Organized Recess Bill dead on arrival

by David Safier

Steve Gall once again assembled a group of sponsors for a bill to create daily, organized physical activity in Arizona schools, and once again, it went down, this time without even getting a hearing. He's especially upset with the Arizona School Board Association that expressed objections to the bill but didn't respond to requests from Steve Gall, Democratic Senator Steve Farley or Republican Senator Kelli Ward to discuss their objections.

From Steve:

Democratic Senator Steve Farley, Republican Senator Kelli Ward, who is a physician, and I tried to get SB 1114, K-5 daily organized physical activity passed through the Senate.  Unfortunately, it did not even get a  hearing.  One of the objections was from the Arizona School Board Association located in Phoenix.  So Senator Ward planned a stakeholder meeting with them last Thursday to discuss our reasons for supporting this simple and non-invasive bill.  They not only did not show up to the  meeting.  They did not even respond to Senator Farley's phone calls  or e-mails.  I find this terribly disappointing and unprofessional.  I have tried several times to get in touch with Janice Palmer who is the legislative liason for the ASBA but no reponse.  This organization represents all the school districts in Arizona.  How can they be so irresponsible??