Wash. School Official Puts Halt to Recess

[baldguy]

Outside of lunch playtime, recess is forbidden, a Tacoma School District official has found it necessary to remind principals.

"If we want students learning to high standards, we need them in the classroom, not the playground," Karyn Clarke, assistant superintendent for elementary schools, said this week.

At least 20 of the district's 36 elementary schools have no breaks except for lunch, The News Tribune of Tacoma found in a quick survey.

But Whittier, the one determined to have a formal afternoon recess signaled by a bell, led the district in math and writing scores for fourth-graders and ranked second in reading on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning.

more:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=541&ncid=541&e=8&u=/ap/20040917/ap_on_he_me/no_recess

[izzie]

1. Gee I thought that was also a time to learn.

Some place kids have to learn to get along with others. They do not seem to be out after school playing together either.

[redqueen]

2. What the hell is this world coming to?

Just crankin' 'em out for the sole purpose of using them as fodder for the capitalist system, eh?

Curses!

[UrbScotty]

3. I think Dubya could use a little playtime. (nt)

[curse10]

4. That sucks! do we need another reason for kids not to get exercise?

First they cut phys ed, now they cut recess.

[sasquatch]

5. What a fucking bitch

God damn, I thought it was bad when I was in 4th & 5th grade and our Georgia raised principal wouldn't have recess whenever the tempature below 55 degrees(This is where I really began to hate the south). Thanks to people like this our kids are mentally and phisicly unhealthy.

[Nikia]

6. There are more obese kids and more with hyperactivity disorders

Having recess is useful for dealing with those problems in several cases. Most children prefer to play instead of having structured exercise. Most children have a hard time concentrating on school all day and need breaks to use up their pent up energy. You would think that educators would know this.