U.S. News and World Report
February 23, 2023
A majority of Americans support banning tackle football for children before they reach high school, as prolific injuries throughout the sport have sparked concern among parents about safety. But even within the issue, partisan divides seen throughout multiple facets of American life are again on display.
While just over half of Americans, at 53%, support banning the contact sport for children prior to high school, Democrats were significantly more likely to support a ban than Republicans, according to an Ipsos poll released this week. Women were also more likely to support a ban than men.
The survey, conducted Jan. 13-15, also found that while nearly half of Americans agreed that player safety and injuries are the biggest issue facing the sports world, Democrats and independents were more likely to agree with the sentiment than Republicans. Democrats were also more likely to consider preventing their child from playing football due to concern over injuries.
The survey comes amid stark ideological divisions that have reared their heads within schools in recent years, spurring a litany of “culture wars” – from discussing gender and sexuality in classrooms to teaching African American history.
Earlier this week, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia extended those divisions beyond schools, arguing that the left and the right have “reached irreconcilable differences” and reiterating calls for a “national divorce.” From law enforcement to conducting elections, she contrasted two vastly different visions of the country in red and blue states that she suggested could not be reconciled.