A resounding no! Growing up as a baseball pitcher I could throw over 80 mph at the age of 13. The targets in the game of dodgeball are always those who are slower and less coordinated than the rest. This is both demeaning and humiliating for them and in a tough enough place at school to fit in they suddenly have to worry about being laughed at and even hurt. Some of these kids go home after school and cry while dreading the next time they have to play dodgeball. These uncoordinated kids are also usually some of the best students academically.

School is supposed to be about building up the individual and preparing them for their future and not tearing them down. Yes, dodgeball is fun but it should be played outside of school on a voluntary basis. Countless times I nailed kids all over their bodies from head to toe while playing dodgeball in school and looking back on it I wish I had never done it. They were the nicest kids you would ever want to meet and never caused problems for anyone.

Dodgeball is a game where it is OK to pick on kids just because they may not be as athletically gifted as you. As a parent if my child was in the shoes of those unfortunate ones I would be very angry at the school board. Lets not make things harder on these kids then they have to be because they have a hard enough time just trying to fit in amongst their peers. Kudos to the P.E. teachers out their who consider a child's feelings before deciding whether or not to add dodgeball to the curriculum. Lets always build a child up and not contribute to tearing them down. Finally, there are plenty of other games that can be played during PE class that are more suitable and that will not have a detrimental effect on kids.

Learn more about this author, Micah Olson.
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