Study Claims Dodgeball is ‘Legalized Bullying’

I love me a wicked a game of dodgeball and never once in my life have I ever thought of it as something negative.

According to WXYZ, a team of Canadian researchers say the game teaches students to dehumanize each other and creates unsafe conditions in schools. Study co-presenter and professor Joy Butler says, “Dodgeball is the only game where the human is the target. No other games focus on it, it's tantamount to legalized bullying."

In my opinion, it's simply a game. If you happen to be the weaker one in the herd you're gonna get taking out first, much like I was in school. I was terrible at the game, but never once did I feel like I was being bullied. As bad as I sucked, I still loved playing.

Now, I'm sure there are isolated cases where some kids are really cruel to other students. It happens and it sucks. There's nothing worse than feeling like a target and getting blasted by some kid that can whip that ball and what seems like a million miles an hour. It's horrible, yet awesome at the same time.

Researchers also said the "hidden curriculum" of dodgeball reinforces the five "faces" of oppression -- which include "marginalization, powerlessness, and helplessness of those perceived as weaker individuals through the exercise of violence and dominance by those who are considered more powerful."

The researches were well aware of the fact they'd be taking some heat for their report.