Recess as a Radical Proposition

"In Florida, a coalition of parents known as 'the recess moms' has been fighting to pass legislation guaranteeing the state's elementary-school students at least 20 minutes of daily free play," writes Alia Wong, in her article "Why Kids Need Recess" (The Atlantic, November 17, 2016). "Similar legislation recently passed in New Jersey, only to be vetoed by the governor, who deemed it 'stupid.'

When, you might ask, did recess become such a radical proposal? In a survey of school-district administrators, roughly a third said their districts had reduced outdoor play in the early 2000s. Likely culprits include concerns about bullying and the No Child Left Behind Act, whose time-consuming requirements resulted in cuts to play. Disadvantaged kids have been the most likely to be shortchanged: According to a 2003 study, just 56 percent of children living at or below the poverty line had recess, compared with 83 percent of those above the poverty line; a similar disparity was noted between black children and their white peers."

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