Turning The Tide Down Under…

A school has banned pupils from doing cartwheels and handstands in the playground. Students were told that all unsupervised gymnastic movements outdoors were not allowed in an effort to protect the children from injury.

Sounds pretty typical, doesn’t it?

The move has caused such a backlash from parents the school is now being forced to review its decision after the education minister suggested it should be overturned.

But that’s new.

The reason? This happened in Australia.

The education department said in a statement Wednesday that the school was reviewing its decision and would work with parents and the community to find a balance between student safety and "their right to engage in gymnastic activities."

So, it can be done. Though it probably helps if you have an Education Minister like this one:

(Education Minister) Welford said that teachers sometimes feared parents would sue their schools if students are involved in accidents.
"I think the decision by the principal in Townsville the other day was prompted by the fact that increasingly we as a community are wrapping our children in cotton wool," Welford said. "I think our generation of parents are mollycoddling their children."

Hear, hear! And how very refreshing…