Reply #124: I don't disagree with you, at least on the local level there. [View All]

I suspect that these boys had a middle school football coach given to the not untypical derision of non-athletes or poor athletes. I've heard such coaches refer to such boys as "faggots" and "girls."

Such encouragement does nothing to prevent some boys from taking bullying to an extreme.

This school should, at a minimum, be required by the state board of education to shut down their football program for an extended period of time. By so doing, a lesson would be given to the entire community, especially if this is one of those towns where football comes before all else.

I would not go so far as to ban football in all schools, but I would certainly encourage schools to have a non-sports-oriented faculty member attend all football practices as an observer. Such a thing would be roundly opposed by many coaches, but would serve as a check on unrestrained assholes serving as coaches.