Recess Ban in East Providence?

Recess Ban in East Providence?

The East Providence School District is ending traditional recess and replacing it with physical education classes and more time with teachers.

East Providence School Committee Member Tony Carcieri defended the decision yesterday on 630 WPRO, a GoLocalProv media partner. Click here and here to listen to Podcasts from his interviews on the station.

Carcieri denied reports that East Providence was actually doing away with recess and accused critics of “using the kids as a political football.” Instead, he said recess was being “restructured” in order to follow state educational requirements.

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Under the new system, students will have 50 minutes of physical education classes, instead of 35, and the lunch period has been increased to 25 minutes. According to Carcieri, students will still have time for free play—at the discretion of the teacher—or a “structured exercise routine” that the school district is developing with the YMCA.