A K-12 reform bill being considered by the Assembly and Senate Education Committees would allow after-school sports to count toward physical education credits.
State Representative Evan Wynn (R-Whitewater) has some concerns. He says physical education is about learning life-long motor skills and activities rather than just exercising. He gives an example of football linemen who will develop the skills and attributes for that position, but will not be exposed to a comprehensive education.
“They’ll learn nothing about any other activities or sports, says Wynn, a phys-ed teacher and football coach.
Chairman of the Assembly Committee Steve Kestell (R-Elkhart Lake) says with complaints that students already don’t get enough math and science coursework, this legislation would free up athletes’ schedules to take those types of classes.
State Senator Bob Jauch (D-Poplar) is concerned student athletes would bully those non-student athletes because they still have to attend PE.
Senate Education Chairman Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) says those non-athletic students may actually experience less bullying under the bill.
“If I was a kid who was totally uncoordinated, I wouldn’t be real thrilled to be in gym class of a bunch of jocks who poked fun at me and did all those things.”
Olsen and Kestell say the bill’s language does not mandate sports credit for PE but allows local districts to implement it.