Recess: Studies confirm common sense

Posted by Dave Klamet April 3, 2012 at 7:44 p.m.

This article from CNN, describes some elementary schools that reduced or eliminated recess--and parents efforts to rectify the situation.

I recall when my youngest son was in sixth grade here in Lawrence. Recess was eliminated or drastically curtailed because of the time it would take from academics.

Now, having read the article below and reconsidered, I deeply regret not taking action. I'm older, crankier, and more confident that I don't (always) need studies to make decisions. It shouldn't have taken something like this to wake me up. I, and all the other parents in that class, were persuaded that it was for the best.

Let me say now, what I should have said then. THEY'RE SIXTH GRADERS, PEOPLE! Or second graders, or ...

If you have elementary age kids, how much time do they get outside at school? Is this an issue in Lawrence? In my, or actually my son's, case, it was ten years ago. Is it still going on?

Does this have anything to do with the U.S. being the most obese country in the world?

One final, and somewhat satirical question. Is there anything our educational system does right?

(Hey, I know there are a lot of good teachers out there doing their best under difficult conditions).

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asixbury 1 year, 1 month ago

6th grade is considered middle school where I am from. That's a little old, to me, for recess. But younger than that, yeah, it is needed. Apparently desperately, judging by the rise in childhood obesity. Kids need time to relax and be kids. The public school system in this country is a joke. The whole system needs scrapped and restructured.

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