Frightening image

[Johnka]

I saw this over at t-mag. I like the angle that Chris Shugart took in his blog. Instead of blaming it on some evil empire, he turned his blame to education...and the parents.

Here's the scene. Twenty-five mostly overweight high school students are sitting on the floor of the school's cafeteria. They're dressed in gym clothes -- shorts, sleeveless shirts, sneakers. The lights are off and many are sleeping, using book bags as pillows. The rest are watching a movie playing on a "portable media center": a TV and VCR on wheels.

What's going on in this scene? Can you guess? I'll tell you what's going on:

P.E. class.

I observed scenes like this almost every day during my stint as a high school teacher -- physical education classes where nothing physical or educational is going on. The students are usually graded on whether or not they dress out. So if a kid shows up and puts on a pair of shorts, he gets an A -- even if he just sits there playing his Game Boy.

Why is this happening? Well, I'm sure it's not happening everywhere, but I taught in two schools and saw it in both. Most of the time, the problem lies with the coach assigned to teach these classes. Remember, we're not talking about athletics here, but P.E., which is required by most states. P.E. is usually for those kids who don't go out for sports.

What usually happens is that an athletic coach is assigned to "teach" this class. Now, imagine if you will being a guy who's dedicated his life to coaching sports and working with motivated athletes, but as part of your job as football coach or JV baseball coach, you also have to teach a P.E. class or two. The kids in P.E. hate sports. They're not athletes. In many cases, they detest competition, sweating, and any type of exercise, even things most kids think would be fun.

This would have to be a shitty, demoralizing class to teach for a coach. Still, I think you'll agree that parking them in front of the boob tube isn't a good option. In fact, it's a goddamn shame.

And let's not forget that good coaches are also motivators. They should be doing their best to get these kids off their asses. A good coach who truly likes working with young people -- even those young people who (gasp!) can't dribble a basketball or (horror!) can't catch a football -- can do it. I've seen it done. Hell, I've done it!

As with most education issues, I blame the administration more than the teachers and coaches. When most schools are given the directive of improving the health of their students, they simply add more diet drinks to the soda machines, replace the milk in the cafeteria with soy milk, and throw another "eat your veggies" tape into the portable media center. (And remember, at one time at least, ketchup was deemed a vegetable by the educational system.)

And it's not just schools. Day care centers are failing as well. In many cases, the state effectively hamstrings them. Example: A new law in Texas requires day care providers to offer physical activities, but in that same package of regulations the state required that all day care centers remove climbing ropes, monkey bars, and just about every piece of playground equipment you can think of. (I'm surprised they didn't make the "dangerous" and self-esteem destroying game of tag illegal.) Today's kids are inactive often because they're tied up with red tape and bumbling, brainless government officials.

In short, the village has failed. And that's understandable. Schools have other things to worry about after all. Too many people today expect the schools to do the parenting. The school districts, the state, and the federal government aren't responsible for educating your kids about the importance of health and fitness -- you are.

If your kids are fat and out of shape, you probably are too. You are their true teacher, and you do most of your educating when you don't even realize it. Your actions (or inactions as the case may be) speak volumes. Hillary Clinton wrote, "It takes a village to raise a child."

Fuck her and fuck the village. It takes a family. It takes a parent. It takes a dad.

So while the politics of our children's education and health is always an interesting topic, I don't bother debating these issues much. I know that it's not the government's job. It's mine.

Don't plant your kids in from of the TV all day. Don't feed them crap just because it's cheap and convenient. Don't let them spend all summer playing sports video games; instead take the time to show them the actual sport. Enroll them in martial arts, gymnastics, or Little League. Hell, at least take them to the park.

In short, don't be a fat, lazy couch spud and your kids probably won't be either. If you can't handle that, don't have kids. If it's too late, do something while there's still time. You are the teacher. You are the coach. Get to work.

[wingsfan]

that kid looks just like the michelin man....sad.....

