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D.C. Public Schools students will now need an adult chaperone to attend high school football games, the school system announced Friday, citing “multiple instances of spectator conflict.”
The policy, one of several changes announced to enhance safety, will remain in place until at least Oct. 10, the school system said. An adult chaperone can bring a maximum of three students to a game.
In addition, schools will attempt to reschedule games within the next month to start earlier in the afternoon, between 4 and 5 p.m., instead of the typical start time of 6 to 7 p.m.
Spectators will now also be directed to sit in separate, assigned sections for the home and away teams, and concession sales will end promptly at the end of the third quarter.
“Our hope is that these changes will be temporary, and we commit to reevaluating later in the season with the goal of maintaining safety and our football traditions,” Drewana Bey, deputy chancellor for social, emotional and academic development, said in a letter to families.
Bey directed anyone with questions about the updated protocols to email the school system’s athletic department or contact their student’s school directly.
Click below to see the full letter to the school community outlining the new policies:
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