School bans students from touching snow

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Cheryl Santa Maria

Digital Reporter

Thursday, March 1, 2018, 4:09 PM - It's not uncommon to see snowball fights banned on playgrounds -- but one school in London, UK has taken things a step further.

In an interview with the Independent earlier this week, headteacher Ges Smith of the Jo Richardson Community School, says he has banned his students from touching snow.

Smith says the ban is a "duty of care" issue.

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When Independent host Susanna Reid suggests 'it's just a bit of snow', Reid suggests the issue is more complex than that.

“The problem is, it only takes one student, one piece of grit, one stone in a snowball in an eye with an injury and we change our view," he says, adding that if his students can't throw snow if they're unable to touch it.





Should schools ban snowball fights? 🤔Headteacher Ges Smith thinks it's a duty of care issue #GMB pic.twitter.com/YjmXx5ZHUd — Good Morning Britain (@GMB) February 27, 2018





The news comes in the midst of a stormy winter across the UK.

A cold snap -- nicknamed the "beast from the east" -- combined with a snowy system has caused closures and cancellations this week and prompted the UK Met Office to issue a rare red weather warning, indicating a "risk to life and property" for southwest England and Wales.

Up to 50 cm of snow is expected in parts of the UK by Friday morning.

VIDEO: Gridlock during a wintry week in the UK:



