Not PC gone Mad.......

[Loosehead]

But the health and safety mafia gone mad:

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1214739,00.html

What are they gonna come up with next?

[teag1rl]

while I disgaree with stuff like conkers being banned and the health and safety rules gone mad I don't think this is such a bad idea. They have said the kids need to give permission to be snowballed-this is a fairer compromise than banning snowballing all together which is what happened in my school. Snowballing is a bullies dream-leaving the kids who cant stick up for themsleves cowering in fear (you could say the weaklings should stay inside, but everyone got chucked out to 'play' in my primary unless there was a gale blowing) Kids can be b*st*rds, packing the centre of their innocent looking snowball with jagged lumps of ice.

[ronnie963]

what a load of crap its like giving a kid a football and then telling them not to kick it, if there is snow on the ground its going to be thrown. What is the head going to do if little billy throws a snowball , call the police? Let the kids enjoy themself.

[jno]

bullying is a problem, and all too often schools do nothing about it, preferring to look the other way. So if this school has decided to take action, good for them.

[WaldoMcFroog]

This does seem a bit daft but also the way the article's worded makes it seem much much beaurocratic and namby pamby than it probably is.

The way I read the story - in the paper this morning - is that basically you'll say to your mates, 'Do you wanna snowball fight?' and they'll say yes. Then you don't throw snowballs at those who don't want to play. It's not like little Johnny has to ask Little Julie, 'would you mind awfully if I threw a ball of compacted snow at your person,' between each throw!

Not that controvertial, I don't think. Don't know how they'll enforce it, mind. And it's the decision of one headmaster, not a 'health and safety mafia'.

The fact of the matter is that whoever wrote that story did so with a view to pandering to those who kneejerk at the merest mention of 'PC gone Mad' and thus it's inevitably sensationalised. Or, much like the now discredited 'Rainbow Sheep' story, a bogus riddle, wrapped in an invented mystery, inside a bulls*** enigma...

[CT]

Written permission seems idiotic. If they jusy had a snowballing side of the yard/field then if you didn't want to be pelted then you could stay on the other half. See, why am I not running the country with my sensible well thought out ideas? ;-)

[jno]

what happened to the rainbow sheep, Waldo???

[WaldoMcFroog]

For jno: as discovered by Stoo_pid, at the bottom of this one:

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question207618.html

[jno]

aw shoot Waldo, I was halfway through embroidering a sampler saying 'It's PC gone mad'; now I'll have to junk it.

[gary baldy]

This isnt news! Snowballing was banned at our school after well aimed snowball caught Mr Williams right in the face just as he was about to to intervene in a particularly boystrous snowball fight between our school and the comp across the road.
The culprit was held aloft on the shoulders of his peers and is still talked about in hushed tones even to this day.
All hail Selwyn Christopher!

[randomsasha]

Snowballs were banned in my old school ten years ago. Some silly wee boy came up with the idea of putting stones in snowballs, and somehow it became a "trend". A lot of children ended up needing stitches, etc. I dont think there's anything wrong with a normal snow fight, but how can you tell whether the snowball being thrown at you is just snow, or snow with stones (ive even heard of glass being used!) Maybe it was just the area I lived... lol

[ludwig]

It's nothing new, snowballing was banned at my school throughout the 70's.
People who broke the rule could be heartily caned. Kind of ironic really.

[ludwig]

This health and safety stuff is not as looney as it first appears. Nowadays it's a necessary practicality to avoid being sued - the blame and claim culture.
Same reason bags of nuts have a note on saying 'warning - may contain nuts', and why Tesco's cone off a 500 yard perimeter if someone drops an egg, and why Mcdonalds coffee has a label saying 'Caution - do not tip contents over your own head'.

[Drusilla1S]

When I was at school anyone wishing to throw snowballs had to play on the schoolfield, whilst the wimps like me played safely on the playground.

I don't remember any idiot loading a snowball with stones, but I think they would have been dealt with as an individual acting the pranny, rather than spoiling the fun of the snowballers as a group.

[mimififi]

Loosehead, I thought that was really funny and laughed off my head.....

But yes, it is ridiculous.

To answer your question, the next thing they will come up with is not allowing you to 'dutch rub' anyone before acquiring proper prior consent.

too funny.

[:Ace:]

My English Teacher brought a Conch into school because we're studying The Lord of the Flies.

She Said, "For Health & Safety Reasons I Can Only Allow One Person To Try And Blow It Because Of Transfer Of Germs". How ridiculous.

[hal]

Gordon Bennet, Loosehead, you are developing a real obsession. Get a life!