Squeezing recreational time out of the day ignores important needs in social and physical development. The playground is a place to practice fair and respectful methods of conflict resolution, to develop problem-solving skills and to engage in the art of decision making. Responsible conduct is most successful when students are involved in activities. Students can discover positive ways to succeed in the world around them. These are life-long skills.
Containment serves to suppress and to sublimate.
Access to the campus and playground would enable students to develop socially and physically through the use of that bright new equipment and those newly painted areas for hop- scotch, jump rope and other games. School grounds are places for learning. The teacher's day in these closed building schools is disregardful of their well-being, too. There is no requirement for a lunch period during the teaching day, which is certainly an intense one, to say the least. Giving students wholesome outlets for pent-up energies and emotions reduces unacceptable classroom behavior, thus benefiting teachers.