Don't worry, I'll say it, you don't have to. I suck. I haven't been back to update in weeks. Sixty two days to be exact. In my defense, I thought it had only been only three weeks. (this is called "foreshadowing")  

My missing in action status started off innocently enough. I was at my son's field day and my phone died. Not unusual considering I have an Android. When I came back home, I couldn't find my phone charger. Again, not unusual considering my unparalleled knack for losing things. The next morning, I turn on my computer and log on. My computer informs me that I have no internet connection. I turn on my television...no cable either. A couple of (landline) phone calls later, I am told the folks over at AT&T have decided that my out-in-the-boonies neighborhood is finally U-Verse worthy. They will be digging up various streets and alleys (mine) to bury whatever it is they bury to bring me a faster internet connection. I would have my connection back the next day. Yay! (more foreshadowing)

Getting into my car the following morning, I see that they had, indeed, dug up part of my alley. A couple of days later, they put it all back. More days pass, they dig it up again...and then fill it back up. Lines are laid. They dig again. They fill it back up and lay the lines on top. Why? Because they forgot to bury them. My internet/cable connection changes from being connected the "next day" to "as soon as possible". Uh-oh.

Somewhere in that timeframe, I did find my phone charger. However, its hard to write my long-winded blog posts on a tiny keypad. Suddenly, I was limited to Twitter and Facebook status updates. "I'll get back to everything when I can sit down and type it all out", I say to myself. I pick up a book, sit outside, and read.

AT&T finally decides the U-Verse is going to be put on the backburner until they can get that whole "how to bury a line in the correct order" thing down. They restore the old connection. Back in business, I check my inbox and see that I have 426 emails to answer about recess. (blank deer-in-headlight stare) Overwhelmed, I slowly and carefully turn off my computer. I pick up my book. I walk outside.

Fast forward sixty two days, five books, and the start of summer vacation...and here I am. It is safe to say the last legislative session completely and utterly burned me out. I needed to regroup. I needed a second to absorb everything buzzing around me. I needed to take a long shower...one that allowed me to wash my hair and shave my legs at the same time.

I feel better now. I just got back from the Texas PTAs Summer Leadership Seminar...my batteries have been recharged. So, legislative updates and future plans are coming your way. Tomorrow, I'm being interviewed by Healthy Schools Campaign...I can't think of a better way to get back into the swing of things.

But right now, I have to answer some emails and catch up on some very important school food- related reading. Please excuse me while I click on over to see what the hell happened when Bettina at The Lunch Tray ate that damn sandwich in a can....

Priorites...

 {disclaimer~ for those of you new to this blog due to the recess bill, you should understand that I tend to get riled up and talk like a sailor when it comes to school lunch. Because lowering the sodium content is a new school lunch initiative, I too, will attempt to lower the salty talk of my posts. Luckily, though, I have 10 years to cut that amount in half...}

So, back when I talked about my initial meeting with Rep. Burkett about recess and HB3770, I didn't divulge the whole story.  

What I didn't mention, was that I had actually asked her to file two, yep two,  bills. She said yes to both. Many of you have been reading this blog since the beginning, and you know that reforming school lunch is another huge priority of mine. You may remember HealthyTara, the Chicago senior, who took on her school district and ARAMARK when they wouldn't give her the  school lunch ingredients. Being mom to a child with severe food allergies, I  joined her fight for school lunch ingredient transparency.

In addition to a recess bill, I asked Cindy Burkett to file a bill mandating schools make full ingredient disclosure and nutritional content available to parens. Any parent of a child with severe food allergies will tell you, they have to know the ingredients. Further, any parent of a child concerned about their child's health wants to know the nutritional content of the food they eat.

