Phys ed teachers team up against proposed cuts

Physical education teachers in Westport public schools are seeking to bench a proposal by Superintendent of Schools Elliott Landon to cut gym time next year for elementary school students.

Under Landon's plan, students in kindergarten and grades one through five next year would have two 30-minute physical education classes weekly. All elementary school students this year already take part in twice weekly classes. Those sessions range from 30 minutes for kindergarten gym sessions to 35 minutes for students in grades one through three and 40 minutes for fourth graders to 45 minutes for fifth graders.

Compared to the one hour of physical education each that Landon proposes for local elementary school students, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends one hour of physical activity each day for children and adolescents.

The proposed reduction in physical education time would lead to the loss of two full-time physical education teaching positions, which would save the school district about $140,000 next year.

Landon argues that less physical education will produce more instructional time for students by facilitating "block" scheduling, while minimally affecting pupils' fitness.

"What that does is give us the opportunity at the elementary level to utilize our special (subjects) in a more consistent fashion," he said Tuesday. "What you get is the ability to schedule so that academics can be placed in large blocks without interruption so that teachers can really focus on math, literacy, social studies and science."

Landon's rationale, however, has apparently failed to convince several physical education teachers, who lambasted his plan at Monday's Board of Education meeting.

"Physical education is a necessity, not a luxury, for the health and wellbeing of the whole child," said Joyce Evans, a physical education teacher at Coleytown Elementary School. "It is an integral part of the educational process."

Cutting students' physical education time would also make them more vulnerable to childhood obesity, said Kings Highway Elementary School physical education teacher Jamie Viesselman.

"Less physical activity at school and at home means kids aren't getting the exercise necessary for healthy development," he said.

Landon responded Tuesday, telling the Westport News that schools play a limited role in combating childhood obesity.

"Let's face it, childhood obesity results from what kids eat at home," he said. "If you're going to go McDonald's and get a 1,200-calorie, fat-filled double-cheeseburger on a weekend or for dinner, you can do all you want in school, it's not going to make any difference."

He added that Westport public school students have a variety of exercise opportunities beyond physical education classes, pointing to youth programs offered by the Westport Weston Family Y and the Parks and Recreation Department.

Almost 1,500 Westport children from kindergarten to 12th grade are playing this year in town Parks and Recreation Department's youth basketball program, which is comparable to participation levels in other sports overseen by the department, said Stuart McCarthy, the parks and recreation director.

"We think we offer plenty of opportunities for kids to be physically active," he said.

The Parks and Recreation Department last year won an Excellence in Youth Sports Award from the National Alliance for Youth Sports.

McCarthy declined to comment on Landon's physical education plan.

The Board of Education will likely decide within the next two weeks whether to approve Landon's proposed reduction of physical education programming for elementary school students.