Public Comment Sparks BOE Discussion of Concussions

MontCo school officials look to stem student concussions

...Tom Hearn, a parent at Walt Whitman High School, urged the school board to consider Derek Sheely's case and the steps some colleges have taken toward preventing and treating concussions. National Football League players engage in only one full-contact practice each week during the regular season, and the league has banned two-a-days during training camp, while some college conferences also have banned two-a-days. 

Concussions have been associated withchronic traumatic encephalopathy, an Alzheimer's-like disease. And last week's suicide of former NFL linebacker Junior Seau also reignited the conversation on concussions in football. 

Hearn was also concerned about "subconcussive blows." The average high school football player is hit by 350 of them by graduation -- and as many as 2,200, depending on his position...

Concussion Testimony to MCPS BOE 050712