[Vision2020] Board tables physical education plan

[TIM RIGSBY]

The SBOE made two claims for not supporting the proposal, lack of 
documentation for obesity rates of Idaho youth, and that sports would not 
count for physical education.

First, have these people in the SBOE not looked at our growing population of 
youung people who are increasingly becoming obese?  All the SBOE has to do 
is open their eyes to see the students growing even more obese than ever 
before.  The other place they could look would be at the CDC and see the 
documented change over time as the numbers increase.

Second, a board member made a comment on how demanding cross country is.  
This is true, however, how many students actually participate in cross 
country?  Of those, how many are obese or overweight?  In all sports, how 
many students participate?
Even if all of the students participated, sports focus on one sport, 
physical education covers many.

Maybe next time our SBOE will open their eyes and ears and actually see and 
hear what parents, doctors, and others are screaming for, MORE PE!


>From today's Idahostatesman.com

Board tables physical education plan

A plan to boost physical education in Idaho schools was tabled by the State 
Board of Education Wednesday.

The board's decision likely means the Legislature won't consider rules for 
increasing P.E. in Idaho schools for at least another year.

Ed board members delayed a vote on the plan for several reasons including:

• Lack of documentation some Ed Board members sought on obesity among Idaho 
students.

• Concern by some Ed Board members that sports activities such as cross 
country running would not also count as a physical education classes.

A State Department of Education proposal would have required 90 minutes a 
week of physical education in first- through sixth-grades, plus a year in 
junior high and a year in high school.

Some districts already require physical education, but usually not as often 
as the state was considering.

The plan had backing from a number of groups including the American Heart 
Association, the American Lung Association and the Idaho Medical 
Association.

The proposal drew a line between physical education classes and most other 
physical activities such as football, or other sports.

Sports programs tend to give instruction in one area said Barb Eisenbarth, 
state health education coordinator. But physical education classes would 
teach lifetime skills for remaining active, even if people aren't engaged in 
team sports.

Blake Hall, an Idaho Falls Ed Board member, disagreed. He said cross country 
running is a demanding sport. "I've never been in a class that comes close 
to teaching that level of discipline," he said.

Ed Board members said they would continue to refine the plan before making a 
final decision. No date is set for when the board would vote on the P.E. 
proposal.


Revolution is not a word but an application; it is not war but peace; it 
does not weaken, but strengthens. Revolution does not cause separation; it 
generates togetherness.
-John Africa, Strategic Revolution

_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! 
http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/