Part 1

Thoughts of cutting Oregon PE call for tough decisions

Each school day the students of the 4J School District make their way through the
cold and crisp Eugene air to school. They travel by car, bus and sometimes walk to
school to learn new information and techniques that will help them be successful in
the future. For many 7th and 8th grade students at a 4J school the routine is always
the same. Six hours a day sitting at a desk with the occasional break for lunch and a
snack. What is missing from their day?

Physical Education

The state of Oregon is in the middle of a terrible budget crisis that has been affecting
schools throughout the state. In Eugene, schools have had to cut $35 million from
their budget over the last two school years. These cuts have had a profound affect on
teachers and students.1
The main issue that has been brought about through the budget cuts is where
should the money get pulled from?

Currently, PE is not considered to be a top priority in many schools across the

nation.2 Many do not understand the value of what a properly taught and properly
funded PE program can do for children. It is time to for parents and school
administrators to wake up and make some hard choices in order to keep PE going.

Schools across the state are not going to reduce the time students have for the core
subjects such as English and Math. Unfortunately, the problem many districts are
facing in Oregon and throughout the country is the prospect of cutting PE from
school entirely.

This issue has been a topic of controversy for a long time but recently gathered
more steam in June when Superintendent Carole Smith of Portland proposed a plan
to cut PE from elementary and middle schools in Portland. 3
Fortunately the community was so outraged at the Superintendent’s plan the local
organizations and concerned citizens created a movement called “Save Portland PE”
which wound up keeping PE in Portland for the time being.

In Eugene, so far only the 7th and 8th graders have been affected by the budget cuts.
7th and 8th graders at the 4J district get one term of PE a year while 6th graders are in
PE all year.

1
The Register Guard
2
CNN
3
Oregon Live
The main issue is whether or not the schools in Oregon should get more funding for
their PE programs. In Eugene, they have managed the funding problem very well so
far by applying for PEP grants. The 4J District has received three of these grants that
have kept the PE program going and have allowed the schools to purchase new
equipment. These grants are given to districts that are in need of funding for their
PE programs. The grants are used to strengthen the PE programs at schools so that
kids have a chance to be active every day.4

Shirley Betournay, a thirty-year veteran PE teacher at Monroe Middle School in

Eugene spoke about the grants and how fortunate 4J has been.
“We got three PEP grants in the last five years. Over three million dollars, that’s how
our program is surviving,” said Betournay.5 Unfortunately, the money from those
grants will not last forever. Betournay is retiring in June and hopes another full-time
PE teacher will replace her. “I always have tears in my eyes when I say this, my
biggest fear is that I have been here for thirty years and I retire this June. Will I be
replaced? That’s a scary thought,” said Betournay.

In order to save PE in Oregon, sacrifices need to be made so that there is enough

funding to go around. The very important subjects such as Math and English are
fundamental to a child’s education and would never be cut. However, the childhood
obesity problem in America is becoming more and more apparent. According to the
Centers for Disease Control, it has been estimated that 32% of American children
are overweight and 17% are obese.6

In order to preserve the health for the future generation of children there needs to
be a stronger focus on getting PE programs state-wide more funding. One of the first
ways this could be done is by cutting other elective classes. Maybe an art class or a
language class is cut in order to make room for more funding dollars for PE. This
option could be met with a significant amount of criticism however. It is going to be
tough for the districts to make everyone happy. If parents were made aware of the
obesity problems then maybe they would be more willing to see other classes cut
instead.

Why is it so important for schools to keep PE and fund it more efficiently? Doctors
around the world recommend that all children in school should get 60 minutes a day
of physical activity.7 In addition to getting kids active every day, studies have shown
that PE can actually boost academic achievement levels.8 A well-funded PE program
can expose kids to being active and can also increase their performance in the
classroom. An increase in PE has also shown a strong correlation between children

4
PEP Grant
5
Shirley Betournay interview
6
USA Today
7
The Journal of Pediatrics
8
Educational Leadership
being healthier physically, emotionally and socially.9 Seems like a no-brainer to do
whatever we can to maintain current programs.

Elizabeth Hovde of the Oregonian provided an interesting counter-argument to the

situation. She acknowledges that PE cuts are unfavorable, but proposes that the cuts
would work out. She supports the opinion that regular teachers could run PE time
for students. “Teachers are talented people who could lead their students in some
kickball or laps around a track in the absence of a separate PE class,” said Hovde. 10
Hovde has a great solution to the problem. The main issue with her stance is that PE
is not just time for students to run around a field or kick a ball around. After
watching Shirley Betournay teach her class, it is clear that PE has evolved into a
health class as well. It’s about teaching students about different physical activities so
that they will have knowledge about them and will not be afraid to try them in the
future. Betournay even has textbooks for her class. These books talk about the
importance of healthy choices and how to stay fit in the future. The PE classes are
doing the right thing and 4J in Eugene is giving these kids a chance to learn
everything they can about physical activity. It is very clear that in order to keep
these great programs going there has to be a stronger effort to fund them.

While the economy may not allow for more PE funding at the time, there are still
ways for the community to help. sSchools can organize bake sales to raise money to
buy new equipment. Parents can make donations to contribute also. We are all
concerned about our budgets this year. However, the parents of children still in
school and school administrators owe it to the kids to make an effort to ensure they
stay in PE.

9
Oregon Live
10
Oregon Live