Stay in school. It is important.
Physical Education Too Valuable To Sacrifice To Budget Cuts
Physical education too valuable to sacrifice to budget cuts By The Saginaw News staff February 06, 2010, 5:03AM Voice: Betsy Hurd, Saginaw Township
Childhood obesity is at epidemic proportions, so much so that Michelle Obama has taken on that cause as first lady. One-third of children between the ages of 5 and 17 are considered overweight or obese. Alarmingly, 33 percent of them will develop diabetes. Among African-American and Latino students, that percentage rises to 50 percent. Consider the health and financial ramifications as these children, prime candidates for coronary disease and other conditions, grow into adulthood.
When Dr. David Satcher, the former surgeon general, gave the Martin Luther King Jr. address at Saginaw Valley State University in January, he emphasized the importance of physical education for every child. Ironically, that same month, the Buena Vista School District cut physical education classes for all students in the district, from preschool through eighth grade.
Of course, schools need to focus on academics, but educators also need to focus on the whole individual — including their physical and psychological well-being. Physical education classes improve motor skills and hand-eye coordination, encourage cooperative learning and the team concept, reduce stress and anxiety and increase self-esteem.
With the pressure of standardized testing in the classroom, students are challenged to learn more and more. This creates stress, which often erupts negatively. Physical education classes provide an outlet for children to let off pent-up energy in positive ways.
I am deeply concerned about the decision to eliminate physical education in the Buena Vista School District for the remainder of the 2009-10 school year due to financial constraints. With this decision, 500 students are being deprived of a complete education — one that educates and encourages good nutrition and exercise throughout life, thus curbing the obesity and heart disease epidemic.
Too much is at stake for us as a community and nation. We must work together to reinstate this important educational component into the Buena Vista Schools’ curriculum. Our children deserve better.
Childhood obesity is at epidemic proportions, so much so that Michelle Obama has taken on that cause as first lady. One-third of children between the ages of 5 and 17 are considered overweight or obese. Alarmingly, 33 percent of them will develop diabetes. Among African-American and Latino students, that percentage rises to 50 percent. Consider the health and financial ramifications as these children, prime candidates for coronary disease and other conditions, grow into adulthood.
When Dr. David Satcher, the former surgeon general, gave the Martin Luther King Jr. address at Saginaw Valley State University in January, he emphasized the importance of physical education for every child. Ironically, that same month, the Buena Vista School District cut physical education classes for all students in the district, from preschool through eighth grade.
Of course, schools need to focus on academics, but educators also need to focus on the whole individual — including their physical and psychological well-being. Physical education classes improve motor skills and hand-eye coordination, encourage cooperative learning and the team concept, reduce stress and anxiety and increase self-esteem.
With the pressure of standardized testing in the classroom, students are challenged to learn more and more. This creates stress, which often erupts negatively. Physical education classes provide an outlet for children to let off pent-up energy in positive ways.
I am deeply concerned about the decision to eliminate physical education in the Buena Vista School District for the remainder of the 2009-10 school year due to financial constraints. With this decision, 500 students are being deprived of a complete education — one that educates and encourages good nutrition and exercise throughout life, thus curbing the obesity and heart disease epidemic.
Too much is at stake for us as a community and nation. We must work together to reinstate this important educational component into the Buena Vista Schools’ curriculum. Our children deserve better.
Physical Activity and Test Performance
Military Recruits Out Of Shape
1 in 4 of our young adults between the ages of 17 and 24 is eligible for military service. The proportion of recruits rejected for being overweight jumped from 12 percent in 1995 to 21 percent in 2008.
