Is this a public school? I work as a noon aide for a public school, which means the teacher's have very little to do with lunch time recess.
If this is a public school, let me just say that this is not uncommon. With "No Child Left Behind" and the push to mainstream kids who have social and learning disabilities; yes, there are going to be kids in the classroom who melt down and create such a fuss that it holds up the entire class.
Think about it like this: You have 22 kids in line to go outside. One child pushes another or some other sort of "trigger event" happens. A child tells or is noticed and is asked to keep their hands by their side of their body (or some similar request). This child may have a sensory issue or some other issue that cannot process the directive as a request and perceives it as more of "I got called out in a group" and starts to cry and melt out and over react and create a disturbance in the line. The aide or teacher, who is standing alone with 22 kids now has to either 1)ignore and wait (which may get other kids doing things that they should not be doing) 2) ignore and walk (which might escalate the crier) or 3) take the time to deal one on one with the student to try to get everyone back on the right track (which unfortunately just takes time).
I think that unless your children are privy to a team of adults working in their room then they may have to get used to being delayed for the sake of the team.
Before I worked at the school in this capacity, it used to upset me too because my DD is a good kid and does not deserve to miss any recess time for her own behavior.
Once I started working in that capacity I realized that the delay is for the safety of the "team" or group of kids at large. It is not fair, but it is necessary and sometimes life is not fair, but necessary as well. Teachable moment, IMHO.
