Talking Points on Healthy Active Children

Talking Points

House Bill 303, the Healthy Active Children in Grades K-8:

1) Requires all K-8 school children to receive at least 150 minutes of physical education during each school week, based on the Healthful Living Standard Course of Study.
2) No student shall be permitted to waive or substitute other classes for education requirements.
3) Integrates health related fitness testing except in the early elementary grades.

Read the Bill:

    http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/html2003/bills/AllVersions/House/H303v3.html

This bill was passed unanimously by the House last spring and currently resides in the Education Committee of the Senate. It must pass this committee prior to being voted upon by the entire Senate.

NC Public School law currently does not mandate minutes of instruction for ANY SUBJECT AREA. If this bill is passed, it may cause a snowball effect for other subject areas to lobby legislators for minimum minutes of instruction, and MAY CAUSE OTHER AREAS SUCH AS THOSE NOT TESTED, TO BE REDUCED OR ELIMINATED, because there is simply not enough time left in the instructional day.

Share your opinions with your SENATE MEMBER especially if your SENATOR is listed on the Education/Higher Education Committee. You are also encouraged to share your opinions with all members of the Education Committee. Also let your superintendent, principal, school board members, and parents know how you feel.

You may visit the website below to look up legislation, to locate photographs and contact information for your senators, or to access other information. REMEMBER, YOUR REPRESENTATIVES WORK FOR YOU, but only if you let them know what you think about the issues before them. Please take a moment to inform your legislators of your wishes. You teaching position may depend on it!!

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us

Submitted by Fran Page
pagef@meredith.edu