Phys ed classes are safe, properly supervised, and carefully planned. Recess gives children a chance to run wild, but physical education classes give them a chance to run track. In phys ed classes, students have the chance to learn about all kinds of sports, plus health, teamwork, and good sportsmanship. Those are far more constructive lessons than the ones they learn at recess. There are better ways to allow children to let off steam.
Children love to move.
They run more than walk, they skip, jump, and even roll and crawl all over the floor and ground. Instead of recess, educators could create centers in classrooms, where students could go for constructive, properly supervised physical activities and games. And they could do it all in the classroom, with a teacher and teaching partner providing instruction and direction and ensuring safety. As we round the corner toward the 21st century, it's time to admit that recess has outlived its usefulness and should be left behind. Children have the right to play, but educators have a job to do.