Dodgeball - a Persuasive Essay

Max LaFoy

Mr. Lawinger

ENG 190 Writing as Critical Thinking

24 October 2006

Dodge Ball in the Francis Howell School District

Dear Mr. Lafata,

It has bothered me for quite some time that dodge ball, an activity that was very popular among me and my friends while I attended John Weldon Elementary and Bryan Middle School, has been banned from all schools in the district. This sport, which I still take part in today while attending Truman State University, was a very enjoyable part of my childhood which I looked forward to every week in gym, and occasionally at recess. I’m not sure if this is a decision that you have made or have the power to change, but I do know that as president of the board of education you do have influence on the activities that occur within the district. It is for this reason that I am asking you to reinstitute dodge ball as a permissible sport within the district.

What worries me the most is the reason for which I was told this sport was banned. The way it was explained to me, dodge ball was forbidden because it hurt children’s self esteem if they weren’t good at it. It concerns me that this type of decision will spread to other areas of policy making. In fact, it already has. The valedictorian system was done away with to eliminate “unhealthy competition.” Religious beliefs and controversial topics are avoided and shunned so as to not offend other students. What is next? Will grades stop being given because a child doesn’t do well and teachers don’t want to hurt his feelings? Little Johnny will be in for quite a shock after he receives his diploma if he goes through all thirteen years of primary education sheltered from the real world. I don’t want to be talking with someone down the line and tell them I’m a graduate of Francis Howell Central and hear a response of “oh, that school?” There will always be someone who disapproves of something or is offended, no matter how hard you try. If injuring self esteem is the...