REQUESTING THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND OTHERS TO DEVELOP QUALITY PHYSICAL EDUCATION CURRICULA.

WHEREAS, obesity is an increasing epidemic among children in New Mexico, and a contributing factor is a decrease in physical activity; and

WHEREAS, children learn skills and habits in primary and secondary school that they retain for life; and

WHEREAS, regular physical activity reduces the risk of developing some of the leading causes of illness and death in the United States, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and depression; and

WHEREAS, in 1997, the centers for disease control and prevention reported that almost forty percent of youth participated in fewer than two hours of physical education per week; and

WHEREAS, the New Mexico state board of education adopted standards with benchmarks for all schools in physical education; and

WHEREAS, the fall 2000 report to the president of the United States on promoting better health for young people through physical activity and sport identifies daily physical education as a strategy to increase physical activity among youth; and

WHEREAS, the techniques of teaching physical education affect students' long-term attitudes toward physical activity;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the state department of public education be requested to work with the department of health and other interested organizations to develop strategies to enable teachers to implement quality physical education curricula and teaching techniques that will encourage students at all grade levels to learn and implement skills for lifelong participation in physical activity; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state department of public education be requested to report on its efforts to develop a meaningful physical education curricula to the legislative education study committee prior to the first session of the forty-sixth legislature; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be delivered to the superintendent of public instruction, the secretary of health and the director of the legislative education study committee.