Genitori banditi dagli sport scolastici di Londra per cattivo comportamento

Non paywall link: https://archive.ph/KjoVH

>Parents have been banned from attending their children’s sporting events in a London borough after incidents of bad behaviour from watching adults.

>The Merton School Sport Partnership runs sporting and physical education events across more than 40 primary schools in the southwest London borough, which takes in areas including Wimbledon and Morden.

>Last week the partnership wrote to parents to say that they would no longer be welcome at “the sports events we deliver to our affiliated schools during the school day”.

>Such events include football and hockey tournaments and gymnastics championships. While parents had not been invited into schools, they had previously been allowed to attend those events held in public spaces such as parks or sporting venues.

>Nicola Ryan, the partnership’s director, cited “too many concerning behaviours to be able to continue to accommodate spectators”. Examples of such behaviour included “cutting across finish lines (physically impeding runners)” and “abuse towards officials and other children”. Many of those officials, the letter states, are themselves only secondary school pupils.

>Ryan also cited the creation of a “stressful environment for the participants, with too much pressure around performance and winning at all costs”. Some parents had been coaching children despite not being the coach, “challenging organisers and officials around rules and decisions”, as well as posting photos online without parental consent.

>The decision “has not been made lightly”, the partnership’s letter states. “We hope you will appreciate that our decision is in the best interest and for the safety and welfare of all the children taking part,” it adds.

>School sport partnerships (SSPs) are a Blair-era innovation in which sporting activities are delivered across multiple schools — in theory to increase the quantity of physical education across all schools. Central government funding was pulled in 2011 but some partnerships have survived, including the one in Merton, with funding from the schools themselves.

>Paul Kohler, the MP for Wimbledon, said it was “deeply disappointing [that] the behaviour of a minority of parents has led to this outcome, which penalises the vast majority who have always behaved responsively and supportively.

>“Whilst I understand how disappointed those parents will be, I know they, like me, would not want any child, teacher, or volunteer to ever feel unsafe or threatened at what should be an enjoyable family-friendly event. The focus must always be on creating a positive environment for young people to enjoy sport and develop teamwork and confidence,” he added.

>“I hope this is a temporary measure to provide the space needed to reset expectations around respect and sportsmanship. With co-operation between the Merton School Sport Partnership, schools and parents, I am confident we can find a solution that addresses unacceptable conduct while allowing families to share in their children’s sporting achievements.”

>The Merton partnership did not respond to requests for comment.