Dodgeball? Is there anything socially redeeming about Dodgeball? I think not.

As a substitute teacher, I spent three months as an elementary school Phys Ed teacher. Nearly every day both before class and during class I heard kids ask, "Can we play Dodgeball?" My answer was usually "We'll see." You know what that means. I never did grant the request.

"But, why not?" you say. "What's wrong with Dodgeball?"

Let's consider the source. I was teaching at inner-city schools with predominantly lower-income children of various ethnicities. Who were the kids who asked for Dodgeball? Most of the time it was the "behaviorally-challenged" kids. Perhaps they were looking for an outlet for their anger or aggression. The one time that I did allow the game, I witnessed attitudes that stunned me.

Rather than, "Who can I hit?" the question seemed to be "How hard can I hit them?"

The very premise of Dodgeball (hit a kid with a ball) is rather violent. Should we foster this kind of behavior, even though it is a game? Surely there are more challenging games to help keep our children physically, mentally and socially fit.

Learn more about this author, Edward Schultz.
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