The Department of Education in Tasmania, Australia, has lifted a controversial ban on school excursions to laser tag arenas following opposition from operators and the public.
According to Tasmanian newspaper The Advocate, more than 2,000 people signed an online petition that said the government had failed to consult the community and provide evidence laser tag was "not in line with community expectations."
In the wake of the change, minister for education and training Jeremy Rockliff said: "I'm not convinced about the educational value of laser tag, however I trust principals to make informed decisions in consultation with their school community about the suitability of this activity for their students.
"I have had further discussion with the department on this matter and it has been agreed that laser tag can be considered as a suitable extracurricular activity under certain circumstances, which include the support of the principal, school association and parents."
The petition contested that schools have been participating in laser tag for over 25 years and that: "Laser tag requires students to work together effectively as a team which promotes cooperation, problem-solving and communication skills. Laser tag sums up the definition of team building, it ticks all the boxes and more."
It went on to state that laser tag appealed to a diverse range of students who may not be engaged with sports or other classroom activities, provided exercise and was "a lot of fun."
