Hi J.,
Chicago Public Schools has not had gym as a requirement since my daughter was in Kindergarten (before that I don't know). If a public school has gym they have "found" the minutes for the period and the money for the teacher from SOMEWHERE because it's not allocated. They also don't have recess. They do allow kids onto the playground either 15 or 30 min in the morning before school sand the teachers take turns supervising (along with parent volunteers).
Rahm Emmanuel just passed a mandate that they are extending the school day by 90 minutes in all Chicago Public Schools beginning with 2012. Part of these minutes (I think 10) will be allocated to PE.
Right now - all things being equal my daughter's school day is only 5 hours and 15 minutes long (the shortest public school day in the nation). Honestly.... I can get my daughter to run (or put her in after school activities that are physical in nature) I'd rather they spend time on math, science and reading.
But yes, every school should have PE. And music (which is also gone from CPS) and Art (also not mandatory) and a foreign language (I'd prefer they have BOTH spanish and mandarin).
But, as it stands my 6th graders school day is this:
10min homeroom, announcements, attendance, lunch $ collection
5 min class change
40 min - reading and literacy
5 min class change
40 min - writing
5 min class change
40 min - elective (students pick from technology or art)
5 min class change
20 lunch
5 min class change
40 math
5 min class change
40 science
5 min class change
40 technology
10 wrap up and dismissal
I'm not sure what I'd have them take out... technology maybe, except that's how they do their research and write their papers. They need those skills to be competitive in high school and college.
Plus, in order to hire a PE teacher and supplies you have to pull the funding from somewhere in your school - usually at CPS that means fundraisers and it's paid for by the PTA or the Asst Principal doubles as a teacher.
My daughters school has done a good job with providing physical activities after school, but some schools don't have ANY after school activities.
I'm not sure what the fix is..... but removing PE, music, art and foreign language should NEVER have been the answer.