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Editorial: Don't play around with mandating recess

 
Published Jan. 22, 2016

Discussions about school recess quickly center on over-tested, overscheduled and overstressed young students who would benefit from some unstructured time to just play with each other. But unless the pressures that led to the end of recess are eased, unilaterally requiring recess again won't solve the problem and could create unintended consequences that are common in top-down initiatives.

The Pinellas County School Board considered a resolution this week to encourage elementary schools to offer recess. Board member Linda Lerner believes that recess should be a countywide policy, not merely a recommendation. That left superintendent Michael Grego without clear direction from the board and casting about for a different way to approach the issue. He was smart to hit the pause button on a conversation that was going sideways.

Common sense supports daily recess. Students learn social skills and learn to play together without adults constantly intervening and setting the rules. Young students do better in the classroom and expand their imaginations when they regularly have time for free play outside the regimented structure of a physical education class.

But requiring recess at either the state or district level, rather than giving schools discretion on how to offer it, is too limiting. That's the problem both in Pinellas and in the Legislature, where legislation (HB 833) that requires 20 minutes of free play per day is moving through committee. Ordering daily recess without changing anything else would leave principals and teachers who have daily contact with students no better off. What would they give up to make recess possible? Story time? Art class? Free time in the classroom? The students won't truly benefit without more fundamental changes to their school day.

In any case, recess should not carry extra cost. R'Club Child Care Inc. has offered to supervise recess in Pinellas, but teachers should decide how best to handle recess. This should not be a top-down mandate that is outsourced and costs taxpayers money at the expense of other priorities.

In acknowledging the importance of recess, district and state leaders should first start taking away mandates and requirements rather than piling more on. As always, the best answer is to let good teachers teach. Cut back on mandates, whether it's testing or recess, and teachers will find time for their students to learn and play.