Long story short, Cindy and her staff drafted and filed both bills. (Thank you!!) The recess bill came back with a fiscal note stating no anticipated cost. The ingredient transparency bill came back with one stating there would be a cost. Although, I can't imagine why...by law, schools already have this information, so letting parents see what they already have should not cost anything. Regardless, Cindy called me and was very honest and forthcoming about my options. She told me that the House had made it very clear  they did not want to pass any mandates that would cost schools additional money. She said she would still keep the ingredient bill in the game if I wanted, but that she didn't think it would have much of a chance with the current education budget climate. I agreed. I made the decision to not go forward with it this session for a couple of reasons. One, I am fully aware of the food industry's lobbying power. I was not prepared to take them on in such a short amount of time. And two, I really wanted my school lunch blogging friends to be a part of the process. I knew that Dr. Susan Rubin, Mrs. Q, and Bettina over at The Lunch Tray would help make sure the bill had everything right. A bill this important needed to be perfect: researched, detailed, and not rushed.

So, you can imagine my newly refreshed disdain for the USDA when I was forwarded this Associated Press article by practically everyone I know. I'm sure you are already familiar with it. It's the one about the $2 million USDA research grant that will take pictures of school lunch in Texas using high-tech cameras and highly sophisticated software. (clearly, not the only thing "high" around here...)

Some key quotes from the article:

Researchers hope parents will change eating habits at home once they see what their kids are choosing in schools. The data also will be used to study what foods children are likely to choose and how much of if they're eating...

Here's how it works: students are assigned lunch trays with a unique bar code. After the children load up their plates down the line — mashed potatoes or green beans? french fries or fruit?

{big, big sigh..} OK. Ready for it? Here we go:

This (apparently) just in! Texas elementary school cafeterias are not free-for-all buffets. While the last thing I want to do is defend processed school lunch,  I will, however, defend our lunch ladies. Our kids are not loading anything onto their own plates. Why? Because they aren't the cafeteria workers and allowing them to do so would be unsanitary. Plus, a school in Texas will not allow a child to take mashed potatoes and french fries on the same day. More importantly, you should understand that kids are choosing between what is being served at school. How can you expect them to choose something healthy if it isn't there? Last, but not least, Texas already has restrictions on portion limits...no picture neccessary, just ask the lunch lady.

When lunch is over and the kids return their plates to the kitchen, another camera takes a snapshot of what's left on the tray. Software then analyzes the before and after photos to calculate calories consumed and, according to Trevino, a report of nutrients in the foods.

I wonder how Dr.Trevino plans to get the "actual" nutrients without my bill? Because each school gets their food from different suppliers, the nutritional content and ingredients will vary.I also wonder how excited the cafeteria is to take the time and effort to make sure each kid gets his or her assigned tray...while keeping the lunch line moving. 

The grant from the USDA will fund the study for four years. Trevino said the coming school year will be very experimental, with programmers fine-tuning the cameras and imaging software to accurately identify what's a pear and what's an apple.

Obvioulsy, I'm no scientist (although I do like to play one on my blog) and my idea is hardly "sophisticated", I would just like to throw this idea out there...

My nutritional content and ingredient bill + the school lunch menu + asking your child "what did you eat today?"  =

a hell of a lot less than $2 million dollars.

Example: "Hey junior, I'm looking at your school menu. It says they had apples today. Did you get an apple or pear? An apple? Yes, that makes sense. Did you eat it?"

Ta daaa!! Please make that $2 million check paid to the order of "just a mom in mesquite".

Now, I understand you may be unwilling to hand that money over to me. If that's the case,  I will suggest the following not-so-crazy ideas:

1. Take that cash, purchase an actual kitchen for those schools and cook real, healthy meals from scratch for the kids. Take a picture of the kids before the healthy food, and then four years later...after the healthy food. Record their behavior, weight, and test scores during that time. Show the improved results to the parents. Once they see that their kids do like healthy food, they may want to adopt the same healthy diet. Plus, when kids ask for food like the kind they eat at school...it will be a good thing. #winning

2.  Take that two million dollars and donate it to the local food bank.They can turn that money into 8 million meals for hungry children here in Texas. Especially since,

Five San Antonio elementary schools will take part in the program. Researches selected poor, minority campuses where obesity rates and students at risk for diabetes are higher.