[Bond007]

What's even worse is that "Mom & Dad" either think it's "cute" or blame it on a glandular problem or some farfetched societal problem that's beyond their control.


I hate STUPID people!!!

[nowayman]

Is it possible to have a heart attack by the age of 10?

[Ian Kay]

Yes, the way parents approach food is often alarming. And it's not brand new, either. I grew up with kids (and have spoken to guys my age now about the past) that are AMAZED when I tell them that my parents disallowed sugar cereals, MADE me eat my veggies (you know, the ol' "You're not leaving this table until...") gave me water or juice, never sodas (well, on the occassional celebration), and that we ALWAYS cooked at home. Going out to eat was a major event.

[jimb213]

"Are you gonna eat all your fries?"

[Ian Kay]

Originally posted by jimb213:


"Are you gonna eat all your fries?"

Holy sh*t! I think I just peed myself!!!

[Kaiser]

I always assumed elementary school PE was a requirement nationally. I was shocked to find out that my home state of Illinois is one of only 2 in the entire nation that require PE classes five times a week through HS.

Yay for the Land of Lincoln. Shame on the rest of us.

Looking at the bigger picture (sorry Chris Shugart, but there is one), most schools are suffering huge budget shortfalls because states are losing a ton of federal funding in many areas and schools often get the short straw. So many programs like after-school activities and classes like arts and music and PE get the axe. Well, at least Johnny can use his math skills to calculate at what age he'll die of coronary heart disease.

[Bond007]

Originally posted by Kaiser:
Looking at the bigger picture (sorry Chris Shugart, but there is one), most schools are suffering huge budget shortfalls because states are losing a ton of federal funding in many areas and schools often get the short straw. So many programs like after-school activities and classes like arts and music and PE get the axe. Well, at least Johnny can use his math skills to calculate at what age he'll die of coronary heart disease.

It's not just the cutbacks on the State and Federal level, but also certain Federally mandated policies, like "No Child Left Behind", that are forced on schools and there's no additional money from the fed to help pay for these programs. It just appears that far too many politicians are trying to tell our schools what to do when they don't even understand how that might impact districts nationwide.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I was taught there are no absolutes, which is a contradiction in and of itself. However, if that postulate is true, then how can you have "NO" child left behind?

Perhaps under the law and insofar as human rights are concerned, we're all created equal. But, no one ever said we're all intelligently equal. That's genetic and there's nothing we can do to control that one......YET!

[Johnka]

Originally posted by Kaiser:
Well, at least Johnny can use his math skills to calculate at what age he'll die of coronary heart disease.

Here's a transcript from Crossfire. I still think that the home is where the real failure lies.

Get off the couch, America!
April 9, 2002 Posted: 1:11 PM EDT (1711 GMT)

Who's responsible for seeing to it that Americans are physically fit? Jake Steinfeld of Body by Jake and Steven Milloy from the CATO Institute get into the Crossfire with host Paul Begala over physical fitness in the United States.

MILLOY: I think exercise is great. I work out every day. I love it. I'm in good shape. And I plan to stay that way. And I think everybody should. But you know, it's my personal choice. I don't think we should mandate it publicly. I don't think the federal government should get involved in forcing people to exercise or making people feel guilty if they don't.

STEINFELD: I don't think it's about forcing. I think that if you can take ... what we have now, which we call the President's Council on Physical Fitness, which really isn't doing much these days...

MILLOY: It's a failure.

STEINFELD: And it isn't a failure. It just hasn't been paid attention to. And there's a way, though, that you can combine both the government and the private sector. Now I'm going to go back to our foundation because it's working. We've put now 25 of these Don't Quit! fitness centers in inner-city middle schools around the country.

... Eighty percent of the schools in our country today don't offer daily physical education classes. The obesity rate in this country is out, reading in the papers. Seventy-five percent of obese teens stay obese into adulthood. But the mindset being is we need a single voice.... a place that people can go to.

MILLOY: So many fitness crazes in this country in the '70s and the '80s and now. The fitness industry is booming. And you know, the message is not catching on.

