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In the Locker Room

 


Does football attract violence? Does football encourage violence? 

I don’t know. I do know that it’s an inherently violent sport. The fact that the United States continues to celebrate football when the incidence of Traumatic Brain Injury in players (even under the age of 18) has been well-documented tells me that we tolerate violence. 

It’s just a part of the game. 

When I think about the activities that young people participate in at the high school level, I have a hard time coming up with any that have the culture of violence that football does. 

To be clear: all kids can get into problems with drugs and alcohol. And even one or two charismatic and unkind classmates can turn any group into a toxic environment. It could be band, cheerleading, or the student business leaders. None are exempt because adolescence is a struggle. 

But it seems to me that the behavior on display at Howard High School - - which has caused the cancellation of the rest of the JV football season - - is more closely aligned with football than any other school activity.

Does football attract violence? Does football encourage violence? 

Or does high school football attract the kind of kids who are already predisposed to participate in this kind of ganging up and bullying behavior? Does it attract the kind of kids who will watch and cheer it on, or passively stand by without intervening?

Or have we, knowingly or by default, told them it’s okay? Has the culture around school football created a special place where this behavior is “just the way it is”  because we, as a community, allow it?

Would we feel differently if it were the Chamber Choir, Field Hockey, Debate? If so: why?

If we have managed to communicate to our young people that this is a place where it’s just fine to torment other human beings, then we have failed them. 

Consider this: if we were to take a long, hard look at the culture of high school football and then discovered that it, more than other school activities, produced physical and emotional violence - - would we do anything about it?

We can’t control every single thing that kids do, and we shouldn’t, either. We can give them the best possible instruction, life experiences, coaching, parental support…and, may I say, ADEQUATE SUPERVISION. 

Ahem.

Can we please exercise good judgement in what activities actually produce healthy and positive outcomes for our kids? We don't have to endorse environments that are breeding grounds for harm. We are not obliged to perpetuate them because that’s just the way it’s always been.

If we do nothing when we know what is wrong then we join the bystanders in the locker room. It’s that simple.


Village Green/Town² Comments 




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  1. Julia A. McCreadyOctober 8, 2026 at 4:26 AM

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