Seriously USDA? You and these researchers intentionally hand-picked  poor, overweight, minority children at risk for diabetes? And you think a four year, $2 million photolog scrapbooking "How your kid became overweight and diabetic~in pictures" is a good idea? What the hell is wrong with you? You don't think poor parents already know they can't feed their kids better? You want to give them pictures of their financial short-comings in action?

3. However, since you seem to have already committed to this food-o masochistic plan...

Give one school a kitchen and feed those children non-processed lunches made from scratch. Help them plant a school garden and encourage hands-on parental involvement. Show families and children how to transition into a healthy lifestyle. While they do that, continue taking pics of the other four schools' lunches. Instead of just adding up the calories (since that doesn't really matter),  add up the amount of additives those kids are eating with their processed food. Factor in the lack recess time. When the four years are up, parade the healthier kids around in front of the un-healthy kids' parents. Tell the un-healthy kids to hold up those pictures of all the crap you allowed them to "choose" at school...include a list of all the non-food ingredients they ingested. Have the parents analyze the results. Tell them you thought a photoshoot would be better than feeding them well.

Now, run for the hills. Once parents realize that you are using their kids as lab monkeys under the guise of "counting calories for your own benefit", they're going to get pissed. You are "research scientists"...you know what's making our kids un-healthy. You also coincidentally chose a community with a high hispanic population. I have a feeling you took into account the higher probablity of parental language barriers with a greater chance they are under-educated about food choices.

Not cool. 

You've seen the movie (ok, maybe not the one above..that's apparently from a no budget remake, 'Titanic 2' ); over-the-top impressive boat, fit a ton of people, faster, bigger, ahead of its time, and according to the folks at the helm, unsinkable. Texas and her education system isn't much different. She claims to be the envy of all other states, she's bigger, she's faster, ahead of her time, she teaches more students, she's spared no expense obtaining the best curriculum to get to the finish line first.

Our education vessel just has a different, albeit, lackluster, cast of characters and plot. Instead of taking a maiden voyage across the Atlantic, we're charging towards our future. You have your first class citizens on deck played by school administrators, lobbyists, and the people who fund them. Steering the boat and playing "Captain" is the public education committee and legislators. Finally, you have your third class citizens locked below deck played by our children, teachers, and yours truly, the parents. Oh! We can't forget Governor Perry. He's he conductor that tells the band to "keep playing the music" so that people don't panic. He's not so much the driving force, but he's there to put a happy tone on our trip to the bottom of the ocean.

Instead of Jack and Rose, the star of our movie is that big huge iceberg that sunk the unsinkable. Our iceberg, is called HB400. Our education boat is an expensive, ridgid and highly structured machine that can break in half and sink with the right impact. With HB400, we are charging full-steam ahead for that impact. And, like the movie, don't have nearly enough lifeboats.

In sessions past, legislators worked to ensure we added more lifeboats. They implemented a coordinated school health program. It gave parents an opportunity to come up on deck and have a say about keeping our kids healthy. They gave us the Fitnessgram to measure kids health and allowed us to work with schools on this issue. They ensured schools would recycle- a big deal considering the amount of waste schools produce. They gave us pre-kindergarten. They capped our classroom limits, making sure kids wouldn't be packed like sardines. They ensured that teachers could count on a fair paycheck.

Unfortunately, our Captains today are only concerned with the first class citizens on the top deck. HB400 is trying to repeal the "unnecessary" lifeboats of students and teachers. HB400 keeps the third class irrelevant and locked below deck to sink with the boat. They are too consumed with preserving the luxury status of the top deck that they can't see what's looming up ahead. We are so far down that they can't hear our iceberg warning.

They forget, that we are all in the same boat.

Churning out unhealthy, socially inept children is not the answer. Bubble filling for test scores isn't part of the real world.

