The American Cancer Society and American Heart Association are lobbying in support of a bill in the Wisconsin Legislature that increases gym time for school children. But school administrators say it may be hard to do.
American Cancer Society and Wisconsin Parent Teacher Association members at the state Capitol. Shamane Mills/WPR .
In Wisconsin, 1 in 3 third graders is obese or overweight. Sara Sahli wants to change that. The government relations director for Wisconsin chapter of the American Cancer Society said children need to form lifelong habits early to avoid obesity and chronic disease
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“Obesity is the second leading cause of cancer, just under tobacco,” said Sahli. “We are looking to policy options to start to reverse those statistics.”
John Forester with the School Administrators Alliance said the bill, which is also being pushed by the Wisconsin Parent Teachers Association, is well-intended.
“However, most school districts are simply not staffed to meet this expanded instructional requirement,” Forester said.
Current law requires structured physical education three days week, with no specified length of time. The proposed bill would increase that to five days a week, for 30 minutes a day.
Forester said it would take time and money away from a school’s primary objective: academics. Public schools are currently facing $127 million in cuts under the first year of the governor’s biennial budget.
A similar proposal stalled in the past. The author, state Rep. David Steffen, R-Green Bay, is currently circulating his bill for support.
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