Full classrooms at 44-below-zero

It's cold. Yup. And the morning ice fog makes driving on square (read: FROZEN) tires like navigating through a moonscape. But inside the buildings things are buzzing with activity, with lunchboxes and bent homework papers, pink sneakers and crinkle-covered library books. What changes is that recess is held inside at these temperatures. Anything colder than -20 F (wih some wiggle room for wind chill) makes it impossible to guarantee anyone's safety outside. I was in a first grade classroom today when the overhead speaker announced "The fourth graders may now take their walk." A little girl with jelly on her face asked if she could close the classroom door. "They are just so LOUD!" she said.
"When do we get our turn?" I asked. Apparently after the (rolls eyes) sixth graders.

Not long after learning of this hall-walking tactic with cooped-up elementary kids, I was excused to take my own lunch. Eight of us in the lounge were enjoying lunch when one of the teachers on recess duty stuck her head in and asked "Carol, did you tell your class they didn't have to walk?"
'Carol' almost leapt out of her seat "NO! They HAVE to walk! I'll CHASE THEM! They almost killed me yesterday after indoor recess!"

I wonder if we just stopped feeding them on these really cold days if they'd slow down a little.