As for me and the recess bill, I'm that parent that has managed to pick the lock and found the staircase to the top deck. I'm charging up two stairs at a time. I'm yelling at the top of my lungs with the other parents that have joined me (btw, I've also called shotgun on a lifeboat and have one foot in with my child intow...it's called the S.S. Private School).

Recess and HB3770 isn't just about playtime. It isn't trivial. It's about fostering our kids' future and making them sustainable. It's about being proactive instead of reactive. It's realizing that one day, these kids will be making laws. It's understanding that they are the future lifeboat.

It's about teaching kids how to swim when our Captain's over-confidence finally rams that iceberg.

Our Secretary of State delivered a speech to our legislators at the beginning of this session, here's a reminder:

As a mother and a grandmother, I would ask that you stand firm in your resolve as you ensure a Texas that is just as successful for our children and grandchildren, for they are our most precious resource....Reflecting upon the task before you, I am reminded of an old maritime saying, 'Strong ships are safe in port, but that's not what they are built for.'  Ladies and gentlemen of this esteemed institution, you are the strong ships that will guide our great state toward its continued prosperity. And over the course of the next 140 days, there will be times when you are sailing with the wind, and other times when you might feel as though you are working against it. But I submit to you that what matters most is the direction Texas is moving, and that directionmust remain forward. As you intently chart the course of our state, I encourage you to move full speed ahead so that Texas will continue to advance, and not merely drift, or worse, become lost at sea like so many other states have during these times.

So, one more time: Hey Captain! There's an iceberg ahead. Don't be the jackass that drives us into it.

Because, as we all know...the Captain goes down with the ship.

 

A couple of weeks ago, Healthy Schools Campaign contacted me and offered to help with HB3770. I'm so excited about the new site they have created for the bill! Check it out and use the "take action" button to send a letter to your legislator...

See the coolest HB3770 site EVER here

The bill itself is still falling on deaf ears. Apparently, despite my angry mom, they are still telling people that a hearing had not been requested. It was...on March 25th. Word at the Capitol is that the committee "doesn't want to hear bills that place mandates on schools".

Let me translate:

By "committee" they mean Rep. Eissler. There are actually some people on the committee that do support the bill. I would also like to clarify that if a committee doesn't want to sit and listen to people testify on a bill...then perhaps sitting on a committee that hears public testimony isn't the best fit.

Personally, I don't want to hear that kids have to walk laps quietly around a playground because public apathy allows it. I don't want to hear about my son being denied recess because some kid in his class talks too loud at lunch. I don't want to hear that my friend's asthmatic daughter had to run laps because she forgot to get a note signed.

Really Rob? Not exactly your place to decide...

So...keep calling. Maybe add Eissler to your call list. Definitely use the new website!

Yesterday, my mom called me. She had called the Texas Public Education Committee clerk's office to request a hearing for HB3770. Here's how it went:

Mom: I just got off the phone with the committee clerk's office. They said that a hearing was never requested.

Me: What? Yes it was. I spoke to Lauren (Cindy Burkett's legislative director) the day they requested it. Why would she tell me they were requesting a hearing if they weren't requesting a hearing? She's the one that called me to tell me they were.

Mom: I know, I thought it was strange. But the guy I spoke to said they didn't have the request. He said that it should have been done by Burkett's office and that if it hasn't already been requested, the bill will not be getting a hearing. I asked him over and over again, are you sure you are looking at the right bill? HB3770..from Cindy Burkett..about unstructured activities for students. He kept saying it wasn't there. He told me that I needed to take it up with Burkett's office. I'm calling their office right now, I'll call you back..

{insert HB 3770 panic attack #95 here}

As I sat there, I kept thinking, "OK, calm down. Cindy would not write this bill and not follow through. There is no way, Lauren would call me last month and offer to tell me that they were requesting a hearing for no reason. They are super busy in Austin...they don't have time to play let's call Corrie and make things up." Yikes...but what if they did? Thankfully, about five minutes later, my mom called back.

