Tag suspended over injuries at elementary school

St. Luke Catholic School is seen in a photo from Google Street View.

Students at a Toronto Catholic elementary school are no longer allowed to play types of tag involving physical contact after a number of children were injured in the game.

The game was suspended at St. Luke Catholic School in November, Toronto Catholic District School Board spokesperson John W. Yan confirmed Wednesday.

"There had been a number of injuries," Yan said of the small Toronto school, located at 319 Ossington Ave. just north of Dundas Street West.

Yan said students received scrapes, bruises and sprains as a result of the game, and at least one child suffered a fractured leg.

The school, which houses students from kindergarten to Grade 8, has banned all types of tag involving physical contact because of the children's roughhousing, Yan said.

At least one person took to Twitter on Monday, a month after the ban came into place, to complain about the decision.

"What happened to allowing kids to play?" A user named Annette posted. The user tagged the school board, a TCDSB trustee and her local councillor in the question.

Yan said the school also contacted Toronto Public Health, requesting a representative attend St. Luke to advise teachers about active but not dangerous physical activity.

The initiative, called Physical Activity Leaders in Schools (PALS), is a playground leadership program that encourages children to be active at recess. Toronto Public Health will send a representative to schools that request help. The nurse will train teachers about playground safety strategies, and teachers will then train older students.