EDITORIAL: School Board Acted Wisely: Our Views
By The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.
Feb. 21–The Olympia School Board got it right when the directors voted to waive a second-year physical education requirement for students engaged in school and club sports. The decision is a sensible solution to a thorny problem.
The five school board members have been caught in the middle of a debate between parents who want their students out of PE classes so they can take additional academic classes and those parents who recognize that childhood obesity is a serious problem that can be countered through physical education and health nutrition classes.
It was a debate calling for compromise and common sense, and that’s precisely where the school board ended up.
Students, just like their parents, are busy. Many college-bound students jam as many core and elective classes into their school schedules as possible. They stretch themselves academically in hopes of increasing their chances for admittance to their favorite college or vocational school.
The requirement for two years of physical education credits, especially weighed alongside new state graduation requirements, makes it difficult for students to juggle their daily class schedule and get all of the classes they desire. Waiving the second-year PE requirement gives students more scheduling flexibility.
In response to obesity concerns, the Olympia School District requires students to take one semester of health and one semester of fitness during their freshman year of high school. That accounts for half of the PE credits necessary for graduation. Coupled with physical education classes throughout their elementary and middle school years, the students should be well grounded with information on proper nutrition and the advantages of leading healthy, active lives.
The school district’s existing policy already allows for some alternative ways to earn the PE credit. The question was how far the school board would go to waive that second-year PE requirement.
The board found middle ground that resulted in a unanimous vote.
Starting in the fall, high school students will be able to earn their second year of physical education credit required for graduation by participating in school sports or club sports or outside athletic achievement.
“I think we should be flexible when it comes to the PE requirement,” board member Rich Nafziger said. “I don’t see the physical education requirement as directly related to our most important goal, which is student achievement.” He is right.
Board members deserve credit for taking a methodical approach to resolving this issue. They had four options before them — from requiring all students to take second-year PE to the most liberal policy, which would have granted waivers to nearly all students who had a parent’s permission.
Their final choice, a modification of the plan put forth by the school district staff, will allow students participating in school sports such as track, volleyball and football to apply for and receive the waiver. Just as important, those students participating in recreational sports programs, such as a basketball or Babe Ruth baseball, can receive their waiver from the PE requirement.
Coaches and staff older than 21 will submit written verification that the student actually completed his or her athletic endeavor. The new policy also requires that students be enrolled in six subject-matter classes each trimester in grades 10 through 12 to receive the waiver.
The Olympia School Board found a fair and balanced solution to a problem of concern to many parents.
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Copyright (c) 2006, The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.
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