Mom: OK, I talked to Lauren. She said that they did request a hearing back in March. She didn't sound too happy. She's calling the clerk's office right now. [in angry mom voice..] I'm calling that guy back right now to tell him a hearing was requested and that I am calling again to request one.

Big sigh of relief...and huge apologies for my split second doubt in Cindy and Lauren. Three minutes later, my mom calls back (love her).

Mom: I got a different person this time, it was a woman. I told her that I had just called and the guy I spoke to told me a hearing was never requested for HB3770. I told her that it was requested and that they needed to find it. Then, the woman says 'Oh, no, no, it was requested. I'm looking at it right here in front of me. I see that it was requested in March. The person you spoke to must have been looking at the wrong thing.'

Me: But didn't you ask him over and over again?

Mom: Oh, I did. I asked the lady the name of the guy I spoke to. She said his name was Ryan. I told her that she needs to make sure Ryan knows what he is doing, given the importance of his job. I told her how unprofessional it is to "lose" something like a hearing request for a bill...especially at the Capitol. Lauren must have already spoke to them since she had it right there in front of her.

 Poor Ryan. The kid got scapegoated.

And that's where we are today...so here is where I need you the most. I need more people to call and request a hearing. The committee knows it's there. Call the Public Education Committee's office...

512-463-0804...and say "I am requesting a public hearing for HB3770"

Recess can't happen without you.

 

Big, big, BIG thank you to Lauren. I feel like April 21st needs to be declared national "Lauren is Awesome Day".

I knew getting recess for Texas wouldn't be easy. With bullying and aggressive behaviors on the rise in schools, recess time has been pegged as the number one place for this to happen. I understand that this is a valid concern. I don't want my child subjected to bullying anymore than the next kid. Aside from schools saying they need the time to teach, the next hurdle to clear is the misconception that "unstructured and undirected" means "unsupervised".

Unstructured and undirected does not mean that teachers will send students outside alone to fend for themselves. Nor does it mean that a teacher may not intervene if children are not playing nice or bullying one another. David Bornstein, from The New York Times recently wrote a two-part article about the need for recess. Reader comments from his article, Hard Times for School Recess, were split down the middle. Those that said children need unstructured time, and those that said recess was opening the floodgate for chaos. One commenter, from Houston (sigh), wrote:

My first thought was, "Lord of the Flies? Where the hell are these kids going to school?"  If memory serves me correct, Lord of the Flies, is more of an allegorical work of fiction, not so much about the scientific findings of recess. Jack, Simon, Piggy, Ralph and the "littluns" were stranded on a deserted island to fend for themselves without any adults..much less "enough" of them. They also created their own *ahem...structured* ground rules, albeit unsuccessful. Things didn't really start going ape shit for them until a few chapters in...much longer than any 20 minute recess here in Texas could afford.

My second thought, "Why on earth would an unstructured recess at school equate to a lack of ground rules?" How hard would it be for a school to have playground rules?  Rules have been established for the rest of the school. They tell children to be quite in libraries, not to throw food in the cafeteria, and stay in a single file line while walking down the hallway. Is it that hard to tell them not to throw rocks and punch each other on the playground, too?  Why would all logic get tossed out the door once kids go outdoors? While I'm not familiar with teachers in the UK, I am confident my son's teacher doesn't use a bully to keep her class in line. She's a professional educator...inside and outside.

With established ground rules, recess is way to practice social skills and peer interaction. A teacher supervising (not to be confused with directing  them on the what to play), has an opportunity to support anti-bullying policies. Common sense should dictate this wouldn't be a time to ignore anti-bullying policies.

On Monday, The Dallas Morning News published a letter I had written to the editor. One reader said:

"unstructured and undirected activities for children"
This means the children get to do whatever they want without having to stand in lines, listen to teachers or administrators, or follow any rules. Those things are all structure and direction. I would call this anarchy class. It would be a great help preparing our children for the collapse of our government.

Again, I found myself thinking..."Ahhhhh! What the heck?" But then it occurs to me that 1) maybe he's just trying to be funny and 2) he is also confused about unstructured time and unsupervised time.

