Budget Cuts Run Deep
Since the passage of the, No Child Left Behind Act in 2001 and three-billion dollars in educational budget cuts in 2013, schools were forced to reduce electives offered, such as arts, physical education, and electives by forty-four percent, which increased class sizes by seventy percent (Harvard School of Public Health, 2013). Subsequently, these budget cuts, which lead to an increase in class sizes, saw physical education class rise to eight students in some cases. These budget cuts forced other teachers to implement such activities into their course plan and routine, which lead to untrained and unqualified teachers ineffectively teaching foundational components that cultivate a diverse education for students. In the short-term, cutting physical education programs will save money, but that is a short-sided solution. In the long-term, the reduction in physical education programs and elective alternatives in schools can lead to fewer healthy lifestyles. More so, budget cuts that effect physical education programs and lead to choices being made on behalf of children that will lead to a more sedentary adult lifestyle. The repercussions of this sedentary lifestyle means an increased risk of heart disease and weight related health issues, which directly effects higher health care costs for all Americans.
While the drawbacks of budget cuts that effect physical education programs put children and adults at risk for health issues, there are many other benefits to physical education and organized sports participation. Ronald Jeziorski’s article, “The Importance of School in American Education and Socialization”, reveals studies that have shown that children and youth participation in sports, compared to that of peers who did not play sports, exhibited higher grades, expectations, and attainment, as well as greater connections with school, stronger peer relationships, more academically oriented friends, and greater involvement in volunteer work (1994). Furthermore, outcomes that are thought to be related to sport learning values and skills associated with initiative, social cohesion, self-control, persistence, and responsibility, according to a Developmental Psychology article entitled, “More than Child’s Play: Variable and Pattern Entered Approaches for Examining Effects of Sports Participation on Youth Development” (Zarrett, Fey, Li, Carrano, Phelps, Lerner, 2009). Sports not only build character, they reveal it. Beyond character, sports provide opportunities for children and youth to engage in valuable and positive relationships with adults, and this interaction is especially important when such benefits are not available at home. Moreover, physical education programs and organized youth sports provides opportunity for children to safely navigate and negotiate between right and wrong as they learn to interact with peers and adults (Zarrett, Fey, Li, Carrano, Phelps, Lerner, 2009). An article published in Youth Adolescence, “Adolescent Participation in Structured and Unstructured Activities”, Bartko and Eccles, found that youth who are highly involved in sport are more “psychologically resilient” and better able to recover from problems, this participation protects against social isolation (2003).
In an article entitled “The Case Against High-School Sports”, skeptics cite the effect of physical education programs and expansion and wonder if athletes had specific character traits before playing sport (Ripley, 2013). Furthermore, many argue non-sports activities can produce many of these benefits, such as performing arts, school clubs and other social activities (Ripley). Some factors may be true about the preexistence of socialization, yet what is lost is the physical activity and its effect towards one’s adult lifestyle. Budget cuts to physical education programs and alternative electives mean fewer healthy lifestyle choices. According to an article published by the CDC, overweight and obese children are at high risk of; asthma, heart disease, low self-esteem, diabetes, high blood pressure, joint, bone and muscle problems (2011–2012). Furthermore, another article published by the CDC entitled, “The Association Between School-Based Physical Activity, Including Physical Education and Academic Performance”, suggested that activity “may have an impact on academic performance through a variety of direct and indirect physiological, cognitive, emotional and learning mechanisms” (2010). This CDC article further states that physical movement can affect the brain’s physiology by increasing cerebral capillary growth, blood flow, oxygenation, production of neurotrophins, growth of nerve cells in hippocampus, neurotransmitter levels, development of nerve connections, density of neural networks and brain tissue volume (2010). All this is associated with improved attention, information processing, storage and retrieval.
When considering short-term solutions to longer-term problems in the growth and education of youth, the compromising of the end result becomes clear. Despite the benefits of physical education instilling an infrastructure of mental, physical and social health, this aspect of education is often simplified in the result oriented state of mind of those in charge of such programs. This not only does the dissolvent of physical education a disservice to our communities as a means to instill an ethic and health in our youth, but our collective unity as well. Therefore, it is important to consider not only the obvious benefits of physical education with in our school system, but the overall art of its lasting power and message.
References:
Bartko W.T., Eccles J.S. (2003). Adolescent participation in structured and unstructured activities: a person- oriented analysis. Journal Youth Adolescence. 233–241.
Bader E.J., (2015). Physical Education Takes a Hit: Schools’ Emphasis on Testing Is Making Kids Sick. Truth Out: (truthout.org). May 06, 2015.
CDC. (2010). The Association Between School-Based Physical Activity, Including Physical Education, and Academic Performance. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Atlanta, GA. (cdc.gov).
CDC. (2015). Childhood Obesity Facts: Prevalence of Childhood Obesity in the United States, 2011–2012. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Atlanta, GA. (cdc.gov). last updated: 06/19/2015.
Jeziorski R.M. (1994). The Importance of School Sports in American Education and Socialization. University Press of America: Lanham, MD.
Ripley A. (2013). The Case Against High-School Sports. The Atlantic: (theatlantic.com). Oct., 2013.
Zarrett N., Fay K., Li Y., Carrano J., Phelps E., Lerner R.M. (2009). More than child’s play: variable- and pattern- centered approaches for examining effects of sports participation on youth development. Developmental Psychology. 2009. 368–382.
