When more than 3,000 young students saw the Portland Pirates vs. the Worcester Sharks hockey game as part of the annual School Day Game on Tuesday, they were unfortunately exposed to unnecessary violence.
Referees ejected four players from the game after a fight broke out on the ice. This fight understandably upset some parents and school administrators who had children as young as five at the game.
Since Tuesday, it has been reported that many parents have called the Portland Pirates and their school departments to complain about the violence that erupted.
While these parents have the right to voice their concerns, it must too, be noted, that their children were at a hockey game. Hockey can at times be a violent sport where fights break out, players get slammed hard into the boards, and players get hurt while flying around the ice at high speeds. We must remember, too, that these men are professional hockey players and their main concern is not how their actions will affect children. It is about winning a game.
With that being said, teachers such as Susan Allen at Eight Corners School in Scarborough, who accompanied 40 first and second graders to the game, used the fight as a “teachable moment,” she stold the Portland Press Herald.
Allen’s response was the right response. Violence should not be tolerated in society, but it is a reality. Complaining to the Portland Pirates or school administrators is not the correct course of action. Teaching the young students that fighting, under any circumstance, is wrong, is the right method of handling the situation.
This lends itself perfectly to a civil discussion. Allow the children to mention how the fight affected them. From there, discuss those emotions and how the event might have reminded them of anything they had seen in real life. From there, start a dialogue about why fighting does not solve any problems and how they should correctly handle conflict.
Life is an ongoing lesson and the Portland Pirates players gave school administrators and parents a perfect lesson plan. The parents who complained, however, did not make the situation any better. Our society is too ready to place blame and tear down others if they don’t like their actions. Discourse, however, should be used more often in the place of complaining to solve issues of concern.
Portland Pirates coach Kevin Dineen said on the radio Friday morning that he apologized to the fans and that he meant to tell his players that young students were in attendance and to tone it down.
Dineen does not need to tell his players ”“ who are playing hard to earn spots in the NHL and earn potentially lucrative pay days ”“ to “tone it down.”
Instead, school adminstrators and teachers should alert parents that there is potential for a fight at a hockey game and that the parent has the right to not allow their child to attend.
Tuesday’s fight was unfortunate, because it was a small part of a great game. Hockey is a wonderful sport with tremendous athletes playing a fast and physical game. It’s too bad that parents can’t focus on those aspects instead of dwelling on the one negative from which we can all learn a lot.
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Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via e-mail at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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