Students may play tag during physical education, if their teacher chooses to lead a group game. Tag is no longer allowed during recess, however, because the game often grew too big and rough for adequate supervision. But Joseph's father, Dan, said tag should be allowed because other sports with more contact are still played at West Annapolis. But there's more physical interaction in a game of soccer than there is in tag. Huntley Cross, special assistant for alternative programs in county schools, said the principal has final discretion when it comes to safety.
Kids are rougher today, they really are.
It's a judgment call that every principal has to make. He was unaware of any other county schools that don't allow tag. What we're constantly trying to do is use structured discipline policies and logical consequences to let youngsters know what the rules are.