state mandated physical education Options

[*Statues/Shadows*]

There are some ridiculously disturbing things going on in Georgia's legislature right now. Most significantly, the senate is this week voting to pass a bill that would in essense ELIMINATE MUSIC EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, effective NEXT YEAR. What bill could possibly be worth this?

One mandating 30 minutes of Phys Ed daily for grades K-5; 45 minutes daily for grades 6-8, apparently.

If this bill were to pass, schools would be required not only to make time each day for this (time which they would get from fine arts classes, since acedemics coiuldn't be sacrificed), but also have to hire more PE staff (the funding from which would come from those same "less necessary" classes' staff). Because of these cutbacks, the only accommodation being made to arts programs is the allowance of beginning level courses TWO DAYS A WEEK STARTING IN THE 7TH GRADE. This is later a year or two less playing and 2/5 the actual classes than most schools have now. No band or orchestra can be successful under these conditions.

Currently, there have been 42 yeas and 7 nays (assuming I read things right. To be honest, some stuff on the page kind of confuses me, so I might not be.)

http://www.ciprg.com/ss/legdb_detail.asp?C...ssa&L_ID=170559

Is there any f**king way that this is at all fair? Or rather, to make this more debatable, are there really any conditions that would make this law beneficial? What do young students actually get out of PE that would be so much better for them then persuing their educational interests?

[*mipadi*]

Physical education in and of itself is not a bad thing. Given the obesity problem in America, teaching kids the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and fitness is not a bad thing at all, and I think it's good to see kids being active on a daily basis—everyone should get at least thirty minutes of exercise a day.

It's unfortunate, though, that it might come at the expense of other school activities, such as the arts. Such is the trend in many American schools. But I'd wait to see what cuts are planned to make room for this possible regulation before worrying over something that may or may not happen. Organizations often find ways to make room for the new without cutting out too much of the old.