The Importance of Physical Education in America

As schools everywhere across America strive to improve the academic performance of their students, several of them have either reduced or completely cut physical education to leave more time for sedentary classroom lessons. On the contrary, the longer students are forced to sit for countless hours in their chairs, the harder it will be for them to blossom in class. According to several studies, children who are physically active and fit will begin to develop a better academic attitude and performance towards school.

Obesity in America

     Today, obesity is one of the most pressing health concerns for children in America. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. More than one-third of children and teens combined, approximately 25 million kids, are overweight or obese. Among children ages 6-11, 33 percent are overweight and 17 percent are obese. Overweight and obese children are at a high risk of: heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, high cholesterol, asthma, joint, bone and muscle problems, low self-esteem, depression, and much more. Physical inactivity is a leading contributor to this epidemic. One effective method for the prevention of childhood obesity is physical education in school. It is the only school subject area that provides the education needed to ensure students develop knowledge, skills, and motivation to engage in health-enhancing physical activity for the rest of their lives. Regular daily activity will not only assist students' health, but their performance in school as well. Unfortunately, some schools don't realize that and have already cut physical education, disallowing students access to obtain physical activity while in school. 

Why are Schools Cutting Physical Education?

     In many schools across the United States, physical education courses have been considerably reduced, and in some cases completely cut. Currently, only six states in the country - Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Illinois, and Iowa - meet the standards from the National Association of Sports and Physical Education that students participate 150 minutes a week in physical education. Just three states - Delaware, Virginia, and Nebraska - require 20 minutes of mandatory elementary-school recess per day. That's not even a third of our country that promote physical activity.

     Sadly, various schools question the value of physical education and other physical activity programs in response to budget concerns and increasing educational demands. Schools that have reduced physical education and funding assume that more rigid classroom time would allow students to learn more and improve their academic scores. A great example would be in Florida. ABC News informs us how in 2011, Florida was considering a bill to eliminate a law that required middle school students to take physical education one semester a year. The bill's sponsor stated that it was difficult for some schools to accommodate the additional time required for physical education while trying to focus on academic achievement. Physical education would have required in lengthening the school day, and there was no extra funding for that. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act has contributed greatly to this trend. Nearly half of school administrators report cutting significant amounts of time from physical education and recess to increase time in mathematics and reading since the NCLB act was passed in 2001. No Child Left Behind has created an environment where classes such as physical education, music, and art are viewed as nonessential to academic goals set by schools. There are only so many hours in the school day, and budget cuts and increased testing pressure means that most schools decide that physical education isn't critical. This has led to a great reduction in time available for PE, and in other cases, PE being completely eliminated. Unfortunately for most children, they get little to no regular physical activity while in school.

     I personally don't agree with the reduction of PE. Tons of evidence prove that children who are physically active and fit have a tendency to perform to a higher standard in the classroom. Daily physical education does not adversely affect their performance. Now, state and federal may think slashing physical education classes will save money. Perhaps that may be true of short-term. In the long-term however, decreased physical education in schools means fewer healthy choices in childhood and on to adulthood. Children will get in the habit of living more sedentary lifestyles, meaning a widespread of increased health issues, meaning higher health care costs for our country.

Benefits of Physical Education

     Students in every grade level across the country are struggling in class. It is not because they’re dumb, or they’re irresponsible, or they’re underachievers. It’s because schools are working against them. They think that forcing them to stay seated in class for hours, with no break, will help improve their academic capabilities.

     Attending physical education classes is directly related to better academic performance and attitude towards school. Physically active and fit children tend to have better academic achievement. According to the SPARK Physical Education Program, a study of more than 2.4 million Texas students from the 2007-2008 found that students who were physically fit were more likely to perform well on standardized tests than their counterparts. By exercising for a bit, you are increasing the blood and oxygen flow to your brain (improving mental clarity) and positively affecting the portion of your brain responsible for learning and memory. Exercise encourages your brain to work at optimum capacity by causing nerve cells to multiply, strengthening their interconnections and protecting them from damage. Also, regular physical activity stimulates chemicals in the brain that make one feel more happy and relaxed and improves one’s overall mood. Even short intervals of physical activity, such as recess, during the school day may enhance attention span and classroom behavior among students.

     In addition, engaging in physical activity can help children refine their motor skills, learn cooperation and teamwork, reduce stress, and improve self-confidence and self-esteem. However, many people don’t believe that gym class is effective and is just a waste of time. The Public School Review states that most of gym time is spent being inactive - most likely standing around idly while playing sports such as softball or volleyball that don’t require constant movement - during the entire class period. Despite these results, gym classes still shouldn’t be banned; instead, there just has to be a meaningful change in the curriculum like providing more rigorous physical activity that makes children break a sweat and get that heart racing. In order to truly understand the importance of physical education, we must be aware of the overall benefits of exercise.

     Children who are more active are better able to focus their attention for an extended time period, are quicker to perform simple tasks, are capable of multitasking (a skill crucial in today's fast paced environment), have improved working memories and problem solving skills, and a general improvement in both reading and math scores. In fact, the academic benefits students gain from physical activity during the school day outweigh the benefits of increasing class time. Furthermore, participation in sports teams or exercise programs can boost grade point averages, school attachment, educational aspirations, and the likelihood of graduation. Physical education has benefits beyond improved grades too. It can also help prevent risky behaviors like smoking, doing drugs, and drinking alcohol. PE classes help students develop great exercise habits as well, resulting in healthier lifestyles and the prevention of obesity and other serious illnesses.There is absolutely no doubt that kids need exercise on a daily basis. Schools don’t need expensive equipment to provide physical activity. Recess and in-class activities can provide the physical activity a child needs and they are not costly at all. Public schools have a responsibility to educate and encourage children to lead healthy lives - especially considering the rising number of children that are obese. Activities that lower body fat, promote muscular strength, endurance, flexibility and improve cardiovascular and mental health can help reverse the trend of American children becoming obese or overweight.

Why We Shouldn't Cut Physical Education

     Overall, the key to keeping kids active in school is encouraging them to get exercise in all aspects of their lives. Physical education programs engage students in regular physical activity and help them acquire the skills and habits necessary to pursue an active lifestyle. Being involved in physical activity is associated to higher levels of academic performance. Decreasing or eliminating the time allotted for physical education in favor of increased time in academics does not lead to an improved educational performance. The way to increase exercise is to promote physical education classes, recess and classroom breaks during the school. “Physical activity should be a core educational concern, not a dispensable option.”  Schools provide opportunities for students to learn about and practice healthy eating and physical activity habits. Physical education doesn’t just end there; it’s creating a positive impact on children today and sets them up for a healthy adulthood, continuing a cycle of well being for generations to come.