How do we justify having an archery class when school districts usually have a policy that precludes having weapons on campus?
Merriam-Webster defines a weapon as “something (as a club, knife, or gun) used to injure, defeat, or destroy.” In this sense, archery equipment is no more of a weapon than a baseball bat or scissors. There is considerable difference between the equipment used for bowhunting and the equipment used in Olympic style archery, and the two should not be confused. Just as a foil used in fencing is not designed to cut or impale, the equipment used in Olympic style archery is not designed or intended to inflict damage. Though both a foil and an Olympic style bow could be considered weapons, they would be highly ineffective as such. In addition, archery ranks as one of the safest competitive sports at any level. In every recent study, archery is rated safer than all contact sports. In fact, only bowling, badminton, and table tennis rated safer than archery. Sports such as tennis, golf, and volleyball all had higher injury and hospitalization rates.
