It has been suggested that having physical education classes in schools provides an indirect positive correlation to student academic achievement. Advocates for physical education in schools argue that students who participate in regular quality physical activity perform better on standardized tests as well as in the classroom. Many schools have cut back or eliminated traditional physical education programs because of the decrease in funding along with increasing academic demands. Time that was traditionally dedicated to physical education has now been chopped up and delegated to the increasing academic demands. According to the American Heart Association, recent studies have found a strong correlation between aerobic fitness and academic performance as measured by grades in core subjects and standardized test scores. Several large-scale studies found improvements in students' academic performance with increased time spent in physical education. About 95 percent of parents believe physical education should be part of the basic required program, but the majority of schools do not require it. It is an elective, if it is offered at all

Where do you stand in this particular situation? Are you an advocate of physical education and do you believe that it can academically benefit students? Are you willing to fight for physical education to be a requirement in schools? Consider these questions and the state of our youth's physical health and please take a stand!