RECAP: First Lady's Let's Move! Web Chat

The First Lady held the first ever web chat to discuss the Let's Move! campaign this morning. The public was invited to ask the First Lady questions regarding her initiative and the childhood obesity epidemic via Facebook.

During the chat, we heard some great ideas and tough questions posted on Facebook from some of our physical education experts. Now, we want to know what you think! Do you agree with what was said from these physical education experts? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

• How will physical education be promoted and advanced in the schools. All of our kids attend school so this is the most comprehensive opportunity to address the needs of all children with quality, age appropriate physical activity/physical education.

• Quality physical education can be THE VEHICLE to educate all kids!

• We HAVE to change the mindset...define QUALITY physical education.

• Questions about Physical Education are not Sports or extra curricula! This is part of the issue. Play is fun and great but don’t we really need physical education also? Do we need to do more to educate folks on the difference?

• I wish we could have the opportunity to educate the First Lady on QUALITY physical education. PLAY is not physical education. Physical Education is not all games.

• Seems lets move is supporting more physical activity which is awesome! But I am not hearing much about true physical education. NASPE can certainly help clarify the difference.

• While the intent here is positive, if the administration does not know the difference between physical activity and physical education, if they don't know what constitutes quality, 21st century physical education, if they don't understand the EDUCATION portion of physical education, the outlook for this program isn't very positive.

• She did not mention policy to increase PE time, but focused on integration of physical activity. Integration of PA is important but not at the expense of a quality physical education class.

• The First Lady does not know what Quality Physical Education is & does not know the differences between Physical Education & Physical Activity. Kickball and duck, duck, goose are NOT examples of Physical Education.

• As long as the jobs of teachers and administrators is made dependent on test scores, physical education will be the lowest priority. The research relating physical exercise/education to academic success is overwhelming. Have you or the President or Sec. Duncan read Dr. John Ratey (SPARK) or Dr. Carla Hannaford (Smart Moves) or Dr. John Medina (Brain Rules) or any of the other books that provides us the research.

• Physical Educators would like to be a part of this initiative. We would like to offer our advice and support. Please start including us and recognizing the important role we play in schools.

• If you don't involve physical education and physical educators in this battle you cannot win. We are the ones who work with children on a regular basis. We are the ones who educate children so they understand life long active life styles.

• The terms “physical activity” and “physical education” are often used interchangeably. However, they differ in important ways. Understanding the difference between the two is critical to understanding why both contribute to the development of healthy, active children. Think of this: Physical Activity is a behavior. Physical Education is a core subject area with a curriculum that includes physical activity.

• We truly appreciate the First Lady's move to take on the fight against nationwide overweight/obesity, but the process is poorly constructed and poorly framed, lacks inclusion and I have doubts that it will ever be as successful as it could and should be.
  
  
• I would not expect her to know about QPE; that is not her passion. Professionals in the field must continue to advocate for and educate about QPE, so all people can begin to feel our passion. Let's take the first lady's agenda and positively use it to our advantage.
  

PEP Grant Lesson Learned

While we love to share success stories, we know that unfortunately sometimes things are best learned by mistakes. Here is an example of a school district in Wisconsin who misused their PEP funds. What is great about this story is how they right their wrong and share the steps they should have taken.

Nekoosa School District misused funds to buy soccer field

NEKOOSA -- The Nekoosa School District will pay about $49,000 for a soccer field built in 2008, after school officials confirmed the district used federal grant dollars without following the guidelines.

In 2007, the U.S. Department of Education awarded the district a Carol M. White Physical Education Program grant of nearly $350,000 to improve local programming. The three-year matching federal grant helps districts purchase equipment and pay for staff support and training to initiate, expand and improve physical education programs, according to the department.

A June 2009 Nekoosa School District audit by Wipfli's Rhinelander accounting office found district employees were not adequately tracking and managing grant funds.

Read full story on the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune website here.

What's the first "bold action" Congress should take in solving the childhood obesity epidemic?

James S. Marks, senior vice president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, recently wrote a powerful article titled "We Need Bold Action on Childhood Obesity" in the Huffington Post. In the article, he highlights some statistics that have made headlines lately. You've probably heard or seen a few of them at some point, but seeing the facts presented together is astonishing:

• Adult obesity rates rose in 28 states over the past year and declined only in the District of Columbia.
• Nearly one-third of children are obese or overweight, placing them at higher risk for diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and a host of other serious chronic illnesses.
• 84% of Americans believes the childhood obesity epidemic is a serious problem -- Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and Tea Party supporters agree.
• 56% believe we should launch a comprehensive national program to prevent childhood obesity, even if we have to invest billions of dollars now to prevent hundreds of billions in costs later.

As physical educators or advocates of quality physical education, you guys are the ones that see first-hand the toll childhood obesity is having on our children. So, we want your input on a few questions:

1. If the study is right and 85% of Americans believe childhood obesity is a serious problem, then what can we do, as individuals, to help solve this crisis?

2. Marks suggests strengthening the National School Lunch Program as the first "bold step" Congress should take in combating the childhood obesity epidemic. What do you recommend as the first "bold step?"