Windham school officials have overturned a decision made earlier this year to ban ‘human target sports,’ including dodgeball.
School board members are allowing these sports back into the curriculum with modifications.
The ban in Windham was prompted by parents’ concerns that these types of games would encourage bullying at the middle school level.
However, its passage generated controversy both locally and nationally.
Windham Superintendent Henry LaBranche says when the sports come back in the fall they will be different.
“Part of the better compromise was to identify and put into the curriculum, alternative activities offered to students as part of the regular lesson planning process. So if a student chose not to want to play in a game where they were required to throw a ball and hit at somebody, even though it’s a nerf ball, they could opt out for another activity.”
LaBranche said that a comprehensive review of Windham schools’ physical education curriculum will take place this year.