Physical Education

Physical Education Classes

According to the National Association for Sports and Physical Education (NASPE) in a 2006 article released, from North Carolina to California, physical education classes have been squeezed out of the school day, a trend that parallels a national increase in childhood obesity. We can conclude that a lack of physical activity is a significant contributor to obesity. However, schools are faced with shrinking budgets and growing demands for improved academic performance see physical education as a course they can no longer afford.

A recent national survey by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) suggests that more than 3 out of 5, or 61.5 percent, of 9- to 13-year-olds participate in no organized physical activities outside school. More than 1 in 5, or 22.6 percent, engage in no physical activity in their free time. (Kemper) This clearly calls for in-class exercise time and schools to recognize that physical education is just as important as any other class.

The CDC, the American Heart Association, and the National Association for Sports and Physical Education are among the many organizations that recommend daily physical education from kindergarten through 12th grade. Physical activity offers clear short- and long-term health benefits. Most health specialists also say that children who exercise regularly perform better academically.

Instead we also see that schools give students a way out of taking physical education (PE) classes. Roughly one-third of all high school academic programs say if students participate in band, cheerleading, school sports teams, or similar activities, they are exempt from PE. (NASPE)

In California, elementary schools must offer an average of 20 minutes of physical education per day. Middle and high schools must provide an average of 40 minutes per day, and high school students must take physical education for two years to graduate. But these standards