School ban on conkers

Takeaway_Addict

sarahkmv wrote: »

As a TA (Teaching Assistant) who also does lunchtime duty I can understand why you are frustrated but do agree with the ban. I had many happy years of playing conkers with bruises on my hands to show for it!


Generally schools don't let you bring in toys from home (due to too many parents complaining when they get broken/lost etc) I can see that conkers would fall under this category.


Also I think some (not all) kids would get upset at school if their conker got damaged or broken, and the way that boys in particular egg each other on to be silly there could be risk of injury, which sadly means that many parents would complain their little darling got a bruise. (I've been on the receiving end of these silly complaints).

Yes, it's a shame, but our school provides a load of playground equipment (bats, balls, footballs etc) so the kids don't get bored. I'm sure this can be a fun after school activity instead.

Oh come on, unwrap that cotton wool and let them live life...

mgdavid

sinizterguy wrote: »

People sue schools for anything and everything.............

if this was in Wikipedia I rather fancy it would also be annotated 'citation needed'......

mgdavid

Janepig wrote: »

..... I was collecting conkers with DD which were lying around all over the place. They're 8 and 11 and had no clue what you were supposed to do with the things, they'd never played conkers in their lives. They're still in the kitchen where they've been left since emerging from their cases (are those green outer husks called cases?). ..........

Had you not considered it a parental duty to teach them? One of the joys of being a grandparent the other weekend was stringing a few and sending the 8 and 5 year olds gleefully on their way, they know what to do with them

Janepig

mgdavid wrote: »

Had you not considered it a parental duty to teach them? One of the joys of being a grandparent the other weekend was stringing a few and sending the 8 and 5 year olds gleefully on their way, they know what to do with them

To be honest I'd never been able to get my hands on any before now. I also wouldn't have a clue how to bore a hole through them!! :D

Jx

balletshoes

Janepig wrote: »

Ha, it's a sign of the times but DS was playing football in a village out of town afew weeks ago and while he was playing I was collecting conkers with DD which were lying around all over the place. They're 8 and 11 and had no clue what you were supposed to do with the things, they'd never played conkers in their lives. They're still in the kitchen where they've been left since emerging from their cases (are those green outer husks called cases?).

I remember my brother always had conkers this time of year when he was younger, he used to pickle them in vinegar, bake them in the oven, all sorts. I'm sure the headcases DS's in school with would cause no end of mayhem with them though so I'm glad they don't seem to be popular around here.

Jx

I'm in my 40s and don't know what you do with conkers (apart from put them in the corners of your rooms to ward off spiders :rotfl:).
Fairly sure playing conkers was banned at my DD's primary school all the time she was there - along with throwing snow in the playground (the school even tried to ban the kids from going outside to play in the snow a few years ago, but there were so many complaints from parents that they relented as long as no-one threw any snow while they were out there!).

craig_long

At the end off the day conkers is something that should never get band anywhere i have all push my kids to play with them as its something all my family can do my sons school had a game day and i had the chance to go and what i saw was mental kids playing on a psp and xbox i think they should take off the ban and i have already been in to my sons schools and spoke about this my son has a ps3 yet he only gets to play one hours a day yet he never uses it as he is out playing in the park with his friends....

Marisco

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

Oh come on, unwrap that cotton wool and let them live life...

This ^^^^^ x 1000!

FatVonD

I suppose there's the chance of a bit splitting off and hitting someone in the eye.

I remember those 'knockers' things being banned from the playground when I was at school. Those things were bloomin' vicious, once you'd got them going you'd be almost terrified of stopping because there was no way of stopping without the inevitable crack on the wrist :eek:

In searching for a pic of them I found this list of banned toys:

http://www.burlingamepezmuseum.com/bannedtoy/

maman

sarahkmv wrote: »

As a TA (Teaching Assistant) who also does lunchtime duty I can understand why you are frustrated but do agree with the ban. I had many happy years of playing conkers with bruises on my hands to show for it!


Generally schools don't let you bring in toys from home (due to too many parents complaining when they get broken/lost etc) I can see that conkers would fall under this category.


Also I think some (not all) kids would get upset at school if their conker got damaged or broken, and the way that boys in particular egg each other on to be silly there could be risk of injury, which sadly means that many parents would complain their little darling got a bruise. (I've been on the receiving end of these silly complaints).

Yes, it's a shame, but our school provides a load of playground equipment (bats, balls, footballs etc) so the kids don't get bored. I'm sure this can be a fun after school activity instead.

Unfortunately sarah's quite correct. Parents will complain about all and anything these days so schools have to take a very strict line.

mgdavid

maman wrote: »

Unfortunately sarah's quite correct. Parents will complain about all and anything these days so schools have to take a very strict line.

or maybe schools need to stand up for themselves and push back on whinging parents. Two way street etc.