Should Tackle Football be Banned in School?

[Jerkmany]

It is not a non-issue that 3.8 million highschool students received brain damage in 2012 due solely to football.

That sounds like the same thing as "vaccines cause autism"

Erm.. what?

[Greater-London]

Why are you so shocked by this?
Have you never heard of what's going on in Syria?

Come on, that's a really silly point and you know it is. Just because X is happening and its worse doesn't mean we can't talk about Y.

[Scepez]

I just see someone whining about something that is a non issue

It is not a non-issue that 3.8 million highschool students received brain damage in 2012 due solely to football.

47% of 3.8 million.
Seriously though, this seems like a rather odd thing to do. I think they should worry more about the mental health of people who get unwillingly bullied than people who put their own physical health in jeopardy (which isn't that serious to begin with) willingly for a kick.

[Vashtanaraada]

Why are you so shocked by this?
Have you never heard of what's going on in Syria?

Come on, that's a really silly point and you know it is. Just because X is happening and its worse doesn't mean we can't talk about Y.

I'd rather talk about x man.

[Roski]

That sounds like the same thing as "vaccines cause autism"

Erm.. what?

Basically a completely bullshit statistic.

[Greater-London]

"Minor injuries should ban an entire pass time"

Nobody's arguing that. People are arguing that you should change a game so that when children HAVE to play it at school it doesn't involve the elements that lead so injury.

[Jerkmany]

It is not a non-issue that 3.8 million highschool students received brain damage in 2012 due solely to football.

47% of 3.8 million.
Seriously though, this seems like a rather odd thing to do. I think they should worry more about the mental health of people who get unwillingly bullied than people who put their own physical health in jeopardy (which isn't that serious to begin with) willingly for a kick.

Sorry for the slight misquote, post edited. Schools already spend money on antibullying campaigns.

[New Stephania]

I just see someone whining about something that is a non issue

It is not a non-issue that 3.8 million highschool students received brain damage in 2012 due solely to football.

One of your sources clearly says that 122,000 children needed emergency treatment in 2011. I think that figure is the important one to discuss here as the "brain damage" claim seems overblown, we're not talking about people becoming disabled here but getting the sort of wear-and-tear that anybody could get doing any number of activities.

Again I would like to repeat the equally scary-sounding statistic that over 36,000 Americans die on the road every year.

[Jerkmany]

Erm.. what?

Basically a completely bullshit statistic.

I edited my post, the correct stat is 47% of 3.8 million. It's not bullshit read OP

[Jerkmany]

It is not a non-issue that 3.8 million highschool students received brain damage in 2012 due solely to football.

One of your sources clearly says that 122,000 children needed emergency treatment in 2011. I think that figure is the important one to discuss here as the "brain damage" claim seems overblown, we're not talking about people becoming disabled here but getting the sort of wear-and-tear that anybody could get doing any number of activities.

Again I would like to repeat the equally scary-sounding statistic that over 36,000 Americans die on the road every year.

Again I'd like to point out that one issue being worse doesn't merit ignoring another. Also, a concussion is brain damage.

[Scepez]

47% of 3.8 million.
Seriously though, this seems like a rather odd thing to do. I think they should worry more about the mental health of people who get unwillingly bullied than people who put their own physical health in jeopardy (which isn't that serious to begin with) willingly for a kick.

Sorry for the slight misquote, post edited. Schools already spend money on antibullying campaigns.

And so does my school. You know what it achieved? Absolutely nothing. It's about as effective as well, banning Rugby/A. Football.

[Romalae]

Come on, that's a really silly point and you know it is. Just because X is happening and its worse doesn't mean we can't talk about Y.

I'd rather talk about x man.

Cool, I also like to threadjack.

[Jerkmany]

Sorry for the slight misquote, post edited. Schools already spend money on antibullying campaigns.

And so does my school. You know what it achieved? Absolutely nothing. It's about as effective, as well banning Rugby/A. Football.

Banning the sport would stop any injury in that sport from happening.

[AiliailiA]

That doesn't state why it should be banned.

It states irrelevant facts

Well the argument is that sports that lead to injuries shouldn't be played in school. Games like football (soccer) for instance, getting hurt doesn't need to be involved in the game ...

Actually, some junior leagues ban heading the ball. Because of concussion.

"Getting hurt" isn't a fair measure of whether you're getting injured. When it comes to head knocks, very serious injury can be done without the victim feeling much pain.

[Greater-London]

Banning the sport would stop any injury in that sport from happening.

True. However if the number of serious injuries are low, people enjoy playing the sport and it keeps people active then should be ban it? Is it REALLY dangerous or just something we have to be cautious about?

[New Stephania]

One of your sources clearly says that 122,000 children needed emergency treatment in 2011. I think that figure is the important one to discuss here as the "brain damage" claim seems overblown, we're not talking about people becoming disabled here but getting the sort of wear-and-tear that anybody could get doing any number of activities.

Again I would like to repeat the equally scary-sounding statistic that over 36,000 Americans die on the road every year.

Again I'd like to point out that one issue being worse doesn't merit ignoring another. Also, a concussion is brain damage.

I honestly believe the risk is being overblown in these stories. When I was a kid I got a concussion falling from a wall two feet high, I was told by a doctor that I would be fine if I rested for 24 hours without going to sleep. It was not remotely a big deal, and you're talking about cases in which most people don't even seem to get emergency treatment.

