The state of Massachusetts is requiring local towns to report student's body mass index in order to qualify to receive $43,000 in state funding over the next decade but the towns are burdened with handling the necessary staffing for this project.
The Massachusetts Public Health Council and the Mass in Motion anti-obesity initiative requires that all schools that receive Dept. of Public Health grants calculate students' body mass indexes to determine healthy proportions then confidentially report findings to parents.
The town of Franklin, MA at a recent school committee meeting discussed how to handle this issue for its 6,100 enrolled students. There was discussion over the inappropriateness of government getting involved in private weight matters, concern regarding what the state may ultimately do with the compiled reports as well as the irony of the issue given that severe physical education cutbacks have been seen statewide.
These are difficult issues for sure, but I do not personally believe the government should be making this reporting a prerequisite for obtaining local funding. Franklin recently offered a more expanded version of its previous physical education requirement in which students can meet guidelines through participation in any structured sport whether it is 3 days per week with a personal trainer or 5 days on the Cross Country Team. Physical education does not need to be held as a class during the school day any longer as long as students do something active. Students benefit by staying involved with their peers while simultaneously getting great cardiovascular benefits.
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