Colorado parents are protesting to bring back recess and other educational programs that have been stripped away from high school students.
Adams 14 school district saw a slew of irate parents that joined together Monday, demanding that the district continue to provide kids with education programs that they consider vital to learning and growth. The parents gathered largely to demand the district reinstate recess, and called for other removed programs — like counseling services and bilingual education — to be brought back.
“We are committed to our children and to continuously improving our results. It’s not a choice; it is a legal requirement. This is what we owe our children,” superintendent Dr. Javier Abrego said, according to Fox31.
“This year they cut all recess to elementary schools,” disgruntled parent Regina Hurtado told Fox.
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There is no positive correlation between the amount of time kids and teachers spend in the classroom and better performance, according to Pasi Sahlberg in his “Finnished Leadership: Four Big, Inexpensive Ideas To Transform Education.” Sahlberg argues that recess allows students to mentally decompress so that they can be more effective learners in the classroom, and considers recess to be essential learning time rather than a waste of time, noting that teachers need breaks as well.
The UN Human Rights Committee recommends at least an hour of physical activity a day for inmates, but many schools, like those in Adams 14, do not have recess or any extended breaks during school.
Adams 14 school district data shows that less than 6 percent of high school freshmen in the district are able to meet Colorado’s education standards.
“Change is painful and sometimes divisive, but change we must. How do we justify not changing while the results show we’re continuing to fail our students? We can’t,” Abrego wrote in response to the parents’ demands, Fox reports.
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