Dallas ISD teachers now required to give students recess

Teachers in Dallas schools are now required to give elementary-age students recess and they won't be allowed to take it away as punishment.

The DISD board voted Thursday night to give Pre-K through fifth grade students at least 20 minutes of recess this school year.

It goes up to a mandatory 30 minutes starting with the next school year this fall.

That was welcome news to kids who showed up to address the board of trustees tonight.

The kids spoke during the public comment section, which actually happened after the vote.

The issue came to the attention of the board late last year, after parents signed a petition asking for at least 30 minutes of playtime, per day.

They noted that even though recess is part of the school curriculum, the time, they thought, was sometimes reduced or inconsistent.

Some trustees previously expressed concern that this would take away a teacher's ability to enforce rules, but trustees agreed Thursday night that teachers may not take recess away as punishment for a minor disciplinary issue.