News Leader News
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
- April 11, 2006
Dear Editor:
What are we doing to rebuild physical education programs in BC schools and not just 'equipment inventories?' And what in the blue blazes are we doing to regular classroom teachers in our elementary schools in relation this program?
Reading education minister, Shirley Bond's recent announcement about providing long overdue cash for the shockingly battered and scarce physical education equipment in schools, and the minister's accompanying announcement to provide "teacher training for classroom-activity bins and healthy-eating learning materials" for regular elementary classroom teachers, one marvels at how out of touch this minister and her department is with ongoing everyday life and instructional programs in our elementary schools.
The last time I looked regular classroom teachers in elementary schools were responsible, in varying degrees, for teaching: Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Art, Science, Music, Core French, Social Responsibility, Computer Ed, anti Racism and Homophobia programs and of course Physical Education.
Contrast Bond's glib statements with the awareness and concern of Charles Clarke, the former British Minister of Education, when he introduced that country's new physical education and coaching program two years ago by stating "we are very anxious that more burdens would not be placed on (regular) teachers and on the British curriculum."
Bond and her bureaucrats in their new announcement have once again chosen to ignore the unanimous recommendation of the British Columbia School Trustee Association (BCSTA) that in order to provide "quality K-12 physical education programs" we need "qualified physical education specialists" in all of our schools.
Instead Victoria is piling on added responsibilities for umpteen programs and services with no end in sight. Three-ringed binders, directives, guidelines and folders flow like an endless river to regular classroom teachers. Need a physical education teacher in your school?
Forget about it.
Here's another three-ringed binder with perhaps some in-service, if you are lucky.
Lastly, physical education in BC schools over the past four years has taken a battering thanks to underfunding and the layoff of over 2,500 teachers, placing added responsibility on remaining staff.
Next to school-librarians, physical education teachers in many schools and in many school districts are now a vanishing breed.
The health and well-being of more that a half million children in our schools deserves top priority as alarm bells ring about the sharp increase in childhood obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
It's time to dispense with public relations initiatives and introduce a serious, substantial, and comprehensive physical education program to meet the changing needs of BC children.
Shirley Bond's recent announcement is not even in this ballpark.
- Sincerely,
Noel Herron, False Creek
To The Editor;
Town Council is supporting a contest for students of Vermilion Forks and John Allison Grades 3 to 7. The main focus of the contest is to educate the community on the effects of feeding deer in the community and residential areas of Princeton.
Students who are being "Home Schooled" under the Central Interior Distance Education School are also invited to submit compositions.
Students are asked to write a composition outlining the detrimental effects the feeding of deer has on both our community and the deer themselves. We are hoping that the contest will be used as an educational tool to raise the awareness of local persons to stop feeding the deer. Suggestions as to what humane measures could be taken to downsize the herds should also be included in the contestants composition.
The contest opened on April 3rd and will close on April 21st. There will be prizes of $35.00 and $15.00 awarded to students at each school. Awards will be presented by Mayor Randy McLean at the Town Office. Date of the presentations will be April 28th.
Here are the Rules of the Contest: The compositions may be hand written or typed in one hundred words or less, written to the attention of Mayor Randy McLean and handed in to the Principal's of the schools.
The names of the winners will be delivered to the office of the Mayor. We want students to be as creative in their ideas as possible. We want their ideas and suggestions. Young minds can make a difference!
Winning compositions will be published in the local newspapers.
Good Luck!
- Joyce Fraser, Princeton
