Are Sports Good or Bad for Schools? by Peter DeWitt

As an elementary school principal you would think that sports do not have a large impact on what we do during the day, but they do. Students play kickball and two-hand touch football out at recess, and treat those games as though they are playing in the World Series or the Super Bowl. Some of the games get a bit out of control and we end up talking about good sportsmanship.

I love recess. There is a great deal of research on the necessity of recess. I'm not a fan of taking it away for disciplinary reasons and believe that all students should be outside for at least 30 minutes a day. Getting fresh air in all sorts of weather can offer students a much needed brain break.

But what happens when student academics takes a back seat to our fascination with sports?

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