9-year-old gets Pokemon ban overturned

NEW YORK, June 16 (UPI) -- A New York 9-year-old said he convinced his school to overturn a ban on Pokemon trading cards by writing a letter touting the game's educational benefits.

Lucas Ayala, a student at the Our World Neighborhood Charter School in Queens, said he gave a letter arguing against the school's longstanding Pokemon ban to his teacher and soon the document was making the rounds at the school, the New York Daily News reported Thursday.

"I thought I could make my teacher realize Pokemon was educational," Ayala said. "The letter was supposed to be a joke but then my teacher gave it to other teachers ... . It was amazing."

Ayala said the letter explained how playing the game, which involves cards and dice, helped him hone his addition, subtraction and multiplication skills.

"It made me laugh," teacher Jennifer Toti said. "We teach the students they can use words for good, and if you use them the right way, you can change the world. He applied that to something that was important to him."

Administrators said the Pokemon ban was lifted last month for children in third grade and above. The card game can now be played at recess and in some math classes, they said.