- Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa)
While lawmakers in the United States looks to improve education in this country, one congressman has introduced a new pilot program to improve physical education as well. Congressman Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa) has introduced the P.E. for the 21st Century act, with the goal to establish a competitive pilot program for physical education classes in elementary and secondary school systems. Under this program fitness technology would be introduced to help students reach fitness goals. These would includes devices such as heart rate monitors and body fat testing, and would be part of a core curriculum of physical fitness in American schools.
The congressman introduced this legislation last week after several tours and meetings with physical education leaders at Grundy Center Community Schools in Iowa. Currently the school district’s PE 4 Life program already incorporates interactive technologies as part of its own physical education curriculum. This includes using heart rate monitors to track activity levels and progress, and gives students the ability to track personal health goals, to ensure that they are maintaining and improving their own fitness levels.
“We must utilize all available technologies to encourage physical fitness among our nation’s children,” Boswell said. “The equipment that will be available from the grants are proven tools toward not only improving physical education curriculum, but also encouraging children to remain physically fit outside of the P.E. class.”
IowaPolitics Press Release: U.S. Rep. Boswell: Introduces physical education legislation