While the article itself is old, the issue itself is a growing trend. In order for state's and local governments to find more money, they cut budgets to schools(particularly the sports and physical education areas). In turn, along with so many "safety" regulations being implemented on playgrounds and things of that nature, it's no wonder our kids are becoming fat.
Now, how is that a problem for society? More people are susceptible to diseases, more strain is put on society as a whole to support them due to loss man hours at work and it's also proven smarter people tend to keep fit. If you want a national healthcare system to work here and accomodate for those that don't have it, we're going to go bankrupt on that with the increase in diseases people are susceptible to because they refuse to live healthier lives.
It's a shame that governments cut projects like fitness programs for the young when they could be cutting far more worthy things like first-class flights on "fact-finding" missions to exotic locations.
At the same time a kid can run and shout in a park even if there isn't a playground provided. For all I disagree with where and how government cutbacks start I also disagree with the growing sense that we can't do anything unless "someone else" provides a facility.
I remember as a child running around the local park and the only things provided (aside from a green space) was a broken swing and a vandalised roundabout.
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By the 2003–04 school year, state taxpayers, in a colossal income transfer, were handing over a jaw-dropping $4 billion annually to support education spending in Jersey cities . . .
In Camden and Newark, that system spends nearly $1 billion in state funds annually—to produce a scant 2,000 high school grads a year . . .
Sounds like they should use the funds better, not cut them.
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The fat, the lazy and those who have a poor nutritional diet are going to bankrupt our healthcare system and eventually it's going to make a huge impact on our economy.
While the article itself is old, the issue itself is a growing trend. In order for state's and local governments to find more money, they cut budgets to schools(particularly the sports and physical education areas). In turn, along with so many "safety" regulations being implemented on playgrounds and things of that nature, it's no wonder our kids are becoming fat.
No, its a cultural problem. If it wasn't, the children would do any one of the physical activities that isn't dependent on school funding, like playing in the park, riding a bike, going for runs, shooting hoops, lifting weights, swimming in a pool/lake/river/ocean.
Its hardly an issue of there not being available activities. Its that people are too lazy to actually do them.
No, its a cultural problem. If it wasn't, the children would do any one of the physical activities that isn't dependent on school funding, like playing in the park, riding a bike, going for runs, shooting hoops, lifting weights, swimming in a pool/lake/river/ocean.
Its hardly an issue of there not being available activities. Its that people are too lazy to actually do them.
That depends on where you're at. If a city isn't going to fund a sports program at a school, say for junior high and/or high school kids then what? Sports programs have been proven to keep allot of kids on the straight path, though some do wander. It gives them something to do because they may not have parents at home after school.
It depends a bit on what they mean by the "sports program". Over here, we get something like 2-3 hours of physical education per week, which amounts to running around on a field or in a hall, fooling around with a bunch of random sports for half an hour each or something. I think such a program provides some nice exercise for the students, it introduces students to new sports that they then might want to play more outside of school time, and it provides a nice opportunity for class bonding.
But US schools also have all these "serious" sporting programs where students spent a lot of time becoming part of the baseball/basketball/handegg etc team, going to competitions, etc? If this school scrapped that kind of sports program, I could understand it. Better: I don't understand why schools seem to have taken over the role of sports clubs. Over here, if you want to become the next football star, you just go to the football club, pay your contribution, and play football in your free time. You don't get to play serious football paid from the school budget.
The fat, the lazy and those who have a poor nutritional diet are going to bankrupt our healthcare system and eventually it's going to make a huge impact on our economy.
only if society makes it a right. If soceity makes it a personal responsibility, then the person bankrupts themselves.
Originally Posted by laconicstudent
No, its a cultural problem. If it wasn't, the children would do any one of the physical activities that isn't dependent on school funding, like playing in the park, riding a bike, going for runs, shooting hoops, lifting weights, swimming in a pool/lake/river/ocean.
Its hardly an issue of there not being available activities. Its that people are too lazy to actually do them.
I think I have heard two or three times this year, that "___pool will not be opened this year do to funding." Organized activities encourage kids to make the effort. Just having a tennis court or basket ball hoop in the park doesn't encourage anyone to do anything.
IMO sports teams should be for the most part, self sufficient. The very few kids that make the team are the ones that enjoy the sport/exercise.
The class, gym/PE, gets alot of kids out to exercise, and find out something they can do besides sit in front of a computer or television screen.
PUblic sponsors of the arts, or physical education can offer money for this too.
We spend way to much money to get the below average students we churn out. We need to do all things better, and do them cheaper.
Bowling? not the greatest physical activity.
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only if society makes it a right. If soceity makes it a personal responsibility, then the person bankrupts themselves.
I think I have heard two or three times this year, that "___pool will not be opened this year do to funding." Organized activities encourage kids to make the effort. Just having a tennis court or basket ball hoop in the park doesn't encourage anyone to do anything.
Hm, and I would consider the fact that we need organized activities to motivate kids to do anything an underlying problem, btw. Ideally, kids would go out and be active all by themselves.
NJ Students walk out to protest Christie cuts 
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