Overview
- The School Board approved the first comprehensive student wellness policy for the School District of Philadelphia late last week.
- The policy guarantees daily recess for all students and requires movement breaks for elementary students after every 90 minutes of seated time.
- Silent lunches are banned across the district, and collective punishment such as taking recess from an entire class is prohibited.
- Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. publicly backed the policy, and officials say implementation has begun across schools.
- The changes follow roughly 18 months of organizing by Lift Every Voice Philly, which cited widespread reports of restricted bathroom and water access and pushed for a consistent districtwide baseline to protect student dignity.