Child and Family Canada

(Draft Letter to Newspaper)
(Please use as a guideline. Form letters have less impact.)


Date

Editor
Daily Chronicle
Street Address
City, Province
Postal Code

Dear Editor:

         As a parent, I am concerned that our school system is not doing its job in providing a well-balanced curriculum for our children. I am fully in favour of a strong academic curriculum which challenges the minds and abilities of young people. But what about helping children realize their physical potential?

         Consider the following facts:

  •         Most schools offer no more than one hour of organized physical instruction per week. Yet research has shown that academic learning improves when children receive daily physical education;


  •         An emphasis on academic subjects in schools means that children get only about one-half the amount of exercise they need to maintain effectively functioning cardiovascular systems;


  •         The vast majority of today's children are bussed to school and don't receive the physical benefits of walking;


  •         Children watch an average of 26 hours of television per week in addition to the 25 to 30 hours they spend behind a desk in school;


  •         Only six per cent of young people aged 10 to 19 are active regularly enough to reap the benefits of physical activity;


  •         According to the Canada Fitness Survey (1981), by the time they reach the 15 to 19 age group, only 24 per cent of girls and 50 per cent of boys can achieve the recommended level of aerobic fitness.

    •          A program of Quality Daily Physical Education (QDPE) each day would help reverse the effects of these kinds of sedentary habits. Just 30 minutes a day of quality physical education will not only improve the health, fitness and well-being of our children, but will also enhance their academic learning.

             It is time our schools recognize the need for Quality Daily Physical Education for our children. Such a program would help reverse the effects of the sedentary habits our children are developing. Consider how much money we spend treating health problems associated with inactivity. For example, cardiovascular disease kills an estimated 80,000 Canadians annually at a cost of $2 billion in health care costs each year! Quality physical education on a daily basis is about the well-being of children. It's not about facilities and equipment.

             To date, only 847 schools throughout Canada have been recognized by the Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CAHPERD). CAHPERD helps schools develop and achieve high standards of physical education, health and recreation. To be formally recognized by CAHPERD for the Recognition Award Program (RAP), a school must provide a well-balanced, high quality physical education program for all students, giving them a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity per week.

             As parents, it's up to us to ensure our schools provide a positive environment for learning, both cognitively and physically. Every parent should ask their school principals and trustees about the quality and quantity of physical education being provided in the school curriculum.


    Sincerely,

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