Politics
Of Fitness and Governors
- Sarah Palin (Via Jack and Jill/McNamee/Getty.)
In England, "fit" means sexy, as in "hot." In America, it's a painfully dry term, used most naturally by gym teachers and politicians....
- Ironies abound: Sarah Palin encouraging Alaskans to sign up for the National President's Challenge, (which is alot like our B.O.W.C., but different.) Apparently, Alaska somehow won the challenge last year, though "recent surveys show that about 65% of Alaska adults are overweight or obese."
- Meanwhile, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue (Republican, no relation to the chicken) signed legistlation requiring all Georgia students to take a yearly fitness test. Apparently, an earlier version of the bill requiring a twice yearly weigh-in was shot down. "Critics complained the weigh-ins could be humiliating for overweight students," writes the AP. Doh!
No question, that would suck to be the fat kid on weigh-in day. On the other hand, must be hard to keep track of the obesity problem without weighing the kids. I can say that, back in the day, at a certain Upper East Side private school, they had no such qualms: The sons of lawyers and bankers were weighed and measured scrupulously. It's all proof, I suppose, that politics, if not political correctness, afflicts public schools more than private.
- Oliver's blog
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Comments
My public school in GA made us weigh in, and it was humiliating and rude. Schools do not always hold their PE staff to high standards there, and they were not above insulting an overweight kid.
I think weighing is important for kids, but it should be in a safe, private situation, like a doctors appt. Also, Sonny Perdue is a jackass. That has nothing to do with the subject, I'm just forced by my Georgia family to point that out whenever possible.
Submitted by sandyliz on 04.29.09 at 12:18.
Hey I was raised in Anchorage, Alaska. Yeah funny, what are Dominicans doing in Alaska!!.. love the nature though, is beautiful. No I wasn't able to see Russia from my house or anyone's house for that matter. : )
Submitted by warrior on 04.29.09 at 01:11.
With childhood obesity on the rise, I see how this is important. It obviously risks humiliation, and should be done privately... but what's more, I'm sure it's difficult to differentiate body type vs proper weight.
Me? I weighed 185 lbs when I was 11. That's right. 1.8.5. But in the coming years, I grew 14 inches, and was a solid 167 lbs at 6'2" up until I turned 23. So, as long as it's not a standardized weigh in system, and instead accounts for individual students and is respectful and mindful of the students, I see this as a huge imperative for our kids today.
Submitted by Mr. Mohawk on 04.29.09 at 01:37.