This is OP. We've received a few comments from parents of kids who have asthma that is induced by being outside in the cold. I can't imagine that schools are expected to make recess policy based on this limited number of kids, but it does seem reasonable for them to have an alternative indoor option when the other kids are outside in cold weather. Can anyone share what their school does with kids like this? Can they go to the library or some other common space? Do they have/need adult supervision? Thanks.

Anonymous wrote:I think it is somewhat a clothing issue, but also a cultural issue. Just like people around here don't know how to drive in snow and stop their cars in the middle of driving up hills expecting to be able to start right up again, people don't buy clothing that will keep kids comfortable outside in weather below freezing and kids can't be bothered to wear it. The older elementary school boys in our neighborhood insist on wearing shorts basically year-round. There is just not a culture of warm clothing - few people own really warm coats, mittens, boots and certainly not long underwear! Yeah, if the kids went outside below freezing most people would figure it out eventually. But it's not part of the culture. In some ways, DC is still very much a southern city.

Boys wearing shorts in winter is not a uniquely DC thing. They do it in Boston too. But maybe it just doesn't get cold there?

https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/style/2015/01/22/for-middle-and-high-school-boys-winter-chill-means-one-thing-time-stroll-about-shorts/ni932owFvEUyOLSVdG6x1I/story.html

Anonymous wrote:Kids don’t dress for cold because it is known no outdoor recess most days in the winter.

Kids can play in cold weather. It is great for their lungs, getting vitamin D, and decreasing fighting/fidgeting.

Being outside in 20 degrees for 30min is doable if you PLAY. If kids compllain? Have them run some lamps. I volunteer at recess and most kids, especially girls are lazy and just sit around.

Also, in our school the lazy paras complain about cold and damp weather. That I think is the main issue. We were in BOTH days last week. Ridiculous.

I don't think the girls are lazy. I think the girls are using their only really unstructured time at school to play with their friends in the ways they enjoy. They just enjoy playing in ways that don't involve a lot of running around. Running around is not the only way to play. That said, I don't think it would be wrong to force them to be outside in colder weather, and I do think it is probably the paras who supervise recess who complain the most about being out in bad weather. But I think that is ALSO due to the DC area just not having a culture of bundling up and being outside in cold weather. The whole region has a culture of running around in a jacket/lightweight coat and impractical shoes bi***ing about being cold.

Anonymous wrote:Focus school here so high farms rate. OUr kids go out unless below 32. The problem is like someone else said, is that they allow for a wind chill and take the temp early in the morning so al lot of the time it might be high 30s but they still wont go out. Drives me bonkers. Decision is made by the Principal not individual teachers so coats are not a factor.

I had an issue one day last year when I went in for lunch with DD. They were having indoor recess after lunch and when I asked why I was told because it was raining. It wasnt raining so I told them that. Like I had just walked into the school and it was dry. Well apparently the decision had been made at 9am for the whole day. I actually emailed the Principal and it turns out there was a miscommunication somewhere along the line. Still very annoying though.

I work in a focus school and if the temperature is questionable it is checked right before the first recess. They will also reassess for the subsequent recess periods. So if 5th grade has the first recess and the temp including wind chill is 32 or above, they'll go out. Then if it starts raining before 3rd grade recess they'll make 3rd grade recess indoors, but if it stops raining in time for 1st grade recess then 1st grade will get to go outside. This is the way they run it in my kids' non focus school as well.

Kids don’t dress for cold because it is known no outdoor recess most days in the winter.

Kids can play in cold weather. It is great for their lungs, getting vitamin D, and decreasing fighting/fidgeting.

Being outside in 20 degrees for 30min is doable if you PLAY. If kids compllain? Have them run some lamps. I volunteer at recess and most kids, especially girls are lazy and just sit around.

Also, in our school the lazy paras complain about cold and damp weather. That I think is the main issue. We were in BOTH days last week. Ridiculous.

I think it is somewhat a clothing issue, but also a cultural issue. Just like people around here don't know how to drive in snow and stop their cars in the middle of driving up hills expecting to be able to start right up again, people don't buy clothing that will keep kids comfortable outside in weather below freezing and kids can't be bothered to wear it. The older elementary school boys in our neighborhood insist on wearing shorts basically year-round. There is just not a culture of warm clothing - few people own really warm coats, mittens, boots and certainly not long underwear! Yeah, if the kids went outside below freezing most people would figure it out eventually. But it's not part of the culture. In some ways, DC is still very much a southern city.

My high-FARMS school has a coat drive, is connected to the MCPS-wide one, and has a coat closet.

