Hodgdon High School MSAD 70 has enacted a policy that forces children to remove footwear prior to utilizing the gymnasium floor, in order to protect the flooring from wear. The children are not allowed to wear proper footwear while playing sports such as basketball in an attempt to minimize floor damage. This is done with no regard to the safety or health of the children.
"Use of proper footwear is the only means for protecting ankle from sprains," according to Dr. Michael Lowe, DPM podiatrist. Moreover the American Academy of Pediatric Sports Medicine states, "Your alignment begins with your feet, stress to soft tissue or bone structure lead to foot ankle, leg, hip, and back problems, without proper footwear during sports and exercise". Theresa Chiaia, PT, DPT concurs, "Whether you are an athlete or just playing recreationally you must use the right footwear to reduce the risk of injury." Countless others from family physicians, sports medicine experts, physical therapists and athletic trainers through countless amounts of medical research have documented proof and evidence that wearing proper footwear is essential to reducing the risk of injury. So why then would a school choose to place children at risk?
When I contacted the school's current principal, she admitted that the policy is in place "to the protection of the floor." The principal then offered the following "options": force the children to sit out and refrain from playing, or buy them gripping socks to help reduce the risk of injury. When asked how that will prevent ankle sprains or toe fractures, she simply replied, "It wont." She said nothing more. Further, when faced with the information that children's safety was a concern, the principal held that the policy to protect the flooring was not going to change because of the concern for one, two, or even three children.
Please sign this petition and contact Robert G. Hasson, Jr., Acting Commissioner Maine Department of Education, 23 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333 207-624-6620 or the local superintendent's office to have this policy changed.
Children at Hodgdon High school should be allowed to use the gymnasium during recess, after school, and other down times for physical exercise and during such times be permitted to wear proper footwear (sneakers, athletic shoes, etc). It is understandable that the shoes should be reasonably clean and acceptable for use on gymnasium floors. Promoting physical activity and exercise in children is a must, and suggesting they do not exercise to ensure longevity of a floor is unreasonable at best. Childrens' safety and well being, physical fitness and health, should be the priority. Please get involved, help to change this policy, lets put our children as our top priority.
