Four state delegates from Fairfax County penned a letter to Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell urging him to veto a bill that would mandate 150 minutes of physical education per week for elementary and middle school students by 2014.
“This bill is, first, an unfunded mandate that will cost Fairfax County schools, as well as others, millions of dollars,” reads the letter, signed by Republican Dels. Barbara Comstock, Tom Rust, Dave Albo, and Tim Hugo. “In Fairfax it is estimated that the additional costs for staffing alone will be between $18-24 million.”
The letter praises after-school programs and parent education programs as alternatives to combat childhood obesity.
“We know the First Lady of Virginia has also joined with First Lady Michelle Obama in giving this issue public attention and we applaud their efforts,” it reads. “These private sector and public service education efforts can work on this issue instead of adding another ‘one size fits all’ mandate to our schools.”
Fairfax County school board chair Kathy Smith and Superintendent Jack Dale have also asked the governor to veto the bill, which is still being reviewed.
