Schools keep
P.E. requirementA BOE task force's plan raises credits
needed for graduation to 22.5 from 22
A controversial plan to reduce physical education has been shelved, while a Board of Education committee deferred a decision yesterday on other proposed changes in public school graduation requirements.
The Graduation Requirements Task Force backed off its initial proposal to cut the PE requirement from one year to half a year in the face of public outcry at meetings it held across the state.
"We have an obesity problem here in Hawaii," Dennis Chai, associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Hawaii, told the Board of Education Committee on Regular Education yesterday. "We need P.E. in kindergarten through 12th grade."
The task force -- made up of principals, college admissions staff, and others -- presented its final recommendations yesterday to the board. But the committee put off its decision until next month after hearing strong opposition to a proposal to cut the social studies requirement to three years from four years.
Educators and others argued that now was not the time to reduce courses in subjects like global affairs, civics and economics, which fall under the rubric of social studies.
"Instead of biting the bullet and admitting that what we really need to be talking about here is a longer school day, the task force recommendations pit one discipline against another," said Lisa Menton, a professor of social studies education at the University of Hawaii, speaking in her personal capacity.
In exchange for the reduction in social studies and dropping a half-credit guidance course, the task force recommended:
>> Adding a one-credit senior project.Altogether, the plan boosts the number of credits required to graduate to 22.5 from 22.
>> Adding two credits of either world languages, fine arts, or career and technical education.
>> Keeping the P.E. requirement at one year, but allowing students to choose an elective P.E. class, such as tennis, for half of the year.While the testimony focused on proposed cuts, board members also expressed concern over a proposal to require seniors to carry out a project, saying they had many questions about how it would be implemented.
But Principal Pat Pedersen of Waipahu High School, a task force member, called it a key component in personalizing the high school experience for students and making learning relevant to them.
"It's a personal project for the student," she said. "It's a demonstration of all they have learned."
Committee Chairman Sherwood Hara asked the Department of Education to consider the task force's proposals and make its own recommendations to the committee by its April meeting.