I saw an interview this morning with our current Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan.  He says the reforms to the No Child Left Behind Act will include expanding the school subjects covered, and that physical education will be back in school curriculum plans.   Since NCLB began, schools have been winnowing down students’ “non-essential” subjects — meaning, subjects that didn’t score on the NCLB tests — and many believe this has contributed to the epidemic of childhood obesity.

Will the reforms really get kids back to the playground and back to gym class?   Time will tell.  This is not the aspect that proponents are touting the loudest, but it may be one of the most important.  Allowing playtime (structured or not) for students is a critical step in improving childrens’ health and well-being, and even their ability to learn the “real” subjects. 

Agree?  Disagree?  What’s your take on it?