Tug My Finger!

DENISE TIEU
Staff Writer

Accidents occur every day. If you watch “1000 Ways to Die,” you’ll understand how accidents lurk around every corner. A game of tug-of-war may seem harmless, yet this simple game caused two students to lose fingers recently at South El Monte High School.
However, someone losing their appendages over a game of tug-of-war is not a one time incidence. In 1997, two men lost their arms and 40 others were hurt from a tug-of-war game in Taiwan involving over 1,600 people.
School officials should have considered how school activities can possibly affect the students. Furthermore, the rope should have been examined, since a specific type of rope is needed to prevent any injuries, according to the International Tug-of-War Federation.
The students now have to suffer the consequences of the officials’ oversight on the matter; the school district is currently planning to review policies on the appropriateness of tug-of-war on campus.
Though school officials were at fault, they aren’t entirely to blame. Students should’ve had the common sense to not wrap the rope around their hands. They should’ve acknowledged that they may have been in danger when their peers got too enthusiastic with their rope-pulling. For future safety liabilities, students should be wary of the activities they choose to engage in.