Image Credit: sayyestorecess.com
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Two Montgomery County moms, Rachel Bush and Morgan Garner, began lobbying their local school board back in 2023, as first reported by local media outlet Clarksville Now, in a push to get their kids moving more often or for longer periods.
Dubbed the “Recess Moms”, they launched a Facebook group, organized a petition asking for 40 minutes of recess, garnered strong community support, and spoke at a school board meeting. Their efforts were rewarded when the Clarksville-Montgomery County school board elected to extend recess times to 30 minutes from the 15-20 minutes previously allotted.
Their successes in Montgomery County, albeit in small steps, inspired them to take their advocacy to the state level by creating the Say Yes to Recess Tennessee initiative, with another mom, Kathryn Truman joining Rachel and Morgan as founding members.
Their efforts have culminated in launching their own website, statewide Facebook and Instagram pages, helping to start six new chapters, and working to develop legislation addressing the issue.
Their arguments for more recess time are based on the success of programs like the LiiNK Project, developed by Debbie Rhea who studied Finnish schools and implemented similar programs for schools in America which revolve around, “evidence-based practices to assure quality recess and character skills are established for every child in the school setting.”
They have also shed light on the discrepancy between Tennessee labor laws and recess standards in the state, as the law provides that “employers must provide a 30-minute break to employees who are scheduled to work at least six consecutive hours,” while elementary schools are only required to provide 15 minutes of recess per day.
The Recess Moms spoke to the Tennessee Conservative about their legislative efforts regarding HB0085, which seeks to increase mandatory physical activity periods to 60 minutes per day for elementary students.
It also defines “physical activity” to mean activities like walking, playing sports, jumping rope, and others “that promote fitness and well-being. Walking to and from class is not physical activity for purposes of this section.”
The bill is sponsored by Scott Cepicky (R-Dist. 64- Culleoka) in the House and Joey Hensley (R-Dist. 28-Hohenwald) in the Senate.
Rachel, Morgan, and Kathryn were encouraged by these lawmakers’ willingness to carry the legislation and are fully committed to staying in the fight for the long run.
Morgan said, “We’ve been setting our sights on the long haul. We won’t stop if the bill doesn’t pass on the first consideration. We’ve tried to be very collaborative, tried to be very respectful, and that has been our goal since day one.”
“Someone’s got to fight back for our elementary school kids and their right to play,” Rachel said. “We’re working to keep the conversation alive, because as long as it continues, change is more likely to happen. Many parents may not realize they have the power to challenge the way things are in the public school system, but you’re talking to three mothers who believe there’s always room for improvement. We’re committed to making the system better, not just for our kids, but for all elementary students across the state”
For those interested in supporting the Say Yes to Recess movement, the Recess Moms encourage citizens to visit their social media pages or website, sayyestorecess.com, where their signature pink t-shirts are available for purchase along with more information about getting involved in the movement.
Progress of HB0085 can also be tracked on the capitol website and committee members can be contacted to express thoughts on the bill.
Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
Sounds good.