High School Football Isn't a Babysitter

Mansfield school officials say they don't want Friday night football games to turn into an impromptu day care.

A Mansfield Independent School District policy states that students in the eighth grade or below have to attend a football game with a parent.

High school students have to show their school ID to get in.

And parents have to pick up their kids within 30 minutes of the end of the game or their child could be banned from attending the next game.

Most parents say they like the rule.

"I think the rules are awesome," Patricia Gullatte said. "I think with everything going on, we need something in place to protect these kids and other people as well. I think if your kid is not old enough to drive, and you're responsible for dropping them off, then you should be responsible for picking them back up on time."

Other parents said the rule encourages safety but hope that the district shows a little mercy when it comes to the 30-minute rule.

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"If you do drop them off, I like having a little bit more leeway," Matt Hughey said. "I think more of a '45 minutes to an hour' window is more effective for me, because you do get stuck at home or doing something, and time can slip away. But I don't like the idea of someone staying here for hours on end."

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