You can’t say, ‘You can’t play!’
As a result of new CT state law, Wilton Schools will adopt a formal policy that blocks teachers and school staff from preventing students from participating in recess every day, whether for discipline or other reasons. The policy would apply to students in pre-kindergarten classes through fifth grade.
That means that teachers can’t “take away recess” to punish a class for misbehaving, for example, or as Dr. Michael Cicchetti, interim director of human resources for the district, explained, “It articulates that no school employee can deny a student physical activity, really recess.”
The Board of Education discussed the new policy at their regularly scheduled meeting last night. It will be placed on the BoE consent agenda to be passed at the next scheduled meeting.
Cicchetti informed the board that following the 2013 state legislative session, the district would be updating and revising any policies affected by changes that came out of the state legislature.
Public Act 13-173 was approved by the CT general assembly on June 21, 2013, and it required local and regional boards of educations to adopt a policy, “as the board deems appropriate, concerning the issue regarding any school employee being involved in preventing a student from participating in the entire time devoted to physical exercise in the regular school day…as a form of discipline.”
The act also outlines that all “full day students” are required to have included in their school day, “a daily lunch period of not less than twenty minutes, and include in the regular school day for each student enrolled in [grades kindergarten to five, inclusive,] elementary school time devoted to physical exercise of not less than twenty minutes in total, except that a planning and placement team may develop a different schedule for a child requiring special education and related services…”
Act 13-173 is titled, “An Act Concerning Childhood Obesity and Physical Exercise in Schools.”
As a result, the policy (P-5144) the Wilton Board of Education has proposed adopting states, “The Board prohibits school employees from disciplining elementary school students by preventing them from participating in the entire time devoted to physical exercise during the regular school day.” It also states, “It is the policy of the Board to promote the health and well-being of district students by encouraging healthy lifestyles including promoting physical exercise and activity as part of the school day.”
It also prohibits school employees from requiring students to engage in physical activity as a form of discipline during the regular school day.
Richards told GMW.com, “We do not have any concerns about teacher or support staff misuse of physical activity, as referenced in the policy. The Board is moving forward to adopt this policy in order to comply with the new legislative requirements.”
Cicchetti echoed that during the board meeting, saying, “It’s my understanding with administrators that we do not have this practice in district. We are well aware that children have the right to be outside during their full recess activity. But in order for our board to be in full compliance with this legislation we bring you this policy, there are no concerns on the part of our staff with respect to the students’ need to their physical activity.”