Physical education, childhood obesity and Ohio

[cmd]

I was a child of the 50's. We did not have gym class when I was in grade school. We didn't have a gym. What I did have was three recesses in the school day when the entire school went outside to play; and we played vigorously. Over the years recess has been virtually eliminated and the phys. ed. that replaced it has been downsized to once or twice a week. Read the next paragraph for the "rest of the story".

(snip from the following story)
Ohio tabled its health and physical education standards in 1999 and returned nearly $1 million in federal money because Republican lawmakers feared children would be getting too much graphic information about sex. Fedor and Setzer's bills avoid that issue by dealing only with gym class standards.


http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0316pe.html
(snip)
Alarmed at childhood obesity rates, Ohio lawmakers are considering legislation to require the state Board of Education to adopt physical education standards for kindergartners through high school seniors. Ohio is one of five states in the nation without such standards.

(snip)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that 30 percent of children in America are overweight and more inactive than ever. That's showing up in a dramatic increase of Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity and inactivity. In the past, among children, Type 2 diabetes was rare. Now, it accounts for 40 percent to 50 percent of diabetes cases among children.

Since 1980, the number of overweight children has doubled and the number of overweight adolescents has tripled, according the American Heart Association Ohio Valley Affiliate.

[LiberalEsto]

1. NJ still requires 4 years of PE to graduate - I think.

It might be interesting to see what the obesity rates are in NJ.

PE was the bane of my existence back in the 60s.

But when my kids were in public school in Maryland (which unfortunately has minimal PE requirements) their classes were more "user-friendly" and designed to get kids interested in keeping fit through aerobics, etc.

[Reverend_Smitty]

2. Eh we are no different

1 in 5 are still obese. But we do have proper health education. That line about not wanting to teach about sex was a bit frightening

http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:uf0XB_U4fm0J:www.asu.edu/educ/epsl/CERU/Articles/CERU-0410-239-OWI.pdf+NJ+obesity+rates&hl=en&client=firefox-a

[Rob H.]

3. Wow--4 years!

When I graduated high school back in the 80s in Tennessee, we were only required to have one year of PE, and six weeks of that school year was spent on hunter education.

[Reverend_Smitty]

4. we even require a semester of PE at the college level

to graduate from a state school

[redqueen]

5. I hate that they're eliminating recess in so many schools.

P.E. is a joke.

[cmd]

9. I have a big problem with eliminating recess

When I was in grades 1-8 and when I began teaching in the the mid-sixties, we had three recesses a day. The kids got a lot of exercise (except when it rained) and were much better able to sit through class without causing disturbances. Asthma was a rare disease.

In the mid-eighties the school reformers decided that recess was taking too much time out of the academic day - all that lining up to come inside, getting drinks, taking off coats, etc. Phys. Ed. was upped to three days a week in my building and morning and afternoon recesses were eliminated. Then wind chill was discovered and the noon recess was held inside - in your seats, kids. Budget cuts in the schools meant cutting gym class. By the time I retired, we had one or two gym classes a week, noon recess outside on days when the wind chill was above 20 degrees (19.5 didn't count) and kids lined up in the office for their doses of Ritalin or asthma inhalers. Discipline problems were up and learning was tuned out. HOWEVER, we did not have a problem with the nasty sex education here in Ohio!:eyes:

[InvisibleTouch]

6. I had to take 2 semesters of high school PE to graduate.

And I found even that much to be an outrageous requirement. I'm not overweight or out of shape - just militantly non-athletic. No class I ever hated more - and no class I was ever happier to walk out of, on my last day. I distinctly remember saying to myself, "Now I never have to touch another volleyball as long as I live." And, I never have.

Good riddance.

[LisaL]

10. I agree. PE was my least favorite subject as well.

I hated it. I still remember the stupid pummel horse they made me jump over. Grrr! Not everyone has a talent for gymnastic, but did it matter to them? No!

[ohio_liberal]

7. I have 4 kids

in Ohio public school. My youngest two never, ever went outside during the school day in kindergarten. They had gym twice a week. I discussed concerns over a lack of recess time with the principal two years ago and he told me that they were afraid the smallest kids would get hurt on the playground. He assured me that they would be able to have recess time in the courtyard in the middle of the school but they never went outside to play, not once. I found it very disturbing.

When I was in high school we had to take a PE class, all 4 years, for half of the school year. The second half was devoted to a health class. Now, my oldest son (a sophomore now) was only required to take one year of PE. None of his peers take more than the one year. It's not encouraged. His weight gains and losses have really concerned me. He gains 30 lbs during the winter because of a lack of exercise and loses that weight during summer football practices. His doctor dismisses me, but I can't believe that kind of loss/gain cycle in a teenager is healthy. I can't help but think that a mandatory PE class every day in school would be better for him and his peers.

[cmd]

12. I'm so sorry to hear that ohio-lib

I'm also not surprised. I used to take my kindergarteners out when our indoor recess was over. Some of the other teachers hated me, others were jealous that I could change my schedule and do that.

[BluGrl]

8. I wouldn't blame the schools

Look at the kids who aren't even in school, yet. Preschoolers who have been crammed into indoor daycare centers or are cared for by parents who plop them in front of the TV and feed them chicken nuggets and juice all day aren't starting school with an ideal waistline.

[redqueen]

11. So many people are so overworked... I'm not excusing bad parenting...

but there are so many factors... it's so tragic that a nation which prides itself on 'family values' appears to care so little for how its children are faring.

Welcome to DU. :hi:

[cmd]

13. Welcome, BluGrl

I understand just what you are saying. Kids just don't get a chance at childhood anymore.

So glad to have you at DU!