Buffalo News: Parents ask state to force Buffalo schools to offer more physical education
By Sandra Tan | News Staff Reporter
BUFFALO, NY – Parents, teachers, and students from the Buffalo School District came together today for a student health rally outside of City Hall in downtown Buffalo.
According to the Community Health Worker Network of Buffalo, sex education is major problem in Buffalo schools and student sexual health indicators are the poorest in New York State. Over 200 students became pregnant last year alone.
In terms of physical education, Buffalo has high rates of childhood obesity and 45 percent of Buffalo Public School 7th graders are overweight.
Advocates say this is because the Buffalo School District is out of compliance with New York State Education Department (NYSED) regulations on physical and health education.
Jessica Bauer Walker, the Executive Director of the Community Health Worker Network of Buffalo and the Vice President of the District Parent Coordinating Council, has children in Buffalo schools and organized the event to raise awareness about the health issues in the district.
Read the rest of the article and view the news video here.