We Need Mandatory Physical Education Back in Our Schools

First, I want to tell you that I was one of those FAT kids that HATED PE - Physical Education! I dreaded PE when I had to go out there and be the LAST selected for EVERY sport and game! There were all the kids lined up for dodge ball and who do you think they went after? FAT four eyes Coke bottle glasses me!

Well at least back in the late 50s and 60s when I was in school Physical Education was MANDATORY! You had to be sick enough to stay home to avoid attending PE. No excuses!

Now I'm a lean 32 inch waist line 60 year old Baby Boomer that holds a personal fitness certification who has even participated in biathlons and triathlons. I do empathize with those not fat but OBESE kids that I see every day in our schools that are NOT getting the advantages of Physical Education in most schools across the USA because the schools have replaced the PE classes with band, art, shop, etc. classes. Now I have nothing against any of the other classes. But if we don't return Mandatory PE to the classes beginning with middle school and continuing with high school we are going to have the BIGGEST health crisis on our hands since cancer and heart disease hit the top of the charts! In fact, all the research is showing that cancer, heart disease, and especially type 2 diabetes are related to obesity!

What's it going to take to wake up every person in this country to this obesity crisis? Kids are already being diagnosed with heart problems before they leave high school! Soon we are going to have kids that are like the kid that was in the Law & Order/Special Victims Unit TV show that was over 300 pounds and already had had fingers amputated because of his diabetes. He did not show up for his murder sentencing because he had been rushed to the hospital with a diabetic reaction resulting in amputation of his foot and kidney problems. You say this is a TV drama but let me assure thet this is happening every day! We are going to see more kids with amputations before they leave high school!

As a Libertarian I'm totally against putting all the blame on the fast food and junk food industry. Are they forcing us to eat that stuff? NO!

It is mostly due to the way society has become with lots of what are called "latch key" kids who are told to lock the door to their apartment and not go out to play. So what do they do? Sit before the TV or video game console and feed their face! They usually don't have healthy foods to eat for snacks or dinner. It is like the kid that was on trial in the show: sugar cereals, junk food, pizza, soft drinks, etc.

Well if the kids are not allowed to go out and play after school then we have got to reinstate mandatory Physical Education across the board! We need to make sure they get 45 minutes to an hour of rigorous and challenging PE.

The schools say that it is not in their budgets for mandatory PE because they have not got the money for the equipment. Well either the PTA better start doing fundraisers for the equipment or they better ask my friend Rick Harness to give them his PE program that does NOT involve ANY expensive equipment and pairs kids up to do exercises together. His program is starting to sweep the USA with qualified instructors being trained for their communities. I'm sure that his instructors would be more than glad to offer their services to the teachers at the schools who can then become the new instructors at the schools.

If you are interested in contacting Rick about his program email me at hugh009@hotmail.com and I will get the info to Rick. Please put Subject Line: Mandatory PE.

Also I now have a blog here where you can follow more of my ranting on this subject!

About the author:
Hugh Simpson is a former consumer investigative reporter for Post Newsweek TV and now an emergency preparedness consultant with his company US Prepared, LLC at http://www.usprepared.com.