Don't cut Portland PE, Chris Dudley says
Published: Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 6:34 PM Updated: Thursday, July 01, 2010, 12:27 AM
Physical education classes are too important to cut from Portland schools, and the district should look elsewhere for cost savings, Republican candidate for governor Chris Dudley said Wednesday, weighing in on a debate that has sparked a wave of outcry.
Chris DudleyBut Dudley, in an interview with The Oregonian, stopped short of saying what those other cuts should be.
"I know there are a lot of proposals being talked about among the school board," he said. "I'll let them decide that. But I'm adamant, as a big picture, as a state, PE is one area we definitely should not sacrifice."
Dudley, a former professional basketball player who has diabetes, said exercise for school children is one of his passions, given the growing risk of overweight children developing diabetes or other illnesses.
He said Oregon's school funding problems are long-term and structural, and could be solved in part by putting more money into state reserve accounts. He also called for a special session of the Legislature to reduce the amount schools have been ordered to cut to fill a $577 million shortfall in the current state budget.
His comments drew immediate fire from his main opponent, Democrat John Kitzhaber, as well as a mild rebuke from a member of the Portland school board.
"As a doctor, I can tell you that PE is important for academic success and for staying out of the
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