The Pica Perspective

Federal Legislation re: Education

This week I'm attending -- and presenting at -- the annual conference of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. So I'm "borrowing" information sent to me by Amy Lux of the Coalition for Children's Health for this post.

Here's some federal legislation that's been introduced recently and that is relevant to our cause here. If there's something here you feel strongly about and your senator or representative isn't listed as a sponsor, contact him or her and ask for their support. You can find contact information at www.congress.org.

S 651 PLAY Every Day Act 2/15/07

 To help promote the national recommendation of physical activity to kids, families, and communities across the United States. The Secretary of Education, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall provide grants to State health departments to enable the State health departments to work in partnership with eligible community-based coalitions to plan and implement model communities of play. They shall use grant funds in partnership with community coalitions to carry out a community action plan and promote a model community of play, by enabling the maximum use of, or the creation of, spaces and places for physical activity for children, families, and communities before, during, and after school or work. This may include increasing the number of schools serving the community that provide recess, physical education, and physical activity for children and youth.

Sponsors: Harken, Clinton

Co-sponsors: Bingaman, Hagel, Landrieu, Mikulski, Sanders, Boxer, Durbin, Inouye, Menendez, Nelson

Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

HR 2045 PLAY Every Day Act 4/27/07

House version.

 Sponsors: Udall, Granger, Boswell, McIntyre, Cummings

 Co-sponsors: Abercrombie, Allen, Blumenauer, Alexander, Bishop, Bordallo, Boucher, Brady, Braley, Capps, Carson, Castor, Chandler, Christensen, Cohen, Delahunt, Doyle, Duncan, English, Etheridge, Filner, Fortuno, Frank, Gerlach, Gillibrand, Gonzalez, Gordon, Green, Hastings, Hinchey, Hinojosa, Israel, Jefferson, Kind, LaHood, Lewis, Maloney, Markey, Marshall, McGovern, McNulty, Miller, Moran, Musgrave, Myrick, Napolitano, Norton, Olver, Pastor, Payne, Price, Ramstad, Renzi, Rothman, Salazar, Schakowsky, Snyder, Souder, Towns, Weiner

Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

HR 3257 Fitness Integrated with Teaching Act (Fit Kids Act) 7/31/07

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve standards for physical education, asking states to show demonstrated progress toward meeting the national goal for required physical education, which is 150 minutes per week for all students in elementary schools and 225 minutes per week for all students in middle and high schools.

 Sponsors: Kind, Wamp, Inslee

 Co-sponsors: Sanford, Carson, Braley, Clay, Costa, Filner, Gordon, Hare, Johnson, Kagen, Lipinski, Lofgren, Maloney, McIntyre, McNerney, Moran, Norton, Ryan, Sarbanes, Smith

 
Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

 

S 2173 Fitness Integrated with Teaching Act (Fit Kids Act) 10/17/07

Senate version

Sponsor: Harkin

Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

HR 1224 'Strengthening Physical Education Act of 2007' 2/28/07

 
To amend section 1111 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 regarding challenging academic content standards for physical education. The Secretary of Education may award grants on a competitive basis to State education agencies to establish and revise state standards for physical education. Grants may be used to develop, revise, or improve physical education curriculum to meet minimum content and performance standards established by the Secretary, to purchase content materials and equipment to implement physical education curriculum, to assist in the implementation of physical education model programs; and provide for staff and teacher training and education.

Sponsors: Wamp, Kind, Inslee

Co-sponsors: Abercrombie, Bishop, Filner, Fortuno, Gordon, Hare, Holden, Jackson-Lee, Lofgren, Moran, Norton, Payne, Rahall, Rothman, Ryan, Shays, Walsh, Wicker

Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce

 

S 2066 'Back to School: Improving Standards for Nutrition and Physical Education in Schools Act of 2007' 9/18/07

To establish nutrition and physical education standards for schools.

Sponsor: Obama

Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

HR 3606 Access to Complete Education Act 9/19/07

 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide grants for core curriculum development. Support systemic, comprehensive education reform by strengthening the instruction of music and arts, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, history, geography, and physical education and health as an integral part of the elementary and secondary school curriculum.

 Sponsors: Woolsey, Hare, Loebsack, Sarbanes,

Jefferson

 Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

HR 3642 Expanded Learning Time Demonstration Act 9/24/07

 Amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide support through competitive grants to local education agencies and State education agencies to to expand learning time in the form of longer school days.

 Sponsor: Payne

 Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education

HR 1702 Common Sense Budget Act of 2007 3/26/07

 
To reallocate funds toward sensible priorities such as improved children's education, increased children's access to health care, expanded job training, and increased energy efficiency and conservation through a reduction of wasteful defense spending, and for other purposes. $10,000,000,000 shall be made available to carry out the modernization of school facilities under section 8007(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965

Sponsors: Woolsey, Lee, Kucinich, Jackson-Lee, Kilpatrick, Schakowsky, Grijalva, Serrano, Stark, Becerra, Carson, Christensen, Ellison, Filner, Gutierrez, Hinchey, Honda, Kaptur, McDermott, McGovern, Rush, Solis, Watson

Co-sponsors: Clarke, Clay, Cleaver, Cohen, Conyers, Cummings, Farr, Fattah, Hare, Jackson, Jones, Lewis, McDermott, McGovern, Meeks, Moore, Norton, Olver, Payne, Thompson, Velazquez, Watt, Welch, Wynn

Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, Homeland Security, Foreign Affairs, and Veterans' Affairs

Oops, We've Done It Again

In an article titled "Americans Are Losing the War on Obesity," author Michael Torchia informs us that the Children's Fitness Academy (CFA) is concerned about an "anti-anti-obesity" backlash. (Yes, you read that right.)

According to the piece, our politicians' harsh policies and extreme measures designed to reduce obesity are creating a negative sentiment among the American public as they grow weary of more intrusive policies. Of particular concern to the CFA -- and the reason I'm writing this -- is "a proliferation of unfortunate school-based anti-obesity policies throughout America. These include fitness testing, lunch box inspections by teachers, mandatory weighing of students, banning of particular kinds of food at school celebrations and remedial physical activity for students who do not meet prescribed fitness or weight standards."

The article goes on to say that "CFA's main concern is that the intensity of talk about childhood obesity and the zeal of some physical activity advocates mean that many children will experience physical activity as, at best, medicine and, at worst, punishment. Children's Fitness Academy has discovered growing evidence in developed countries that the focus on obesity has sidelined good-quality PE lessons, with teachers instead putting children through overly strenuous 'huff and puff' fitness classes."

If this is indeed the case, then let me add my name to the list of those who are concerned. As anyone familiar with developmentally appropriate physical education can tell you, the goal of PE is to promote fitness for life. And the only way that's going to happen is if we ensure children never lose their initial, natural love of movement -- so they'll always want to stay physically active! If physical activity becomes drudgery rather than fun, children are going to stop moving as soon as the choice is theirs to make!

Why is it we can never seem to do anything in moderation? To find the balance between extremes? The CFA urges a more "holistic approach" to combating the obesity epidemic. I couldn't agree more.