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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The importance of recess in the school day cannot be |
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overstated, as it plays a valuable role in three major areas of a |
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child's development: learning, socialization, and health; and |
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WHEREAS, Play is an active form of learning that unites the |
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mind, body, and spirit; until at least the age of nine, children's |
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learning occurs best when the whole self is involved; and |
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WHEREAS, Play reduces the tension that often comes with |
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having to achieve or needing to learn; in play, adults do not |
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interfere, and children relax; and |
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WHEREAS, Children express and work out emotional aspects of |
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everyday experiences through unstructured play; and |
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WHEREAS, The development of children's perceptual abilities |
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may suffer when so much of their experience is gained through |
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television, computers, books, work sheets, and media that require |
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only two senses; however, the senses of smell and touch and the |
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sense of motion through space are powerful avenues to learning as |
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well; and |
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WHEREAS, Children who are less restricted in their access to |
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the outdoors gain competence in moving through the larger world; |
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developmentally, they should gain the ability to navigate their |
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immediate environs in safety and lay the foundation for the courage |
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that will enable them eventually to lead their own lives; and |
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WHEREAS, Research suggests that children's participation in |
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vigorous physical activity in the schoolyard surpasses that which |
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occurs during structured physical education classes; this activity |
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can thwart the onset of cardiovascular disease and diabetes to |
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which overweight children become prone as adults; and |
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WHEREAS, It is on the playground where children develop and |
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experiment with social strategies; sharing, cooperation, problem |
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solving, self-control, and conflict resolution--all skills |
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necessary for successful living--are rehearsed and modified during |
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daily intervals of unstructured play; and |
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WHEREAS, Research on the human brain informs us that |
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excessive or unrelieved periods of instruction can, in fact, impair |
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our ability to learn and retain material; and |
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WHEREAS, Despite these findings, children in many schools |
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across the state are seeing their recess period reduced or even |
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eliminated from the school day, and sadly, this phenomenon of the |
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disappearing recess is more likely to occur in low-income |
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communities where educators worry that children who start with |
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fewer advantages need more class time or where parents are least |
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likely to object; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby request all public school districts to consult local |
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stakeholders, including educators, parents, and students, and |
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establish a recess policy for elementary schools that reflects |
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research findings on the importance of play and meets local needs; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward official copies |
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of this resolution to the commissioner of education and the chair of |
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the State Board of Education. |