I think football, at every level, should be replaced by sarcastaball.

It should be banned from all publicly funded schools. My tax dollars should not be going to promoting brain injuries. That's the "Pro-Life" position, right?

I wimped out and went with Option #3. I don't care for football and am immensely pleased & relieved that my teenage nephew - who hasn't found a sport he doesn't love - opted to forego football. If I had sons, I wouldn't let them play.

On the other hand, there are A LOT of obsessive fans of the game out there (some of them in my family) and the billions it generates is mind-blowing so I don't see it losing steam any time soon. But banning? I don't believe that ever works.

I think it should be played, but with revised (less aggressive) rules in place so injuries are less likely. My eldest grandson recently broke his collarbone during practice; but my main concern is the head injuries.

The worst thing is college football. I was taking a Tuesday/Thursday class and I paid for the whole class. About 20% of my class was cancelled because Thursday afternoon games shut down the campus. Absolute BS.

Funny... children should be protected from religion, but not football?

It shouldn't be banned (I hate laws against things people want to do) but it shouldn't be supported with taxpayer's money.

TBH, with the damage to the brain that is being studied to be occurring, really borders on abuse if not simply willful stupidity. Whatever though, this is Murica. Let your kids knocks their heads about and injure themselves in the head permanently for a lame ass game.

This question obviously hit a nerve.
Football and Baseball play a far too important of a school's curriculum. Academics are often put on the sideline for the better players. Again, education is a resource that needs money and football becomes a big source of funding. I feel this is wrong. There are other sports (I was varsity tennis and track) and sports should be a part of a school's program. Football/Baseball should be just one part of a sports program not 'the' main sport.

Even though I disagree wit pro sports they never thank or reward the educators that got them where they are. A wise sensei told me this once even though sports seem inane they are necessary to entertain the masses and to remember that the general population are sheep that need herded. Now getting to high school sports. Sports for some people teach a certain type of discipline. These young boys have a surge of testosterone and playing an aggressive sport is an outlet. I figure that it most likely by playing sports it prevents them from beating up the nerd that one day will be their boss.

I think it should be up to the parents. Government shouldn’t ban it. If interest continues to wane, it may bring down the sport regardless. I am grateful my kids have no interest in it. I would deter them from playing.

Tackle football should have a severe rules overhaul. When I was an adolescent, I heard about "flag" football. All you do is grab the opponent's flag from their side and hold it up.

It's true that there is no safe sport. Even chess has its casualties. But there are alternatives. Each school should have an elite jellybean team. They could play on a shortened football field, dressed in inflatable suits, all with varying colors to make it impossible to detect who was on their team.

No on the ban... I think the school should insure those that play. That could change rules of protective gear.

Watch "Friday Night Tots" on Netflix. Documentary about Texas youth football. Some of those people are downright scary.

Good luck banning that in Oklahoma...

I played football in high school and in the US Army. Over the years I suffered a broken nose (twice), torn ligaments in the shoulder, torn cartilage in the knee, a badly pulled groin muscle, a twisted back which later resulted in a herniated disc, and a "stinger".

I also coached high school football for 4 years, and my coaching partner and I made sure that our players were in top condition, were always alert and on their toes -- literally and physically. and with the equipment which would minimize injuries. Over 4 years, the most serious injury we had among our players was 1 dislocated shoulder.

If I have a son today of high school age, I would not let him play unless his coaches took the same care that we did.

Here in the south a player dies every summer during practice when it's 100° or higher, very sad but never surprising. If this was any other activity parents wouldn't be allowing their children to participate.

Football causes a lot of social damage in the US and should be restricted to friendly games in physical education classes in its tag variation. In high schools it is over glorified and creates a social status that divides people and detracts from the business at hand: education. Exercise, sportsmanship and the other benefits of games should be taught but not tribal rivalries between classmates and other schools. It is a thinly veiled pretense of war as it stands today, not a value that should be encouraged. Corporate sports of all types are the "bread and circuses" of American culture and distract people from caring about what is going on in the world and with our own government. Many people can quote statistics about long ago football games but couldn't tell you who their congress person is. The players are doped up glandular freaks who increasingly are perpetrators of all manner of abuse and crime. Hardly the role models that young people should adulate. They are corporate owned and are paid millions for endorsement deals selling shit we don't need. The world would be a better place without them.

All sports should be banned globally!

If football is a health hazard and messes with your brain activity then it should be banned permanently

Parents should be required to watch a presentation which clearly and accurately lays out the medical risks of play. Then they should be required to sign a release stating they are aware of these risks.

Other. A culture without the desire for football would be great.

Ban it. Too dangerous. Too violent. Teaches aggression. Too expensive; schools can't afford books, materials and decent teachers. Most kids can't participate.