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-