If the New York City Department of Education were graded on its provision of proper physical education for city students, it would receive a big fat F. According to an audit released Tuesday by the city comptroller, none of the 31 elementary schools visited are fully adhering to the state guidelines on physical education, which stipulate that PE classes must be offered every day for kindergarten-through-third-grade kids, totaling at least two hours per week. For fourth to sixth graders, PE must be held three times a week and also for a minimum of two hours weekly. Those in grades seven through eight must have at least 90 minutes of PE a week.
In addition to the fact that none of the schools were in full compliance, the Department of Education hasn t filed PE plans with the state since 1982 no, that s not a misprint even though these plans are supposed to be reviewed and updated every seven years.
Budget constraints have forced some schools to drop their PE classes, while others simply lack the required space for a gymnasium, thus contributing to the lack of physical activity available to our school kids during the day. So instead of banning trans fats and implementing mandatory restaurant calorie counts, ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross believes that New York health officials should be focused on reinstating PE in schools. Besides burning calories during the day, gym class sends kids an important message: Healthy activity is good for you. He adds, It also encourages kids to participate in more of these activities on their own. However, when you cut these classes from the curriculum, it implies that physical activity is not important and that children should just go back to spending all day in front of a computer or on a cellphone.
Adds ACSH's Dr. Ruth Kava, It s been widely demonstrated that regular physical activity is a crucial component of a healthy lifestyle. Instead of focusing so much on which foods kids should or shouldn t eat, it would make more sense to instill a positive attitude toward exercise in school children.
