Oh my GOD!! Conkers or Bonkers?

[HelenM]

At first I had to check the calender to see if it was April 1st.

OH MY GOD!! The world has truly gone mad.

H

Pupils wear goggles for conkers


A headteacher has bought safety goggles for his pupils to wear when they play conkers in the playground.



Shaun Halfpenny, of Cummersdale Primary School, in Carlisle, says he took the step to ensure pupils can carry on playing the traditional game.

He invested in six pairs of industrial safety goggles and now pupils queue up at breaks to take turns to use them.

Mr Halfpenny said it was a "sensible" step to protect children's eyes from pieces of flying horse chestnut.

The idea came about after pupils gathered dozens of conkers while they were on a school trip and asked Mr Halfpenny if they could play when they got back to school.



He drilled the holes through the conkers himself and told the children they must wear the industrial safety goggles to play.

Mr Halfpenny said: "I said they would have to wear goggles to play, mainly because they could get bits of conker in the eye. They thought it was a great idea.

"They all came in this morning ready. They think it's terrific. Some of them have not played before. It's a wonderful tradition.

"It's just being sensible. We live in a litigious society."

Pupils now take it in turns to use the safety glasses and Mr Halfpenny said the conker playing had livened up break times.

He said: "You have got to have some fun in education. The goggles haven't taken away from the fun, what it has done is increased their enjoyment. The parents think it's fun too." Pupil Danielle Armstrong said: "It doesn't stop you from having fun because you still play the game. It's just protecting your eyes at the same time."





'Over the top'

And Jordan Maxwell, who also attends the school, approves of the glasses.

He said: "I think it's a very sensible idea and it doesn't change the experience. It doesn't hurt to be safe."

The National Association of Head Teachers said it showed how much teachers were being driven by the threat of litigation.

General secretary David Hart said: "I think it's better that they [the children] should be protected rather than ban the game entirely."

Keith Flett, from the Campaign for Real Conkers, said he was pleased pupils were being encouraged to play conkers. But he said: "Well it is a little bit over the top. I am all in favour of health and safety particularly on building sites, but I am not sure about goggles for conkers.




"If it's an official school activity, which I would applaud incidentally, then fine, hand out the goggles, but if they are doing it in the playground or walking along to school or home from school, I think leave them to get on with it."

Cumbria County Council said in a statement that it was up to individual schools to decide what games were appropriate for the playground.

[Mr T.]

Fucking disgrace. It's this same woolly-headed thinking which led schools to ban the teaching and playing of Rugby Football.

"We couldn't possibly have the little cherubs skin their knees as they might sue!"


And thus was raised a generation of politically correct, cosseted mincers who are unable to operate as a team!

[HelenM]

I'd be far more concerned about the trauma which could potentially ensue from having a headteacher with such a heinous moustache.

[Suzanne]

Originally Posted by Bren Tierney

"We couldn't possibly have the little cherubs skin their knees as they might sue!"


And thus was raised a generation of politically correct, cosseted mincers!

I drive past a certain school every morning where every car that drops off a sprog is a porsche cayenne or bmw x5 or any other type of 4-wheel drive.

I suspect it will be these kids wearing the goggles!

[Dinger]

I actually thought that the reason he bought the googles as that the council had banned conkers in school and this teacher had bought the googles so that the kids could play the game.

Its just some fat sh*te of an administrator who sits his fat arse behind a desk eating chips thinking of the inherant dangers in a bloody seed. Probably more danger in his chips and his cholesterol levels - that is one heartattack waiting to happen

Twats!

[jlwarlow]

I think I heard on the radio about another council had chopped down horse chestnut trees due to "health and safety", in other words to stop kids collecting conkers. Mental

[JohnK]

Oh no - not again, another example of society going tits up. I`m suprised they also havnt issued boxing gloves in case the old conker connects with a knuckle or two (go on - admit it - you did it too - accidentally of course!!)

I must be getting older, this kind of shyte really winds me up, and its everywhere - another example of the namby pamby "its always someone elses fault" era we live in. Well f*ck em. Why dont all these do-gooders f*ck off and get a life !!! In 10 years time, these kids will be dreaming up more daft ideas to protect everyone that doesnt need it.

Apologies for the bad language here

yours protectingly

Kirky

[Adrian Kelland]

Originally Posted by kirky

Oh no - not again, another example of society going tits up. I`m suprised they also havnt issued boxing gloves in case the old conker connects with a knuckle or two (go on - admit it - you did it too - accidentally of course!!)

I must be getting older, this kind of shyte really winds me up, and its everywhere - another example of the namby pamby "its always someone elses fault" era we live in. Well f*ck em. Why dont all these do-gooders f*ck off and get a life !!! In 10 years time, these kids will be dreaming up more daft ideas to protect everyone that doesnt need it.

Apologies for the bad language here

yours protectingly

Kirky

My recollection was of smashed knuckles. Never bits of conker in the eye.

Mind you, I did manage to get a gricket bat in my right eye. What a shiner! Dead proud of that I was!

Adrian

[Helen F H]

Originally Posted by jlwarlow

I think I heard on the radio about another council had chopped down horse chestnut trees due to "health and safety", in other words to stop kids collecting conkers. Mental

This was south shields.

I agree that things like this are stupid. But it is societies fault. We are so eagre to sue people for minor problems and our own stupidity. Coffee that is too hot. Kids who fall in the playground. I WANT MY MONEY! And until this litigation culture ends, we will carry on having kids having to wear goggles (because mummy will sue so they can go to spain for a week), conker trees being cut down, and the nanny state we are now living in. It is neccesary because of societies greed for easy money, deal with it.

[Diving Daisy]

Originally Posted by Adrian Kelland

My recollection was of smashed knuckles. Never bits of conker in the eye.

Now aint that the truth! However playing 'conkers' whilst wearing boxing gloves is possibly pushing the safety angle a little too far!