The reason I keep quoting the statistic that 36,000 Americans die on the road every year is because it sounds equally scary, yet I haven't seen you call for a ban.

[Washington Resistance Army]

Banning sports because they're dangerous is pretty stupid.

[Scepez]

And so does my school. You know what it achieved? Absolutely nothing. It's about as effective, as well banning Rugby/A. Football.

Banning the sport would stop any injury in that sport from happening.

They would still play it if they wanted to.
It's better for them to play it with proper gear and supervision, and besides, you don't HAVE to play it. No-one is holding a gun to your head if you don't do the sport. They want to run around and ram into everyone, as kids do that anyway, that's their own decision.

[Jerkmany]

Banning the sport would stop any injury in that sport from happening.

True. However if the number of serious injuries are low, people enjoy playing the sport and it keeps people active then should be ban it? Is it REALLY dangerous or just something we have to be cautious about?

I do think that before a total ban happens, schools need to invest time to do proper research on how to lower the amount of injuries happening. I was merely pointning out that banning it would solve the issue, contrary to who I replied to claimed.

[Jerkmany]

Again I'd like to point out that one issue being worse doesn't merit ignoring another. Also, a concussion is brain damage.

I honestly believe the risk is being overblown in these stories. When I was a kid I got a concussion falling from a wall two feet high, I was told by a doctor that I would be fine if I rested for 24 hours without going to sleep. It was not remotely a big deal, and you're talking about cases in which most people don't even seem to get emergency treatment.

The reason I keep quoting the statistic that 36,000 Americans die on the road every year is because it sounds equally scary, yet I haven't seen you call for a ban.

I know that driving is dangerous. This thread is about football though. Also, A LOT more people drive, than play highschool football.

[New Stephania]

I honestly believe the risk is being overblown in these stories. When I was a kid I got a concussion falling from a wall two feet high, I was told by a doctor that I would be fine if I rested for 24 hours without going to sleep. It was not remotely a big deal, and you're talking about cases in which most people don't even seem to get emergency treatment.

The reason I keep quoting the statistic that 36,000 Americans die on the road every year is because it sounds equally scary, yet I haven't seen you call for a ban.

I know that driving is dangerous. This thread is about football though. Also, A LOT more people drive, than play highschool football.

You are completely dodging the point and you know it. In fact, you are completely dodging both points I made.

[Ripoll]

No this is stupid beucratic micromanagement

[Jerkmany]

Again I'd like to point out that one issue being worse doesn't merit ignoring another. Also, a concussion is brain damage.

I honestly believe the risk is being overblown in these stories. When I was a kid I got a concussion falling from a wall two feet high, I was told by a doctor that I would be fine if I rested for 24 hours without going to sleep. It was not remotely a big deal, and you're talking about cases in which most people don't even seem to get emergency treatment.

The reason I keep quoting the statistic that 36,000 Americans die on the road every year is because it sounds equally scary, yet I haven't seen you call for a ban.

And we're not talking about "falling from two feet high", were talking about people running at each other and slamming their heads together at dangerously high speeds, and force.

[Ifreann]

Just because something is popular doesn't make it right...

But if something has no chance of being implemented and is utterly stupid in the nature of which it's being proposed; it's bad mate.

You get that this is a debate and discussion forum, right? Not a mobilise to change the world forum. We can talk about whether or not it should happen regardless of whether it will happen.

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The amount of injury in this particular sport is extremely high compared to the other sports you mentioned. Also, we're not talking about just anyone enjoying a sport, we're talking about minors, who can't take responsibility for their own injuries.

Are Minors not humans? Why can't I, as a minor take responsibility for my own injures. If I were to join the football team tomorrow, I would be knowingly undertaking a sport that can result in physical damage, so why can't I take responsibility if I, lets say, break my leg?

Because as a minor you are in the care of your parents and other guardians acting in loco parentis. If you joined the football team tomorrow, you'd be sent home with a permission slip for your parents to sign.

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"Grow a thicker skin" doesn't protect anyone from injury. Quite the opposite.

Apparently the body armor used in American Football actually makes injuries worse. More head contact, and more injury to body parts not covered by armor, like knees.

There's a name for this that I'm forgetting. The something-or-other effect. The presence of safety equipment makes people act less safely. Cyclists without a helmet behave very carefully in traffic, but with a helmet they think they're safe so they weave in and out. Bare knuckle boxers don't go for headshots because they'd break their hand on their opponents skull, but give them gloves and they'll knock the heads off each other.

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It is not a non-issue that 3.8 million highschool students received brain damage in 2012 due solely to football.

Why are you so shocked by this?
Have you never heard of what's going on in Syria?

Are you saying that American high schools should be more concerned with what goes on in Syria than the safety of their students?

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It is not a non-issue that 3.8 million highschool students received brain damage in 2012 due solely to football.

That sounds like the same thing as "vaccines cause autism"

Yeah, getting hit in the head causing concussion is just like vaccines causing autism.

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You don't see the link between "kids keep getting seriously injured doing this thing" and "should we let kids keep doing this thing"?

Seriously?

"Minor injuries should ban an entire pass time"

Concussions aren't minor.

[Ripoll]

Sounds akin to the schools that banned running during recess.