04/16/2009

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/local.ssf?/base/news/123987342920...

BY BOB LOWRY

MONTGOMERY - Legislation that would mandate physical education in public and private schools in Alabama in grades K-8 was approved Wednesday by a House committee.

Opponents argued that the bill, sponsored by Rep. Ken Guin, D-Carbon Hill, is already a policy of the state Department of Education. Supporters said, however, it's not being uniformly enforced.

The bill was approved on a 10-2-1 vote after a public hearing by the House Education Policy Committee.

Rep. Mike Ball, R-Madison, voted against the bill, while Rep. Mac McCutcheon, R-Capshaw, voted for it.

Joe Morton, superintendent of the Department of Education, was not immediately available for comment on the committee action.

Guin drafted the legislation as part of a package of bills recommended by the Joint Interim Committee on Child Obesity.

Lynne Zaris, project manager for the Dothan-based DuBoise Institute, said the legislation is needed because obesity "has reached epidemic proportions in Alabama," noting the state ranks No. 11 nationally in child obesity.

"This is the first generation of children not expected to outlive their parents because of obesity-related diseases," she said. "Computers, television, the automobile, food portions and the decline of quality physical education in our public schools are the major contributors to the epidemic."

Zaris said the Department of Education has a policy that requires P.E. for K-8 students, but she added that in the current school year there are more than 60,000 students not enrolled in P.E. programs.

The bill was also endorsed by Michael Jackson, a member of the Advocacy Committee of the American Heart Association, who noted that 30 percent of all deaths in Alabama are attributable to heart disease. Jackson said schools need to limit the waivers being given to students for P.E.

Lissa Tucker, a lobbyist for the Alabama Association of School Boards, said she doubted that making the policy a state law would solve the problem.

Rep. Priscilla Dunn, D-Bessemer, a committee member and former P.E. teacher, blamed the Department of Education for not enforcing its policy.

"If it's not being followed, somewhere in the administration they're not doing their job," she said. "Legislation reinforces it a little more. Somebody's got to get on those who are not listening."