On Friday afternoons, Davidson Elementary School once let fifth graders with parental permission leave school to play on the Village Green.

But the school has decided to ban on the longtime tradition—even with an OK from mom and dad, students can no longer walk to the Green from school. Instead, they must ride home on the school bus or get picked up by their parents.

Why? The school’s interim principal told Davidson News that “students are too young to be out without an adult.” The ban was prompted by complaints about safety and unruly behavior.

We live in an era where children are playing outdoors less than any previous generation. The average child spends over 7 hours a day in front of a screen and one in three is overweight or obese. Unfounded safety fears and litigious threats routinely prevent our children from challenging themselves and developing self-sufficiency.

Amidst all this madness, the Fridays on the Green tradition provided Davidson fifth graders with a vital opportunity to learn self-sufficiency, get exercise, and reap the educational benefits of unstructured outdoor play. Join us to overturn this needless ban!

Photo by Visit Greenwich (cc).