Soapbox

'Bowing to the altar of OH&S'

Aug 27 09:57am

Belgian Gardens state school in Townsville has banned students from "unsupervised gymnastics" in the playground. This includes cartwheels, handstands, headstands and somersaults.

The ban came to light after parent Kylie Buschgens went to the media. Her 10 year old daughter Cali (and her friend) were reprimanded. Kylie is furious; she says the school isn't letting kids be kids.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has spoken out to say she supports the school's right to make its own rules.

Sunrise parenting expert Michael Carr-Gregg describes the ruling as 'bowing down to the altar of occupational health and safety'. He says it's another example of how we're wrapping kids up in cotton wool and things like this stop kids from experiencing the ups and downs of life.

Do you agree? Or is there another side to the story? Let us know

7 Comments Report Abuse

1. cindylpmjp - Aug 27 10:50am

you will find that most NSW schools also have the same rules. especially when so few of our innercity / east schools have any grass. many p&c associations take out a policy each year for the kids to be covered.

2. caroline.pilot - Aug 27 02:34pm

Forget about rare injuries with cartwheels. How about parents take responsibility backed up by teachers sending sick kids home. My son sat next to a coughing spluttering boy Friday.He said to the boy he should go home but he didn't. Consequently my son has been sick for three days and now me too.

3. lg_mcewan - Aug 28 07:02am

The problem is our society is so obsessed with litigation, people just have to accept that children in the process of learning and enjoying themself sometimes get hurt.
Society finds they need to blame someone - is this because we feel guilty that they were not there to prevent the injury.

4. kenningtonroberta - Aug 28 11:04pm

God sake can't kids be kids, I don't believe this, one minute they are saying obesity in schools, kids need to exercise now can't do cart wheels, gymnastics will close down, all sports will stop. God sake people get a life, never heard of anything so stupid.

5. petawatts@y7mail.com - Sep 12 08:55am

Let's get anal & uptight Australia! OH&S holds the same fear and awe that the Inquisition had in days of old. Blame the Yanks and welcome to the Age of Litigation. Twenty years ago did you ever hear of an Aussie going to court to litigate for compensation over some trivial mishap?

6. thatwilsonchic - Sep 26 10:42am

I cant believe that this school has done it my cousins went to that school. okay no they shouldnt ban cartwheels kids love them and its apart of growing up. kids just want to have fun and do that sort of stuff at lunch times. Let kids be kids why this rule now why not 18 years ago?

7. tonywasson - Jun 09 12:38am

look let our kids be kids and to the people who just see a way of gettin money for a accident of growing up u should be ashamed of ya self all of you greed when will it stop soon we wont b able to leave our homes wat is this comin 2 wake up people

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