Is it an extreme case of helicopter parenting or a smart move to keep kids safe? That's what parents are asking after hearing about a Long Island middle school's decision to ban most balls during break. No longer allowed at the Weber Middle School in Port Washington, New York: footballs, baseballs, soccer balls, lacrosse balls  and any other hardballs that could injure a child. "We want to make sure our children have fun but are also protected," Dr. Kathleen Maloney, superintendent of Port Washington Schools, said in a local television interview, noting how playground injuries can "unintentionally"  become very serious. The school district, in a press release, said that due to construction going on at the school, there is "limited space" for the children to play during their 20-minute break. "With children in close proximity to each other, it is not safe for them to be engaged in unstructured play with hardballs," said the district. It's not clear when the construction project will come to an end at the school and whether kids will be able to return to normal ball-playing after it wraps up. A call to the superintendent's office for confirmation has not yet been returned. "This isn't smart. It's actually counter-productive," said Donna Daniels in an email to CNN. "It saddens me to think that children no longer experience the joy of kickball, tag, dodgeball and simple outdoor games I remember so fondly when I reflect on my childhood. Our kids don't experience physical activity unless it involves downloading an app. " "Without opportunities to learn how to navigate space with their bodies, and to negotiate rules, risks, and experimentation of cooperative play, how are children going to ever be able to handle themselves in any society as adults ?" said Alex Martin, an associate director at a Manhattan nursery school. On the other side, there were some people who thought the school's actions were appropriate. "Freedom is great until the parents accuse the school district," said Tyler Parker on Facebook. "I don't think kids should have their fun past times discontinued, but head wound can be serious," said Marilyn Decker on Facebook. The Weber Middle School in Port Washington decided to ban ballgames during break because   _  .
they want to keep children in classroom to study they have had some children injured during break space became limited for a construction project children can be engaged in PE with workers