Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident urges limits on earbuds during team runs after recalling past fatality
Summary
During public participation at the May 8 Marlington Local School Board meeting, retired physician Don Carter urged the district to restrict use of earbuds and limit running formation width for students on road runs, citing a decades‑old case in which a student runner was struck and killed.
At the public comment portion of the May 8 Marlington Local School Board meeting, Don Carter, a retired family physician and longtime team physician for Alliance, urged the district to adopt limits on students wearing earbuds during team runs and to restrict formation width to no more than two students abreast.
Carter cited a decades‑old fatality involving a long‑distance runner and said the district could face liability in similar circumstances. "My suggestion is that none of the students wear 2 earbuds and that they stick to no more than 2 students wide running because silly things happen," Carter told the board. He said he is speaking as a resident and taxpayer and that he does not want the district to be held accountable for preventable injuries.
Board response: no formal action was taken during the meeting. District officials did not announce an immediate policy change; the board gave the comment the standard public‑comment hearing and did not open the matter for discussion during that agenda item.
Context: Carter said the incident he referenced occurred roughly 20–25 years ago and was raised to illustrate a safety risk when students run on or near public roadways while wearing earbuds. His remarks were brief and presented as a public safety suggestion rather than a formal petition.
