Effective Sept. 5, students from Malabar Intermediate School and Mansfield Middle School will be subject to a new seating policy at Arlin Field in Mansfield. Students will wear color-coded wristbands and have designated seating areas during football games this season.
“These new procedures are designed for student safety and an improved game experience for all fans. They will be in place at the Tygers’ Sept. 5 home opener against Lima Senior,” said Superintendent Brian Garverick.
The new policy will be enforced by the school administration. All Malabar and middle school students who attend games will receive colored wristbands from their principals. Only students with wristbands will be permitted to enter Arlin Field and wristbands must be worn while in the stadium.
Malabar students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian when entering Arlin Field. Unsupervised intermediate students will not be permitted entrance to the field. Mansfield Middle School students may attend games without parents if they wear a wristband and abide by the seating policy.
Intermediate students who are not sitting with their parents will sit in a designated area in the upper home section closest to Trimble Road. Middle School students will sit in a designated area in the upper home section closest to the home locker unless they are sitting with their parents.
This policy change was not prompted by a particular incident, rather it is a response to a trend of behavior that is of concern to the district. According to Larry Gibbs, Mansfield City Schools’ Public Relations Consultant, there were too many younger students being dropped off at games and left unsupervised.
Intermediate and middle school students will be required to remain in their seats during the game but will be allowed to visit the concession stand during designated times. They may go to the concession stand at halftime only if accompanied by an adult. Students will not be permitted to loiter under the stands.
The district contracts off-duty Mansfield City Police officers to provide security at games.
When asked about the new policy and their involvement in its enforcement, Chief of Police Ken Coontz indicated that he had not been apprised of the change. “The role of officers in this situation is to enforce the law and provide security. School policies are the responsibility of the district,” said Coontz.
Given the contractual nature of their engagement with the district, the question of whether or not the police will enforce this particular policy remains to be answered. “At this time the district has not contacted me about the officers enforcing this policy,” said Coontz.
Much remains to be answered with regard to enforcement. When asked about intermediate and middle school students from other districts, Gibbs confirmed that the policy will not impact them, however the district is in talks with Foundation Schools to arrange for compliance from the tuition-free public charter school.
The expectation, according to the district, is that the administrators will be able to sight-identify their own students in order to administer the policy since students from neighboring districts will be admitted and will not be expected to follow the new policy.
Administrators will have various assignments throughout Arlin Field. Some will supervise the assigned seating, others will supervise the entrance gate, and so on. It is not clear how administrators will sight-identify students from a building where they do not serve as an administrator. It is clear that students will be turned away at the gate for failing to have a wristband.
