School district bans dodge ball

WINDHAM, N.H., March 28 (UPI) -- A New Hampshire school district has banned dodge ball from gym classes after parents complained about their children being bullied during the games.

The Windham School board voted 4-1 to end dodge ball and similar "human target" games after parents complained children were being bullied and targeted by other students during the ball-throwing game, WBZ-TV, Boston, reported Thursday.

A special committee formed by the district to study the issue recommended such games be eliminated.

"It's almost turning into a nanny state," said school board member Dennis Senibaldi, who cast the single vote against the ban. "What happens when they replace that game with something different that another group doesn't want to play, do we eliminate that group of games?"

Superintendent Henry LaBranche said the school district is trying to teach students to respect one another, and dodge ball and similar games "create conditions inconsistent with that message."