This is an interesting issue to bring up because, though it may seem trivial on the surface, taking away recess has the potential to be a destructive thing. I googled recess and found an article that addresses three detriments that are: attention, social skills, and physical health. That's not to say that there are only three negative effects of this, but these are pretty good ones. Here's the link: http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-2/recess.html
This issue should strike a nerve to Westminster students. As we all know, we didn't have a fall break last semester. Although this isn't the same exact issue, it's very similar, and I know the toll it took on myself and many of my friends.
Like the article says, learning occurs more effectively when it is spaced out. We learned this in psychology class. Constructivist teachers use "think time" to allow the information that they are teaching to really sink in. I'll even go on to say that creating a non-stop school day supports the banking method, because the students are being thrown a constant stream on information with no time to digest it. With recess, students are given that break and, while they probably don't think about what they learned that day during their playtime, it does give their brains a much deserved break.
Also, the article talks about the social aspect of recess. From my own experience I can say that many of my friendships were not made in the classroom but on the playground. The freedom that is given to kids on the playground fosters friendships, improves social skills, and helps them flex their imagination. With videogames, TV, and other forms of media that we have today, it's easy for many kids to end up sitting inside for hours after school and never associating with their peers. Especially for kids who already suffer from a lack of social skills, recess is a much needed time for them to make friends.
Also, there is the physical side of it. Again, from my personal experience in elementary school I got the most physical exercise outside on the playground when my friends and I had the freedom to make up a game. In physical education, which is usually indoors, I was hardly motivated to run around and get a true exercise. But on a large playground, or field, with fresh air and lots of room I never sat still. And I know I'm not the only one that had that experience.
So, in short I think it's very detrimental to take away recess. School takes up half of a child's day and who knows what goes on when they go home, and if they're even allowed to play. I don't have an answer for teachers who feel that they don't have enough time to teach their material. I think that the state mandated curriculum is to blame, and that teachers are truly in a jam. However, I do know that students who are not given a break in a six (or so) hour school day will not learn as effectively as those who are given a break.