Teachers Union Comes Out In Support Of Mandated Recess

AUGUSTA, Maine - The Maine Education Association is coming out in support of a proposal that would require the state to mandate at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity for school children.
 
The proposal was the subject of a public hearing on Wednesday. The teachers union says a survey of its members found that schools were sometimes forced to eliminate recess to complete mandated testing.
 
The union issued a statement that "unstructured play time is as important as the classroom skills.''
 
The bill is before the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs in the Legislature. It states that there must be at least a half hour of daily physical activity for all students from kindergarten to fifth grade.
 
It also prohibits schools from denying a student physical activity as punishment or discipline.