PLYMOUTH, Mich. (WXYZ) — Parents in Plymouth are teaming up with a Metro Detroit lawmaker in a bipartisan battle to keep recess times from being cut at elementary schools across the state. Nearly 20 other states have passed similar legislation.
Watch Simon Shaykhet's video report:
State Rep. Matt Koleszar, D-Plymouth, introduced new legislation to protect recess at the elementary level. He is seeking to mandate a minimum amount of time for recess and stop educators from taking it away as a form of discipline.
"40 minutes is what we are going for, and I’m pretty sure Tennessee has done this as well. Yes, several years other states have gone to this, and it’s not a partisan issue," Koleszar said.
Koleszar said he hopes for his legislation to be taken up by a committee in the next few weeks.
Katie Bennett, a parent of three boys and a member of the nonprofit group "Say Yes to Recess," said she is part of a crusade to keep students across the state from losing recess time in school.
"I have 3 boys. I have a 7th grader, a 6th grader, and a kindergartener. Now, it feels like my kindergartener has so much more standardized testing, academic time, and not enough for the play and the recess," Bennett said.
Bennett said her children have attended Smith Elementary in the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools district, where recess time was slightly reduced in the last couple of years, even though the district still allows kids the amount of time experts recommend.
"The American Academy of Pediatrics has come out and stated that kids should have 60 minutes of outdoor playtime. It’s important so they can stay on task at school. It’s important for social and emotional growth and development," Bennett said.
Shanel Talbert, a parent to two girls, also wants to make it illegal for any teacher to withhold recess as a punishment.
"We want that every kid in Michigan to have recess and have a protected recess," Talbert said.
While some argue more classroom time can lead to higher test scores, local districts shared how they handle the issue.
In response, a spokesperson for Plymouth-Canton Community Schools provided a statement:
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools (P-CCS) elementary students currently receive 40–50 minutes of recess each day, significantly exceeding the 20 minutes recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics. It also exceeds the Michigan State Board of Education’s recommendation of 20-30 minutes a day.
Both Novi and Berkley schools also sent statements about recess.
"We have not reduced recess time over the last number of years… We believe in the benefits of unstructured play," a Berkley Schools spokesperson said.
"K-6 students are provided 30-40 minutes of recess each day, giving them active time to be active, recharge, and return to the classroom ready to learn," a Novi Schools spokesperson said.
Across Metro Detroit, the issue continues, prompting parents to advocate further for this cause.
"Especially on days when kids are stuck inside and have no recess at all, my kid comes home, and he is bouncing off the walls, right. Like, I can tell that he didn’t get all those wiggles out. I can tell that he needs that time to be outside," Bennett said.
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