A policy from Omaha Public Schools that treats horseplay the same as fighting is dividing parents and community members, according to a discussion thread on the OPS Student and Family Support Forum on Facebook.
The post, shared by Amy Berry, asked whether it is fair for the district to suspend students for horseplay just as it would for intentional fighting.
Most Commenters Support the Policy
Many parents who responded said they back the district’s approach, pointing to safety concerns as the main reason.
PrettyTangerine7215 said schools already teach students appropriate ways to interact with peers, and that horseplay almost always leads to real fights, adding that suspensions only come after multiple warnings and interventions.
Marianne Laski agreed with the policy, saying that students involved in real fights often claim they were only playing once they realize they will face consequences. She added that any physical contact carries the risk of injury, which could leave the district responsible.
Chris Proulx shared a similar view, noting that suspension is usually a last resort used only after several smaller consequences and parent contacts have already happened. Chris also mentioned a student who suffered a concussion last year during what a friend called simple horseplay.
Others Question Fairness and Impact
Not everyone agreed with how the policy was applied. An anonymous commenter said their son was suspended along with his best friend, even though they were only play-fighting, and that the district makes no exceptions for this kind of behavior.
Mia Crawford Gray raised a broader concern, pointing to data showing Black students are suspended at higher rates than their peers for categories like fighting and assault.
She said the new horseplay policy could either help reduce suspensions by preventing fights before they escalate or worsen existing disparities, depending on how it is enforced.
She also noted that self-defense does not exempt a student from suspension under OPS rules and that teachers often struggle to determine who started an incident.
Another anonymous participant argued that detention, not suspension, would be a more appropriate response, saying horseplay can come from one side or both, and it is often impossible to know for certain who was actually engaging in it. Ginger Davis pushed back on that idea, saying suspensions do little to change behavior either way.
The discussion reflects a broader tension in school discipline policies between prioritizing student safety and ensuring fair, consistent enforcement across different students and situations.
