26 November 2017

Dear Ms. Car,

We are writing to express our concern about the manner in which some of the primary wing’s playground equipment is being used. We are in full support of the children being active and outside, testing their limits and assessing risks as much as possible. However, some of the play that is taking place on the higher equipment is tending towards dangerous.

Specifically, we are concerned about two types of play:

• The game of tag that happens on the southern-most structure and specifically the way children are jumping off the platforms to elude capture.
• Children jumping off from the top of the monkey bars.

Already this school year several children have been injured, with the latest injury resulting in a broken arm and directly linked to children jumping off the southern-most structure to elude capture in a game of tag. We foresee much more serious injuries happening if this type of use continues (e.g., it is only a matter of time before a child runs out from under the equipment at the same moment that a child accidentally jumps on them from one of the platforms, resulting in very serious head/neck/back injuries).

It is in this regard that we respectfully request the following:

• Banning tag from being played ON any high playground equipment (apart from the ground), AND
• Closer supervision and appropriate consequence (e.g., time out) meted out for any child caught playing tag ON the higher playground equipment, OR
• If tag is not prohibited from occurring on the higher equipment, jumping from ALL platforms and high equipment must be banned. Closer supervision with any child being caught jumping from the equipment being given an appropriate consequence (e.g., time out).