Dodgeball Petitions to be Addressed Next Tuesday

Students at two schools have drafted petitions to the Windham School Board related to a recent decision made to remove "human target" games from the curriculum.

School Board member Dennis Senibaldi confirmed Thursday that the petitions will be on Tuesday's agenda. A workshop meeting is scheduled in the Windham Middle School cafeteria for 7 p.m.

Senibaldi added that his twin sons, who are seventh graders at Windham Middle School, will have two petitions turned in to the SAU 28 office today. One of those is written, and Senibaldi said that his boys received signatures from nearly their entire grade. They also created an online petition on Change.org, which has amassed 381 supporters.

A sixth grader at WMS created and submitted a third petition.

WHS sophomore Mike Bedient also made the rounds with a written petition at his school, which he confirmed has been turned in with about 275 signatures.

The School Board voted 4-1 on March 19 to remove 10 games from the curriculum.

A study conducted by Golden Brook School Vice Principal Rory O'Connor was coordinated alongside GBS physical education teacher Lauri Putnam, Windham Center School physical education teacher Marge Leahy, Windham Middle School physical education teacher Erin Shirley and Windham High School human performance teacher Brian Fillion.

"The professionals, the physical education teachers are able to effectively remove these games from their curriculum and really not miss a beat," said O'Connor during the March 19 meeting. He clarified that many of the games are only taught between one and two times a year.

Senibaldi was the lone dissenting vote in the decision, which has since gained national attention.

In comments on March 29, Superintendent Dr. Henry LaBranche explained some of the directions that the board could take on the issue.

The collective school board has not provided official comment on either the petitions or a potential approach to the issue going forward.

Windham Patch readers also joined the discussion.

Jill McAlpine suggested a compromise – forming a local dodgeball league, which she's offered to coach. And Windham Patch blogger Celia Brown wrote about how she's "personally embarassed as a Windhamite" because of all the attention the town is receiving because of the decision.