NEWTON, Mass. (WHDH) — It wouldn't be fall without the annual powderpuff football game at Newton South High School, but this year the game will not happen with school approval.
Parents and students said the principal called it off.
“Very extremely upset. Especially because I'm a senior it’s my last year here,” Jessa Rubera said.
“I was really excited to see it, but turns out it was canceled. So that’s kind of sad,” Addie Bedoya, another student, said.
In a letter to parents the principal explained why there would be no powderpuff game this year.
“It was thorough. He explained that powderpuff, the tradition of powderpuff, would not happen this year and he supported it with three or four sound arguments,” Newton South parent Dina Goodfriend said.
The reasons listed in the letter included keeping students from getting hurt. He also raised concerns about the word powderpuff and how it might be considered sexist.
“I think its sexist that we can't play! I mean the boys get to play football all year round and its being called sexist that we play one game?” senior Samantha Suga said.
So many students were upset they held a protest at school Friday by wearing black.
“I just think it was a really good tradition and like everyone was so excited about it you could see their spirit in the school,” Bedoya said.
Now, students said, there most likely will be a game but not at the High School and that has them concerned.
“I know it’s already being planned outside of school. In years past it use to be underground game and they brought it here to regulate it and got so much safer. Year after year it’s gotten more safe, more regulated and I'm honestly afraid of what’s going to happen when it's not here,” Suga said.