Michael Symons

@MichaelSymons_

TRENTON – Gov. Chris Christie says he vetoed legislation that sought to mandate recess for young schoolchildren because “that was a stupid bill.”

Christie was asked in an interview Wednesday with Fox News mostly about presidential campaign topics, but host Neil Cavuto also asked him about his pocket veto of S1594, which would have required public schools to provide at least 20 minutes of recess daily for students in grades kindergarten through 5.

“I think their teachers should be able to decide and their administrators should be able to decide whether or not they have recess on any particular day,” Christie said. (Click here for a link to the video.)

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Middletown parents blast Christie over recess bill

“Another thing about that bill, Neil, was that it mandated outdoor recess. Well, you know, on a day like today in New Jersey, I don’t know that we’re going to want to have outdoor recess and the kids are going to want to have outdoor recess, but the state government would mandate it,” Christie said.

The vetoed bill says recess shall be outdoors “if feasible.” In 2013, the New Jersey School Boards Association convinced lawmakers that recess shouldn’t have to be outdoors if it’s not feasible due to a school’s surrounding environment or other factors.

Christie said lawmakers should have better things to worry about.

“This is crazy government run amok. What are we doing? With all the other problems we have to deal with, my Legislature is worried about recess for kids from kindergarten to fifth grade,” Christie said. “You know, part of my job as governor is to veto the stupid bills. That was a stupid bill, and I vetoed it.”

Christie kills anti-smoking, gun-control, even recess bill for kids

In a 2013 survey, the School Boards Association found 12.5 percent of respondents said their districts don’t provide daily recess in grades K-to-5, while 75 percent said they did. A majority said recess is a necessity for young children, but a majority also said the matter should be left to local school boards.

The bill had been passed unanimously by the Legislature, 68-0 in the Assembly and 35-0 in the Senate.

The bill was among 65 Christie vetoed Tuesday, the deadline for acting on bills from the just-concluded two-year legislative session.

Michael Symons: (609) 984-4336; msymons@gannettnj.com