NASHUA – The parent who first questioned a ban on the game tag at a city elementary schools thinks school officials should have done a better job giving parents an open forum to discuss the issue.

On Tuesday night, a meeting to discuss Charlotte Avenue Elementary School’s ban on tag was cancelled by the principal.

Bill Chisholm, a parent of a fourth-grader at the school, said he never knew there was a meeting scheduled until a letter was sent home saying it was cancelled.

Since Chisholm first questioned the school’s ban on tag two weeks ago, school officials at the district and school level have denied parents an open forum to discuss the reasons for banning the popular schoolyard game.

At the school’s parent teacher organization meeting last week, parents were told that the meeting was not the proper place to discuss the ban on tag. School board members have said playground games should be addressed at the school level, by the principal, and not at the Board of Education level.

Mum’s the word at other city schools as well. The Telegraph’s calls to other Nashua elementary schools about whether they permit the game of tag have gone mostly unreturned.

Chisholm said the district’s policy on the game of tag should be addressed in a public session to allow students and school administration a chance to discuss all angles of the issue. He said he believes the meeting would be beneficial to foster respectful dialogue and conversation, and that it would address his original concern of banning tag.

“I don’t have any desire to see the principal ganged up on by angry parents in a group,” he said. “Unfortunately, we’re at a point in the world today where there’s too much anger. There wasn’t anger with this instance – there was just a regular concern.”

In early October, Charlotte Avenue Principal Patricia Beaulieu posted a letter on the school’s website informing parents of the school’s “no contact” playground policies. In the letter, she said while “tag” may seem innocent enough, it has been banned in many schools because of injuries.

She said several concussions, a broken wrist and other injuries prompted her to post the letter, and she emphasized that while she wants children to run, jump and play, it has to be in a safe way.

Chisholm said the rules were unnecessary.

“To ban tag is just ridiculous; it’s a simple game,” Chisholm said at the time. “They say the kids are overly aggressive – take the overly aggressive kids out of the game.”

“No parent wants to minimize the injury of a child; however, there isn’t a single childhood activity that any kid could participate in that doesn’t have the risk of injury,” he said.

Beaulieu has since said she would be willing to have one-on-one meetings with concerned parents, according to one person at the school Tuesday night.

Chisholm said he believes that fewer people would be able to attend one-on-one meetings, rather than an open forum, and communication between parents and school administration regarding playground policies may suffer as a result.

“Part of the problem with this individual meeting is odds are it would have to take place during the day – I don’t have the ability to take time off of work, and I think most people work during the day.”

Beaulieu couldn’t be reached for comment this week.

School staff at Charlotte Avenue have refused to give messages to Beaulieu, instead referring comments to Stacy Hynes, director of grants and community development for the district.

Emails sent to Beaulieu, Hynes and Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Seusing have gone unanswered.

If the school decided to hold a public forum addressing the game of tag, Chisholm said he would attend.

“I would make every attempt to get there,” he said. “I would certainly make every attempt.”

Emily Hoyt can be reached at 594-6402 or ehoyt@nashuatelegraph.com.