Gym Classes Cut Despite Obesity Problems

Despite decades worth of attempted reforms dating back to President Dwight D. Eisenhower, childhood obesity continues to rise as physical education standards decline. While schools across the country cut back expenses while also trying to improve test scores, programs like P.E. are being trimmed down or cut. A recent article by the New York Times details the problems schools in the city are having with instituting physical education standards and practices.

"There does not appear to be a promotion, or support, from the Department of Education for daily physical education in many of our high schools," said Jeff Engel, a vice principal at Long Island City High School, in Queens, who is a member of the executive board of the principals' union. He said that his own school provided daily physical education, but that many did not. "We have a huge obesity epidemic in the city, yet we see many of our high schools going to non-daily physical education."

Studies have shown that as little as 20% of elementary school students receive regular physical education week by week.  Research suggests that there is a significant disconnect between the national debate taking place about childhood obesity and the actual practices of school systems throughout the country. Many physical education programs depend on exercise equipment like bikes and weights that they simply can't afford, and students are robbed of very important physical activity.

Principals across the country blame the test focused approach of administrators for the decline of physical education. While physical fitness and health have been shown to be closely related to academic performance, many districts fail to see the value of outdoor time and physical activity in the bottom lines of their budgets. Parents are urged to find out how much physical education their children are getting in order to make sure they're getting enough physical activity during the week.