Boston schools go lacking in phys ed

[LWolf]

Data show 1 in 4 students have none. City ordered to create plan to fix problem.

By Bob Hohler
Globe Staff / July 13, 2009

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Boston’s public schools have failed to provide any formal instruction in physical education to about 25 percent of the city’s students, despite a state law that requires physical education be taught to all students in all grades.

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Though other schools nationwide have also drastically cut or eliminated physical education amid a push to improve test scores in literacy and math, the survey results underscore the breadth of chronic problems in Boston school athletics that were detailed in a recent Globe series. Mayor Thomas M. Menino responded to the series by announcing he would form a nonprofit charitable foundation aimed at raising millions of dollars to close crucial funding gaps in city sports programs.

The mayor’s spokeswoman, Dot Joyce, referred questions about physical education to the school department.

Boston School Superintendent Carol R. Johnson said she has tried to offset the deficiencies in physical education by developing a creative plan to promote physical activity in the schools through a wide range of partnerships with nonprofit groups, as well as collaborating with the city’s community centers and Parks and Recreation Department.

http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/mcas/articles/2009/07/13/boston8217s_public_schools_lacking_in_phys_ed_classes/?page=1

This is a long article, full of excuses and "creative" (read: non-funded, inadequate) ways to provide pseudo-pe for students.

I have a better suggestion. How about using that stimulus money that Obama/Duncan have tied to forcing their privatization "reforms" on states to, instead, provide funding for enough PE teachers to ensure that every student in the U.S. gets PE every day?

Providing jobs puts stimulus into the economy more than bad reform policies do. And it would improve the health of America's children, too.

Another suggestion: remove the high stakes testing that drives districts to cut back on everything but preparing for tests, and, instead, put the focus on serving the whole student. What a concept.

This is cross-posted from GD to provide a longer shelf-life:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6066237