STEINFELD: Because well, that's a whole other story, because I agree.

MILLOY: The government's efforts failed.

STEINFELD: I agree. I think that there needs to be watchdogs from the FTC, looking at some of the abdominal products out there.

MILLOY: We have PE in schools. It's not working.

STEINFELD: With those zappers that you can stick on the top of your head.

MILLOY: If the federal government does so little well, why do you want them to do more worse?

BEGALA: Well, one of the things the federal government does very well is pay the bills. Right? We have Medicare and we have Medicaid. And they are paying for the health habits of all Americans, including for example, oh say, the vice president of the United States, who has had four heart attacks, two heart surgeries, cancer, gout. He almost died eating a pomegranate. Wouldn't it have been better to spend $10 and get him a Body by Jake video. We wouldn't have to put $200,000 into surgery.

STEINFELD: Wait, hang on a second. What do I owe you for that? Hang on a second. Dial 1-800...

MILLOY: I mean, you guys want publicly financed health care. Then you complain when you have to pay for the health care of people. Well you know, this, you know, Dick Cheney's what you're going to have to pay for.

[Jean-Paul]

That kid's parents should be dragged to the street and beaten!

I don't blame McDonalds. MY kids aren't obese. They love McDonalds. They get a happy meal about once every week or two (with the dippin' apples and milk instead of soda). McDonalds didn't force feed that kid. And it doesn't take long to notice bodyfat accumulation to act on it out of interest for the kid's health. Nope, can't pin it on the evil capitalist company. The parents should be fined and forced to take child care and nutrition classes. It really just breaks my heart to see that.

[massive member]

the town next to me has 4 mcdonalds and 3 burger kings plus the usual popeyes, kfc, sonic, etc. and its nowhere near the size of say baton rouge or new orleans.

everytime a new one would open, they would treat it as some grand occasion.

[Kaiser]

John, I don't disagree with you. I think the ultimate responsiblity lies at home with the parents. But it is a multi-faceted problem. If schools (and since most of them are public and tax funded) don't have any role, then why are we paying taxes to educate our kids? My wife, an elemntary school teacher, can do a hell of a better job home schooling our two sons than a public school. But schooling is about learning AND socialization. Teaching children how to take care of their bodies is important as well. Kids together naturally want to run, climb, and jump. Not sit behind a desk. If we don't offer that opportunity at school, one prong in our attack on the national obesity epidemic is removed. And we need every prong (fork pun not really intended).

Like JP, it makes me very sad when I see pictures like that. And mad as well. Last night I got home late from work and my older son was still up. I had him change and we went out for a walk (it was getting dark for a bike ride). We only walked a mile, but it was time together and it was active. From my point of view, it was golden, and my son, when going to bed leaned over, gave me a kiss, and said that he really enjoyed walking with me and wanted to do it again. Who knew they would just enjoy simply walking with their parents?

[gregl515]

I think you have to expose kids to exercise. My stepdaughter had a good PE teacher who was motivated and motivated the kids to try different exercises and sports. Throught that class my stepdaughter, who didn't even like to walk to Blockbuster, learned that she liked track, tried out for and made the team and spent alot of afternoons evenings and even weekends practicing. She never would have tried it if not for PE.

[jimb213]

I'm looking for one that's really a tragedy, but I can't find it. There's a 5 year old girl that weighs 250 lbs. 100 lbs more than me, and less than half my height. She's been on maury povich before, and there are some decent screencaps of her, but I can't find any for the life of me. She should be taken away from her parents and put in a foster home with marathoners or something. The first time I saw her, it made me sick how irresponsible parents can be.

[DiBatista]

i can't stand fliping through tv channels, seeing some lady crying about how she doesn't know how her kid got so big and some douchbag talk show host is there saying You did not cause this it is societys will to set people up for fatness, then they go to there house and there more candy bars then there are pounds on there fat kid....

[Robbyrh10]

Geez, that is so sad to see. That child is going to have a hard time growing up.