Heads spin over school ban on cartwheels

The school that fun forgot? TDSB says it’s all a misunderstanding

When she was told cartwheels had been banned at her daughter’s school, Cindy Stanleigh flipped out.

“As a child, I did lots of cartwheels, and I’m still around to tell the tale,” she said. “I can’t for the life of me figure out why they would ban cartwheels.”

Her daughter, Lauren, 12, said she heard Runnymede Junior and Senior Public School staff say over the PA system Thursday that cartwheels were forbidden, for safety.

In a Facebook group for Runnymede parents, one mother posted: “I just asked my daughter and she confirmed that it was said on the announcements and the VP said it to them as well. Not cool.”

Several students told the Star they heard cartwheels, somersaults, handstands and gymnastics of any sort, including backflips, were prohibited.

Runnymede principal Amelia Dennis didn’t return the Star’s phone call Friday. Ryan Bird, a spokesman for the Toronto District School Board, said it was all a misunderstanding. “Cartwheels are absolutely acceptable,” he said. The safety announcement actually referred to more dangerous, “advanced cheerleading-like activities,” which should be performed with supervision, he said.

Staff issued the warning to the 1,100 or so students who attend the Bloor West Village school after spotting girls making a human pyramid in the school yard and throwing each other up into the air.

Stanleigh’s daughter, Lauren, said she’s no pro at cartwheels but wants the freedom to do them at school. “I don’t know why they banned it. I love doing cartwheels and handstands with all my friends.”

At the Toronto Catholic board, cartwheels are allowed, said a spokesman, John Yan. “They’re a neat form of physical activity,” he said. “Most kids do them, but I can’t personally because I’m 55.”

Anne-Marie Joyce, a cheerleading and gymnastics teacher who owns Beach Cheer Athletics, said banning cartwheels is “ridiculous.”

“There’s inherent risk in any activity,” she said. “Saying (cartwheels are) riskier than playing soccer, or maybe something else a boy would gravitate to, sends the wrong message to our kids.”

It’s not the first time she’s heard of such a ban. Two and a half years ago, a former principal of her kids’ school in Scarborough prohibited cartwheels, but the ban was lifted the next year under a new principal.