You see, an anarchy class that prepares children for the collapse of government is still a class. Kind of like a government class, but with a different curriculum. Any successful curriculum needs structure.

HB3770 doesn't say children can do whatever they want without listening to teachers or following rules. Read the actual text here.

 

So far, the mandatory recess bill for Texas, HB 3770, has been filed, gained a co-author, introduced, and referred to the education committee. This committee is where last session's bill for recess, HB 159, sat until its demise. The clock is ticking in this current session, so we need to keep the pressure on our legislators to keep this bill moving. 

I know you keep hearing from your elected officials that this decision should be left up to your school district. I disagree. You can read the letter I have sent to our legislators to see why. 

 What you may not know:

For those of you that haven't been able to follow the bills in session right now, I want to highlight some that also need your attention...the kind that involves you calling your legislator and saying something like, "you better not support this..."

Because bills can be extremely boring for some to read, I have created a little read called:

How To Send Your Child's Education To Hell In A Handbasket In Just Five Easy To Follow Steps

Step 1. Vote For Less Instructional Days During the Year With  HB 1326

Educators already have the clock racing against them in the short amount of time to teach. Obviously, the best way to remedy this, is by shortening the school week. Instead of five long days, teachers and students should get four long days. 

But wait! There's more! You may be asking "How can we cram all the STAAR test information into those little brats' heads in only four days?" Easy, just extend the day. Yep, this bill will ensure that the robots kids get a full 8.5 hour school day. Normally, if this were the workforce, a schedule like this would require at least an hour long break and an additional rest period. But, we aren't talking about the workforce. We are talking about children and school...who cares? They can have their breaks when they grow up and decide to get jobs.

An added bonus, is that the fiscal note attached to this cost saving gem says, "Districts opting to adopt the alternative instructional calendar could realize savings due to reduced operating costs". That's just the beginning! Once parents realize that they only have to work four days a week, parades will surely be held in your honor. Think of the money they, too, will save by taking Fridays off because their kids are not in school. Long weekends rule!

Step 2. Vote "Hell Yeah!" To Cutting Teacher Salaries. Let HB 3008 Help You.

Obviously, we have a huge issue with teachers demanding paychecks. Since they will be spending less days at work, its only fair they get paid accordingly. Obviously, all classroom teachers should be included. To make it fair, the other less important  critical  employees should understand, that they too, need to bite the bullet and take a pay cut.. like full-time librarians, speech-language pathologists, counselors, nurses...you know, the ones that see kids daily. Remind them that everyone is hurting in this budget crisis.

Although most administrators make considerably more than these guys, we must remember that they are the people that have to deal with the soon-to-be disgruntled employees. We must keep them happy, therefore, no cuts for them.

Step 3. Cut Out Stupid Tests...Like Fitnessgram. HB 3007: Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind

Kids that repeatedly fail tests just make Texas look bad. Fitnessgram assess every student, every year from grades 3-12. Our kids in Texas just can't pass this thing. How can we emulate an education system that supports the well-being of our children if only 12% of our graduating class is considered physically fit? What will people think when they realize that only 32% of our third graders are physically fit?

What the heck will happen if they see the link between the TAKS scores and the Fitnessgram scores? Let's not even go there... just get rid of the test.

Step 4. Cover Your Bases: Co-ordinated School Health Requires Fitnessgram: HB 2796 Has Your Back.

It will be difficult to do away with the Fitnessgram because it is mandated under the co-ordinated school health program. This program spends valuable learning minutes while trying to weasel healthy lifestyles into the day. Worse, co-ordinated school health means parents are allowed to have a great deal of  input with their Student Health Advisory Councils (SHACs).  Can we be frank? Parents have no idea how to run a financial institution how hard it is to educate children. This stuff is a waste of time, we don't need it. Repeal Co-ordinated school health.

Step 5. Keep Making Money With Sports. HB 3009 Will Help Your Students Stay Pumped To Play.