They still stay inside if it's 32.5 degrees out early in the morning. And then watch movies in large groups. And then wonder why my K boy is "distracted" and "fidgety" all afternoon.

I have had a good experience with MCPS overall, but this policy drives me bonkers. I am from upstate NY, so I know that cold doesn't hurt kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’re never going to have a district policy for this when students in high FARMS schools struggle with warm clothing shortages.

+1. If you want to address this in your particular school you need to understand why the school is keeping the kids in (and trust me it’s not because the admin prefers to keep them indoors.). Some PTAs organize coat drives or have closets where kids can borrow items if they don’t have them.

This is, respectfully, BS. FARMs kids have coats and warm clothing. High FARMs schools are connected with resources that make sure all children have adequate winter gear. It may not be new or fancy, but it is adequate for outdoor recess. Blaming FARMs kids for indoor recess is allowing them to be the scapegoats, much like folks like to blame kids who don't celebrate Halloween for school-wide policies banning Halloween parties. Whether or not to have indoor recess is 100% a principal decision, based on common sense and what other schools do. If you feel like your school's principal is too conservative with indoor/outdoor recess, SPEAK UP at a PTA meeting and/or contact the principal directly make your voice heard.

-teacher at a Title I school that sends kids out outside in light rain, snow, and any cold weather when the temp/wind chill is 32 and above.

Focus school here so high farms rate. OUr kids go out unless below 32. The problem is like someone else said, is that they allow for a wind chill and take the temp early in the morning so al lot of the time it might be high 30s but they still wont go out. Drives me bonkers. Decision is made by the Principal not individual teachers so coats are not a factor.

I had an issue one day last year when I went in for lunch with DD. They were having indoor recess after lunch and when I asked why I was told because it was raining. It wasnt raining so I told them that. Like I had just walked into the school and it was dry. Well apparently the decision had been made at 9am for the whole day. I actually emailed the Principal and it turns out there was a miscommunication somewhere along the line. Still very annoying though.

Anonymous wrote:I agree with OP for the most part, however low 20’s or 10’s seems far too extreme & WAY too cold for elementary school.

The majority of these kids aren't responsible enough to zip up their own coats, let alone put on cold weather gear all by themselves (hats, gloves, scarves, etc).

The monitors certainly can't make sure everyone is bundled up before going out, that would take up all of recess time to do.
I'm sure there's a happy medium somewhere in between though.

Why? What do kids do in the very many places that get colder than Maryland?

Are many schools having issues with kids not getting to go outside? What is the stated reason? At my school we go out, period.

Anonymous wrote:You’re never going to have a district policy for this when students in high FARMS schools struggle with warm clothing shortages.

Oh for F’s sake. The first first response is this BS response. Do all the FARMS kids in Montana, Alaska, Maine, Vermont, etc... stay inside for 4 months straight because they don’t have coats?

Why does everyone think FARMS kids do not have coats. There are coat drives at every church and civic center. There are jackets at Mavy’s For $15 and Salvation Army for $5. Same price as a happy meal.

Do the FARMS kids in major cities like DC, NY, Detroit, Chicago, Boston, etc.... where it is BELOW freezing almost every morning and most afternoons from Dec to March get picked up in a magical FARMS buses because they can’t walk to school?

The kids need to be outside. You send them out regardless. The counselor can contact parents if there is a need. The f’ing lost and found bin which is about 3 plastic bins full could supply jackets to 20 kids and you can have a drive for the rest. Most of the kids tha5 don’t have jackets are coddled kids who get dropped off door to door and have no common sense to bring one.

A FEW KIDS NOT HAVING A COAT ONE DAY AT SCHOOL IS NOT A REASON TO CANCEL RECESS.
KIDS CAN SURVIVE RUNNING AROUND AND PLAYING IN 32 DEGREE WEATHER WITH JUST LONG SLEEVES
IF YOU KEEP CANCELLING RECESS, NO ONE BOTHERS TO BRING HEAVY JACKETS.

I agree with OP for the most part, however low 20’s or 10’s seems far too extreme & WAY too cold for elementary school.

The majority of these kids aren't responsible enough to zip up their own coats, let alone put on cold weather gear all by themselves (hats, gloves, scarves, etc).

The monitors certainly can't make sure everyone is bundled up before going out, that would take up all of recess time to do.
I'm sure there's a happy medium somewhere in between though.

Anonymous wrote:are we saying the high farm schools have different policies then others?

Good grief. No, people are saying that many poor kids may not have warm coats for winter, and so the school doesn't want to send them outside to shiver during recess. It's not that hard.

And what would help, as others have also said, is organizing to help with donations of said warm winter clothing, so that ALL kids have what they need for the season.