, citing the possibility of students ganging up on a particular student during such games.
A 2006 position statement from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) says dodgeball "is not an appropriate activity for K-12 school physical education programs," as it provides "limited opportunities for everyone in the class, especially the slower, less agile students who need the activity the most." While the association acknowledged that dodgeball does "provide a means of practicing some important physical skills," it notes that other games allow for similar skills without the use of humans as targets.
