My youngest daughter sadly reported to me the other day that her outdoor recess privileges at her tutorial coop program were being revoked due to a lack of available adult supervision. That surprised me somewhat since the thirteen year olds my daughter is used to hanging with don’t need a lot of formal oversight for their play activities. But the organization bears the responsibility of protecting the church property where they meet. In addition when you think about it, this is just another consequence of our litigious society where organizations can’t afford any unnecessary exposure.
When I checked the internet, I found this to be a hot topic in New York City where schools have just adopted similar policies citing budget and safety concerns:
Students across the city are sitting in auditoriums and cafeterias to watch videos during their recesses rather than letting off steam outside. The action is largely due to new regulations that release teachers from the responsibility of monitoring students in lunchrooms, hallways and outdoor play areas, the New York Daily News reported.
Circular 6R is a contract provision requiring schools to hire aides to monitor students during non-academic periods, putting the squeeze on already meager budgets and adding more sedentary time to the daily routine of New York’s school kids, an increasing number of whom are overweight or obese.
Leave it to unions to legislate playground specialists that end up being cost prohibitive.
Improving the quality of recess has apparently been a hot topic for some time …
Shows how much I know … I always considered playground activities to be an uncomplicated form of recreation that really didn’t require much analytical study. But now the psychologists and behavior experts are getting involved and trying to elevate kick ball to a whole different dimension.
Fortunately, The American Association for the Right of Children to Play (which of course we all recognize as part of that well-know international organization IPA) has stepped up to the plate and detailed some rules for recess to promote fair play for all.
Where were they when I was having to work out my own turf battles in the fourth grade? When you look at all the rules they have laid out … how can a kid expect to have fun anymore?
- you can’t chew gum
- you can’t climb on any objects
- you can’t throw snowballs
- the list goes on . . .
Talk about over-legislating common sense. Life was much simpler back in the good old days.
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