Kids' health depends on us

State Rep. Ron Sandack from Downers Grove sponsored a bill to eliminate physical education from the curriculum of our schools.

Other representatives to add their name to this bill include; Michael Tryon from Crystal Lake signed on as an added chief co-sponsor; Steven Andersson from Geneva signed on as an added co-sponsor, and Jeanne M Ives from Wheaton signed on as an added chief sponsor.

I will be asking them what their rationale is for drafting this bill and I hope you do, too.

Quality physical education in our state is no longer "roll out the ball" and continued professional development of physical educators throughout our state is given through the Illinois Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, www.IAHPERD.org. Research and best practices are shared with colleagues on a continuous basis and presented to all the K-12 children we teach.

Currently, Elgin Area School District U-46 is in the process of rewriting our PE curriculum-of which I am on the elementary team - from elementary to middle school to high school. Overwhelming research has proved that moderate to vigorous physical activity improves overall health, decreases the rate of Obesity, increases self-esteem, decreases negative behavior leading to truancy and the "prison pipeline," and is directly correlated to increased test scores in math and reading.

More structured physical activity is positively related to improved academic performance.

Physical education is an integral part of a child's overall education and should never be considered an easy area for the "chopping block."

Please take a minute to contact the above representatives to share your concern with this thought to eliminate physical education from our curriculum. Our children's health and overall development depends on us.

Garrick Balk

South Elgin