Different PE for girls and boys

[Mich0027]

My son hates rugby at school and wants to do netball which only the girls play. AIBU to ask if he can?!

I think you may get further challenging this on safety grounds rather than gender. What is their risk assessment for doing full-contact rugby. What about the risk of brain damage?

I grew up in a country where we only ever had mixed P.E. in all state schools. I fail to understand what is a problem. We played volleyball and basketball in mixed teams. It was absolutely fine. Also I was one of the better volleyball players so certainly better than many boys.
Personally if someone told me then that I have to play in all girls team (because “boys are physically stronger...” or THAT I AM ONLY ALLOWED TO CHOOSE CERTAIN SPORTS (like netball or dance(?!)because of my gender I would have I don’t know, lost it or something. Maybe burned the school down

I understand it is a cultural thing and you are likely to see it as normal if you grew up in a country where that’s the way things are, but it is really not a given situation (because of shortage of funds or whatever) it’s really just cultural and I guess UK/US specific.

We played volleyball and basketball in mixed teams. It was absolutely fine

Neither of which are full contact like rugby and so a different situation.

Mixed Volleyball is one thing & Ds used to play in a mixed hockey team but beyond a certain age mixed football or rugby becomes dangerous.

OP’s son wants to play netball.

OP’s son wants to play netball

Your previous post didn’t mention that at all.

If you think segregated sport is cultural then you’re quite wrong.

But re: rugby well it’s physically dangerous for everyone and hard on smaller players. Regardless if they have vagina or penis.
Again we had boys in my class who were physically smaller than most girls. Would it be somehow more OK for them to play compulsory contact rugby than it would be say for my largest girl classmate who weighed possibly 20 kilo more than them? This is just ridiculous.
A compulsory sport in general school by definition has to be quite inclusive and there is no reason to exclude people on the basis of the shape of their genitals.

Well, OPs post mentions that...

Segregated sport in schools is absolutely cultural.

Professional sport is a mixed bucket but this is absolutely irrelevant to the discussion of segregating access to sports in school based on gender.

But re: rugby well it’s physically dangerous for everyone and hard on smaller players. Regardless if they have vagina or penis.
Again we had boys in my class who were physically smaller than most girls. Would it be somehow more OK for them to play compulsory contact rugby than it would be say for my largest girl classmate who weighed possibly 20 kilo more than them? This is just ridiculous.
A compulsory sport in general school by definition has to be quite inclusive and there is no reason to exclude people on the basis of the shape of their genitals

You’re missing the point. The school is following the rules of the RFU with regards to age segregation.

Size within sex is something a coach is mindful of, and if a good coach monitors and deals with accordingly.

The issue for the OP isn’t their child’s size, it’s their lack of desire. That is FAR more dangerous at U12 level than size differences.

My dis is physically smaller than pretty much all the girls in his school. But there does have to be some rules for safety regardless of anomalies like him and there has to be a cut off age somewhere.

But that’s not to say that boys and girls shouldn’t have access to the same sports within schools even if the range able to be offered is limited.

I've withdrawn my son from rugby. Slightly different but he plays football at a high level so I withdrew on the basis that an injury would destroy his potential. School were accommodating but have said it's exceptional. Speak to the school and formally withdraw your consent for him to play contact rugby.

Eggplants it's not UK/ US specific. We live in Germany, and primary school spirt is mixed but secondary is separated by sex. (Actually one joint lesson per week which is absolutely non contact, and 3 seperate lessons - swimming is separate too). Even at primary age there are different targets for the two sexes, though mixed lessons.

That said nobody should ever be made to play compulsory contact sport. Once the rugby is contact there should be another option on offer for boys who don't want that - doesn't mean it should be just join the girls though.

That said nobody should ever be made to play compulsory contact sport. Once the rugby is contact there should be another option on offer for boys who don't want that - doesn't mean it should be just join the girls though

I absolutely agree. I split my sessions to accommodate those who want to play, those who don’t and those that need slightly different training for whatever reason.

I don’t know what are the RFU rules you are referring to. If they stipulate that access to sport is to be based on gender they are discriminatory.
Factually speaking however if a good coach can deal with size differences within sex there is no reason why he couldn’t do so in a mixed team.

RFU is the sports governing body. They make rules based on safety and fairness.

