by Linden O’Brien-Williams

A total of 31 students have received detentions for dropping racquets since the start of the badminton unit at STA, according to physical education teacher Stacie O’Rear. Many freshmen, as well as some personal fitness students, feel as though this rule is unfair and are unhappy about their punishments.

According to O’Rear, the rule is that if a student drops a racquet, they get a detention. The rule has been around for about 13 years, as long as O’Rear has worked at STA. It is also in place to prevent girls from misusing the racquets, in ways like high fiving with them or using them as batons or swords.

According to O’Rear, with such a large number of girls in physical education, the rule is necessary to keep order in the classes.

“If I don’t put it in the rules, then it opens up, what, 160 freshmen? A hundred and sixty different things that could happen,” O’Rear said.

According to O’Rear, the racquets are around five years old and cost around 10 dollars, so it’s necessary to keep them in good condition.

“[Getting a detention] has the girls really think about what they’re doing and concentrating on playing the game and treating the equipment with the respect it needs,” O’Rear said.

Freshman Hannah Grant was looking forward to playing badminton in her eighth period physical education class. Once the game began, she focused on winning. As she raced to hit the birdie, one foot caught the other and she crashed down, dropping her racquet in the process. When she looked up, hoping she had not been seen, O’Rear had already added her name to the list of girls to receive detentions.

“I thought [my detention] was pointless and I didn’t deserve it,” Grant said. “I tripped and fell. I couldn’t help dropping [my racquet].”

Grant is one of 31 students who have received detentions since the start of the badminton unit, according to O’Rear. Out of those 31 detentions, 26 have been given out to freshmen in physical education, while five came from students in personal fitness.

Freshman Meg Duffy also received a detention for dropping her racquet, making her late for track practice.

“It was frustrating missing out on my workouts and feeling behind,” said Duffy.

While the detentions do conflict with some sports activities, O’Rear says she will work with students to find a detention time that works for them. She has not received any complaints from coaches.

“I know there are sports teams, I know [dropping racquets] is not done maliciously,” O’Rear said. “I know it’s an accident. So, I will work with [students] on their detention dates… I’ve never had any coaches complain to me, they have a lot of equipment they have to deal with, too.”

Senior Natalie Fitts is enrolled in personal fitness and believes the rule is unfair, but has a different viewpoint than most of the freshmen.

“I think a detention might make me more responsible, more cognizant of what I was doing and how I was handling the racquet,” Fitts said.

According to O’Rear, there are no plans of discontinuing the rule or eliminating the badminton unit for grades to come.