Crosserlough school in a spin over latest craze

Pupils at a local primary school have got themselves in a spin about the latest craze in toys, beseeching their school principal to reconsider a ban on the modern-day version of the old spinning top.

Fad or fabulous, ‘Fidget Spinners’ are everywhere. The devices had sold out in toy shops nationwide, while some stores only have a limited number of colours available.
As a result, some schools and clubs the length and breadth of the country have banished the playtime devices from sight, including at St Mary's National School in Crosserlough where there is now an outright ban in place.
The decision was taken despite local third and fourth class students at St Mary’s challenging the move, citing their use of the palm-sized piece of plastic as a tool in assisting students with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) or autism to focus.
In a letter addressed to principal Jarlath McDermott, student Farran Beck wrote: “I'm writing to ask you to reconsider the Fidget Spinner Ban. Everyone that has one is happy playing with them. First of all it helps calm you down, because I know it helps me. Second of all if you have A.D.H.D or autism it helps make you focused. School can sometimes be stressful for people but the fidget spinners distract you from the stress. It also helps reduce sadness in a way. I now hope this has given you second thoughts.”
Another student, Cian Donohoe, addressed his letter to The Anglo-Celt's columnist Jenny McGovern. However, the campaign much like the Fidget Spinner, has several prongs attached, as school teacher Siobhan Lynch explained to the Celt this week.
For starters, Ms Lynch is using the experience to teach her students, all aged between eight and ten, a lesson in civics having laid down the gauntlet to her young charges to get their crusade noticed by local media. That resulted in the letters of two of the children being chosen to lead their cause.
“We're doing debating with them at school, one of the topics being should they have a tuck-shop at school, and another came up whether these Fidget Spinners should be banned or not. We decided to get the children to debate among themselves, the advantages of and not having them.”
The development went so far as seeing Mr McDermott call a meeting with staff, arising out of which the decision to ban Fidget Spinners was upheld.
Even still, Ms Lynch believes the scenario has served as a valuable lesson for her pupils in creating a movement by uniting behind a single cause. Although none of the young children mentioned have the disorders, Ms Lynch highly commended their ability to consider the needs of their peers who may have learning difficulties.
“It’s very impressive. They're very easy and very free about it because they grow-up with other children perhaps with those issues, they're more understanding, more acceptable. It’s a wonderful thing to see in kids so young and they've done brilliantly in bringing this so far,” she added.