You may be thinking, "But how can our high school sport teams still make money  win  be fun for the kids if the kids haven't exercised...ever? Won't having longer days result in less practice times for sports? Our district depends on these kids to bring in money show school spirit."

Yes, you are correct. Sports are fun for students. Schools can also bring a ton of money get some funding back into their district with a successful sports program. That's why, we feel it would be best to quit testing for steroids. Now, we aren't saying we endorse the use of steroids..we're just saying that we don't think its important to test for them.

We're just going to leave that up to you to interpret.

Warning:  They may not be thinking about our kids. Sign the petition for recess. Make some noise. Spread the word. Join the fight.

I need your help. I want to see what schools around Texas are doing for unstructured recess. Please take a couple of minutes and respond to a few questions below. It's nothing fancy, just something for me to help with the recess bill. It is anonymous and you will not need to register, give your name, share your address, etc. This is just going onto a spreadsheet for me. I'll probably post a generalized report of it because I'm sure the answers will be interesting!

This will also let me know which legislators need a little extra *ahem* attention when it comes to learning about HB 3770.

Thank you!!

 

 

Here's some neat information for you. Let me just cut to the chase:

In Texas, we have measures that ensure our children get physical education. The law states:

A school district shall require a student enrolled in full-day prekindergarten, in kindergarten, or in a grade level below grade six to participate in moderate or vigorous daily physical activity for at least 30 minutes throughout the school year as part of the district's physical education curriculum or through structured activity during a school campus's daily recess.  

If a school district determines, for any particular grade level below grade six, that requiring moderate or vigorous daily physical activity is impractical due to scheduling concerns or other factors, the district may as an alternative require a student in that grade level to participate in moderate or vigorous physical activity for at least 135 minutes during each school week. 

In other words..Pre-K through fifth grade gets 30 minutes a of structured moderate to physical activity each day. Unless, of course, the school cannot schedule 30 minutes each day. Then they get 135 minutes somehow during the week.

Each facility shall have and implement a written plan, approved by the Commission, for inmate physical exercise and physical recreation. Documentation of physical exercise and physical recreation shall be maintained for Commission review. Each inmate shall be allowed one hour of supervised physical exercise or physical recreation at least three days per week.  

That breaks down to 180 minutes a week or 26 minutes a day (over seven days). They get exercise or have physical recreation (prison recess...). And then, they document it.

 It further says:

Activities such as arts, crafts, cards, dominoes, checkers, chess, and similar diversions should be considered as possible non-physical recreational activites.  

 Because prisoners read, too:

Each facility shall have and implement a written plan approved by the Commission for providing recreational library services to inmates.

The following sanctions are prohibited:

(A) deviation from normal feeding procedures

(B) corporal punishment....

(H) deprivation of physical recreation or physical exercise.

 And the cherry on top: 

 Inmates confined longer than ten days shall be allowed access to sunlight no less than one hour weekly.

So, we can't spank prisoners, count reading/crafts/similar diversions as physical recreation, or deny their physical recreation or exercise if they misbehave...while in prison?

And let me see if I have this correct. Sunshine is mandated? (does this count as an unfunded mandate?)

Austin, we have a problem.

You can read about the jail standards here. Or just go here and sign the petition for HB 3770 that requires mandatory recess for elementary children...just like convicted felons get.

Well, kind of. Technically, the prisoners get more time...

 

{ripple effect} is a term used to describe a situation where, like the ever expanding ripples across water when an object is dropped into it, an effect from an initial state can be followed outwards incrementally. spread of consequences: a spreading series of effects or consequences caused by a single event. *

Admittedly, the past couple of weeks I have been busy...spring break, amazing weather, school..in other words, life. I've let my updates, posts and tweets about HB 3770 somewhat dwindle to only mildy obnoxious. However, over the weekend, I received an email from a woman in the Houston area that snapped be back into legislation reality.  

