Getting school children out of their seats and onto the playground and into the gym is the stated goal of a measure introduced in the legislature this week.

House Bill 1069, with bipartisan sponsorship from Rep. Tom Massey, R-Poncha Springs and Rep. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, would require each Colorado school district to adopt a policy setting aside a minimum of 30 minutes a day dedicated to physical activity for elementary-aged school children.

The bill also specifies that schools which currently exceed the 30-minute requirement cannot reduce their current minutes.

Fields said that Colorado is one of two states, the other being Alaska, that do not have the physical-activity requirement.  It’s a distinction Fields hopes the state will leave behind.

“As a state we can do more and do better to keep our kids healthier,” said Fields.

Another distinction Colorado has, says Fields, is ranking 23rd in the nation for childhood obesity, an issue Fields said dovetails nicely with Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign.  Colorado has been seeing an upward trend in childhood obesity.

“We’re not trending the right way,” said Fields.  “Kids are getting heavier.  They are on Facebook, and their iPods, and are not getting as much physical activity anymore. This measure is also in line with the First Lady’s involvement with childhood obesity.”

However, should the bill reach the Senate Education Committee, Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Colorado Springs said he will not be supporting the measure because he believes it steps outside the bounds of lawmaker’s responsibilities.

“Physical activity is a necessary and important component of a child’s growing up years but it’s not the legislature’s place to put a mandate on school districts,” said Renfroe. “This is just another example of good intentions being forced on schools and citizens, taking away from personal responsibility.”

Massey said he is sponsoring the bill with Fields because he has been hearing for years about the lack of physical education programs in schools, and because in his opinion it’s a win-win for everyone when time is set aside for physical activity.

“It’s good for parents, for teachers, for the kids, for everyone when kids are more active.”

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