I don’t know what are the RFU rules you are referring to. If they stipulate that access to sport is to be based on gender they are discriminatory

It doesn’t stipulate access to sport is based on gender. It stipulates boys and girls can play rugby but not together. Which a rudimentary search would have told you.

Factually speaking however if a good coach can deal with size differences within sex there is no reason why he couldn’t do so in a mixed team

Why is the coach a “he”

The reasons boys and girls don’t play together is for a variety of differences of which size is only one.

The strongest player pound for pound in Super League was only one inch taller than me. He would however pulverise me if he tackled me.

I am a good coach, I can manage different sizes within sex. I can’t change biology.

In PE with children of different abilities who are learning the game, they should be doing touch rugby instead of tackle. I’d withdraw permission for him to take part tbh.

My sons started rugby last year, one contact and one non contact. Guess which one is continuing to play this year.

Access to rugby is not stipulated on gender but as has been said it is not after primary age a sport that can be played in mixed teams

Our club stops mixed teams after gr5/6 (11/12yo), sadly it means we can’t field a girls team as there aren’t enough players. They’re trying to come up with solutions but will probably have girls come along for training and try to put together a “development” team that can play touch only with the girls included, but that depends on other clubs fielding a similar team.

I have never since I was 15 been unable to access rugby.

I would be unable to access playing for a men’s team.

Which is, the actual physical risk notwithstanding, so worrying that there’s the potential for males to access female teams.

Just to clarify, when i said I don't understand why there are different girls sports and boys sports I didn't actually mean why are boys and girls segregated. Obviously there are physical differences between the sexes once you get to a certain age and it's sensible to segregate. I meant why are girls given netball ans hockey and boys given rugby and football. There is some cross over like athletics and swimming and tennis but I definitely think girls should have the chance to play football for example.

I personally don't think schools should have contact rugby at all - and I say that as the mother of a child who plays contact rugby at club level. It's a risky sport, it's not fair on the children who don't want to play contact rugby, and it's downright dangerous.

OP - I'd suggest the following. Google the symptoms of concussion. Tell the school your son had a knock to the head at the weekend, and as per RFU guidelines (I can provide you with a link if you need), he will be doing no sport at all for 2 weeks, then a phased return, with no contact for a further 2 weeks. (I know this is the protocol because my son genuinely got concussion earlier this season, and was very miffed to be out for 4 weeks, only slightly molified when his head teacher said "I know how you feel - I'm out for 4 weeks with concussion too!")

@JacquesHammer we are having a slightly weird discussion here. I am talking about the OP of this thread which describes a situation where in certain school girls play netball but not rugby, and vice versa. This situation is discriminatory and apparently common to UK schools as further posts indicate. The OP further asks if that’s ok for her son to play netball with girls. Some posters disagree but based on my personal experience I don’t see any reason not to.

What does it have to do with RFU rules or your experience as a rugby player or coach? In any case if you already start this separate discussion a school has to offer equal access, and rules are no excuse. Either them offer two teams or offer a different sport.
Lastly the guy who would pulverize you would pulverize any average male player of the same size. I have no idea why you chose to compare yourself to the best player in your sport.
If you are literally claiming that an inexperienced male 15 yo who weights 50 kg is easier for you to manage than a strapping competitive swimmer 70kg girl you are being disingenuous.

OP - I'd suggest the following. Google the symptoms of concussion. Tell the school your son had a knock to the head at the weekend, and as per RFU guidelines (I can provide you with a link if you need), he will be doing no sport at all for 2 weeks, then a phased return, with no contact for a further 2 weeks

That is seriously bad advice. At ALL the schools I go into we would ask to see evidence of the concussion so we could deal with any recurring symptoms. Lying about head injuries is really foolish.

What does it have to do with RFU rules or your experience as a rugby player or coach? In any case if you already start this separate discussion a school has to offer equal access, and rules are no excuse. Either them offer two teams or offer a different sport

It has to do with the RFU rules because the school will adhere to them (or RFL if in the relevant area). The OP hasn’t answered whether girls get chance to do rugby. I provide equally for girls and boys, never together.

Lastly the guy who would pulverize you would pulverize any average male player of the same size. I have no idea why you chose to compare yourself to the best player in your sport

Totally incorrect. I said strongest, FYI. It’s a common misconception that strongest = best in rugby.

Annyway, I’ve just twigged your username so yeah, let’s leave it there.