What struck me the most about the email was her desperation, sense of urgency, and frustration jumping from the text. Reading it, I could picture her sitting at her computer, pouring her heart out..and like me, hoping to make a change. With her permission, I'm going to let you read it:

Corrie,
Hi, my name is Sarah Brown.  I joined the fight for recess in Houston back in August when our principal took half of recess away and stated that she needed the other minutes that the district has designated for recess for READING time so the kids can be focused and back on task. We have fought this at all levels, had some write ups in the paper and on the news.  I joined the School Health Advisory and last month this council voted to put a formal recommendation that the school board mandate a full 20 minutes of time on the playground for unstructured play.  I started a website - www.SaveRecess.org and when I get home in a bit I will put up the link to get more signatures and raise more awareness about this bill. 

I spoke with Dan Patrick and he was persistent that he felt recess was best left up to each school district and he hasn't budged. I dont know what it will take to get more politicians to support this.  My 3rd grader wrote me a note about how sad and stressed she was and could I make school stop because she couldn't handle it. A 35 year veteran teacher cried when she read it and stated that it was like having a suicide note from an 8 year old.  The systems are failing miserably to serve the whole child and I will do what I can to help, please get in touch with me when you can - would love to brainstorm on getting the message out there and getting the parents voices heard.
Thanks
Sarah Brown

To answer her question, the only way I know to get politicians to budge about recess...is to educate them. I think it's easy, sometimes, for our elected officials to not quite pay attention. And by "pay attention"...I mean actively listen, with their undivided attention. 

benefit of the doubt time.

I'm sure Sarah ran into the same "Sure, I'll hear you out" kind of attention that most constituents get. Our elected officials are busy, I get that. I, myself, have to remember that HB 3770 isn't the only bill out there (I hear, apparently, there's a few thousand others..).

Usually, when I write about the bill on this blog, I tend to take the elected official/school district -friendly route as to not draw any negative attention to myself...and indirectly, the bill. Inadvertently, I sometimes lose the passion, frustration, and urgency in my writing along the way. The same thing happens when I talk to people about it. I don't mean my friends and family (trust, they get an earful), but the people I have to convince about recess. There is a delicate balance between explaining to someone why recess is necessary for children and inundating them with facts, research, and the benefits of why recess is necessary. This especially holds true if the topic isn't a priority for them in the first place. They tend to zone out somewhere between, "Hi, my name is.." and, "recess isn't just about obesity".

I have a feeling Sarah may have run up against something like this in her meeting with Senator Dan Patrick. Here she is, a mom, asking her elected official, to help children get recess. She probably only had a few minutes (if that) to speak to him. He, like most, probably only heard, "I want kids to have more time to play at school." So, instead of taking the time to get educated about recess or asking Sarah for input on the matter,  he probably just passed the buck to the school district. And we all know how well that works out.

On the other hand, when it comes to the well-being of Sarah's daughter, my son and the other five million plus children in Texas, recess deserves a fair (and un-divided) listen. This is the letter Sarah's daughter had written to her:

“Dear Mommy, I can't take it anymore, please help me I am so sad at school, I cant do anything, I am so stupid, I always fail, I hate this mommy please help me, I am scared I won’t pass tax test, I hate this, please is there a school with no stress, please mommy.”

This is the part where I feel like I should write something profound, giving the reader that "ah-ha, now I understand recess" moment.  But I can't. I can't get passed that her daughter is 8 and feels like this. I can't get passed that my son is 8 and feels like this. I can't get passed how ridiculous it is that we need to convince an entire state that children deserve a 20 minute (at the very least) break at school. I can't get passed how so many people don't get that we are talking about children.

but here is what i can do.

I can share Sarah's story with you. I can direct you to her site. I can send you to this amazing interview with her from Kaboom.

And then, I can email this post to Senator Patrick. I can send him a link on his Facebook. I can Tweet it to him. Hopefully, he will read it..and give Sarah and her daughter a chance to really discuss the importance of this this bill and what it means to them.

 

 *thanks wikipedia!