Chicago Schools Contemplate Recess After Nearly 30 Years Without It

[DSTCHAOS]

Keep tag, touch football, and dodgeball and just punish the children who play too rough or get too touchy feely. They can also just do permission slips where parents give their children permission to play basic school yard games, with an understanding that their are some basic risks. Also, why is there "unsupervised" anything on the schoolyard? Not enough monitors?

I hope they got rid of those hard arse red balls we used for dodgeball and kickball when I was little. We would sometimes use soccer balls. Ouch.

On a somewhat related note: I remember in high school when horseplay became very popular. All of a sudden we had guys chasing each other down the halls between classes, throwing each other into lockers, and a few times accidentally throwing each other out of windows or down stairs. The principal made an announcement that horseplay is banned and that being caught will result in suspension. That type of ban makes complete sense because horseplay isn't really a school yard game, high school students don't have recess, and horseplay usually results in someone getting hurt.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

That type of ban makes complete sense because horseplay isn't really a school yard game, high school students don't have recess, and horseplay usually results in someone getting hurt.

I think that's the point...are these kids "tagging" each-other like we used to...or do the "tags" routinly result in someone hitting the ground?

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I think that's the point...are these kids "tagging" each-other like we used to...or do the "tags" routinly result in someone hitting the ground?

I think a lot of things have been taken to the Xtreme these days so I suspect they aren't doing regular tag.

I know there were some mean kids on playgrounds when I was little but they would get punished with the quickness.

[AKA2D '91]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I think that's the point...are these kids "tagging" each-other like we used to...or do the "tags" routinly result in someone hitting the ground?

Or worse? Yesterday, two "friends" were "fighting" during lunch. The "fighting" resulted in them breaking the glass door that leads to the library. One of the students said that the guy was his friend and they were not fighting. Okay. How about your hand is all scraped and bruised?

Now, you and your friend are suspended for 9 days AND you and your friend must replace the glass door.

[Drolefille]

Usually tag isn't banned because it's violent, it's because it is exclusionary. The slowest kid is always "it"

It's still stupid to ban it.

[tunatartare]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Usually tag isn't banned because it's violent, it's because it is exclusionary. The slowest kid is always "it"

Is that why you were always "it?"

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by KLPDaisy

Is that why you were always "it?"

Oh Snap.

I was the girl who played basketball and football with the boys. We played touch football on asphalt using parking lot lines as yard lines. (2 lines= 10 yards). One time they somehow let us outside when it was icy and we played ice football, on asphalt. I'm not sure how we're not all dead.

I wasn't thinking of Freeze Tag though, I was thinking of regular tag aka "it" as someone else put it. Freeze tag isn't nearly as exclusionary.

Our playground was as above, a parking lot. There weren't other things to do besides tag or four square when you're little and football/basketball when you're older. They did paint a world map on part of the it for a few years, but that's where the girls sat and talked all recess long. Stupid girls :P

[tunatartare]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

They did paint a world map on part of the it for a few years, but that's where the girls sat and talked all recess long. Stupid girls :P

I would've been one of those girls. In Middle School, when my school had 3 fields, I was the one playing ultimate frisbee with all of the boys.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

I wasn't thinking of Freeze Tag though, I was thinking of regular tag aka "it" as someone else put it. Freeze tag isn't nearly as exclusionary.

Actually, Freeze tag can be MORE exclusionary...I remember that there was always one or two kids that no one would un-freeze when they were frozen...

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

I wasn't thinking of Freeze Tag though, I was thinking of regular tag aka "it" as someone else put it. Freeze tag isn't nearly as exclusionary.

So I'm guessing that "it" was just you're "it" until you tag someone else who becomes "it" until they tag someone else? If so, played that as well.

[Marie]

That's too bad. Kids definitely need more exercise these days, and most school yard games will result in some basic cuts and bruises. I agree that there should be supervision to guarantee that games aren't getting out of hand, in addition to a waiver from parents stating that they acknowledge the basic risks. Beyond that, kids should be allowed to play freely within the bounds that normal supervision will allow.

Banning the sport because kids feel excluded is extreme. I don't think that its ok to let 1 kid get picked on or constantly remain 'un-chosen' when it comes to participating. However, competition is a part of life. How will kids develop the drive to improve or prepare themselves from the intense competition that occurs later in life if they are so shielded now?

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally Posted by Marie

Banning the sport because kids feel excluded is extreme. I don't think that its ok to let 1 kid get picked on or constantly remain 'un-chosen' when it comes to participating. However, competition is a part of life. How will kids develop the drive to improve or prepare themselves from the intense competition that occurs later in life if they are so shielded now?

I'm thinking the people that are making these rules must have been picked last for the kickball, basketball, baseball, etc. teams in gym and at recess. Suck it up and let it go. Life is exclusionary in general.

Freeze tag and recess is a way to get these kids up and moving to stay in shape or get in shape. I wish I had some recess right now.

[starang21]

this is stupid.

we're a sue-happy society and we're going to continue to have some fat kids.

[kiml122]

So they are banning tag...WTH

[Steeltrap]

Schools should be trying to restore recess. Seriously -- if we're about fighting childhood obesity, physical activity should not be eliminated. Back in the day when I was a kid, we didn't have the 'Net or video games. We played. On the other hand, it was a safer time.