Banning Tag - Pure Ridiculousness (is that a word?)

So get this...two elementary schools in Massachusetts have banned tag, touch football and other chasing games. The stated reason from one of the schools administrators that this is:

...part of a broader standing rule against hitting and inappropriate touching

Are you kidding me? These are innocent games that are played by children at recess. If there are problems with individuals, they should be addressed personally, not by taking away the rights of all the kids to run and scream and have a blast at recess. The school administrators then said that it's also just part of protecting the school against lawsuits. According to All Headline News:

"Recess is a time when accidents can happen," says Willett Elementary School Principal Gaylene Heppe, who approved the ban.

Well, no, duh. Of course accidents happen at recess. It's a shame that we live in such a litigious society that schools have to be afraid of being sued if children get hurt. C'mon, it doesn't take chase games to have children get hurt, I have two kids at home, and they can get hurt just walking. They don't always pay attention...they're kids!

I am very disheartened by this news. So far this year our kids have lost the ability to make choices for themselves at lunchtime with the removal of vending machines and alterations of school lunches, video games have been regulated for being too violent (I agree with this on some level, but I think parents should regulate this, not government), and now they are not allowed to RUN AT RECESS. So if they can't be couch potatoes and they can't be athletes...what can they be?