Bill requiring schools to offer 3 hours of physical activity per week faces uncertain future after hearing

 

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- During a hearing Wednesday at the state Capitol, it appeared everyone was on board with requiring schools to dedicate part of each week to physical activity. However, things got tricky when it came to defining how that standard should read.

A bill discussed Wednesday by the state Assembly's health committee would require all K-8 schools to have at least three hours a week set aside for physical activity.

The proposal is part of a package of recommendations from a bipartisan task force created to review childhood obesity in the state.

One of the bill's co-authors, Rep. William Penterman (R-Columbus), said it was a reasonable requirement that gave schools enough flexibility.

For instance, the 180 minutes of activity time wouldn't have to just come from gym class; schools could also count recess time toward hitting the three-hour target.

"If we can't even get to three hours of physical movement in a week," Penterman said. "I think we have to ask ourselves, 'What's going on?'"

Representatives from the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) testified against the bill. David Martin, a government relations specialist with the group, said he'd especially heard concerns from school administrators in rural districts.

Those in communities where K-8 schools are all in the same building, or private schools that operate the same way, have concerns their physical education teachers will be stretched too thin. In many cases, those teachers also handle a different classroom subject, which has led to concerns some schools would have to eliminate some of their classes to meet the physcial activity mandate.

"She would have to create new physical education classes for kids to take," Martin said of one administrator. "However, her single [gym] teacher is at capacity in his schedule. So, in order to implement this, she'd have to cover another Phy. Ed. teacher."

Other lawmakers who support the bill asked the WASB representatives if there were some creative ways to satisfy the requirement. Rep. Daniel Riemer (D-Milwaukee) asked if there were ways schools could incorporate movement into subjects like math and reading.

"If I were forced to vote on it today, sorry guys, I'd probably be a yes," Riemer said.

The WASB officials said those answers would have to come directly from educators.

Others on the committee said they were unsatisfied with what they felt was a lack of detail in the bill. Rep. Angie Sapik (R - Lake Nebagamon) said she wanted the bill to better define physical activity, how it might include extracurricular programs and what assurances there would be for children with disabilities.

Rep. Clint Moses (R-Menomonie), who chairs the Assembly health committee, said after the hearing he was confident the bill will eventually pass. However, he added it would need to be amended to address lawmakers' concerns before going up for vote.

"This is one of those things that I believe is a good idea, but it's just not soup yet," Sapik said. "I think there's a lot of different things that come into play here."