AUBURN — “Tag” is allowed on the playground of Walton Elementary School — and other schools in Lewiston and Auburn — as long as the game is played safely, administrators said Thursday.

An elementary school in Nashua, N.H., has sparked controversy by reminding parents and students that playing tag violates the school’s no-contact rule for recess, according to The Associated Press.

Charlotte Avenue Elementary School Principal Patricia Beaulieu posted a letter on the school’s website saying while tag may seen innocent, it has been banned in many schools because of injuries, the AP reported.

She told the Telegraph of Nashua that concussions, a broken wrist and other injuries prompted her to post the letter. One father of a fourth-grader said the rules are unnecessary and violate students’ rights, according to the AP.

Locally, principals and superintendents said tag is allowed.

“There is no no-tag policy,” Auburn’s Walton School Principal Michael Davis said. “If kids were running, playing tag, saying, ‘You’re it,’ and playing the game safe,” that would be fine, he said. “We encourage them to play.”

Sometimes kids do get carried away, Davis said. If the game evolved to kids pushing or worse, it would be stopped, he said.

Auburn School Superintendent Katy Grondin said tag is allowed districtwide “as long as kids play appropriately and don’t become overly aggressive.”

There is no “no-contact” policy, Grondin said. At recess, students are watched and play games that involve contact, including touch football.

Auburn Middle School Principal James Hand said tag would only not be allowed at recess if students became too rough.

Ditto for Lewiston schools.

“We have no prohibition against playing tag,” Superintendent Bill Webster said. “It does happen on our playgrounds.”

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