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October 19, 2010Students allowed to opt out of BMI tests
Wednesday, October 13, 2010 02:45 PM
By GAIL MARTINEAU
ThisWeek Community Newspapers
The Upper Arlington City School District plans to comply this year with the portion of the new Healthy Choices for Healthy Children Act that requires body-mass-index testing for students. Some central Ohio districts, such as Dublin, are considering applying for a state waiver to push back the controversial requirement until the 2011-12 school year. According to the Healthy Choices legislation, which was part of S.B. 210 that was signed into law June 18, parents of students in kindergarten, third, fifth and ninth grades have the option to opt out of BMI testing. BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Nancy Kimnach, health services coordinator for the Upper Arlington Schools, said the district decided to move forward with BMI testing because it eventually will be mandatory. “We are going to go ahead and do the BMI testing and get the information to Ohio,” she said. The deadline for parents who wish to opt their children out of BMI testing has passed for students at Windermere and Wickliffe elementaries. The deadline for students at Tremont Elementary is Oct. 20, Barrington Elementary is Oct. 29 and Greensview Elementary and Upper Arlington High School is Nov. 1. The opt-out forms are available on the district’s website, www.uaschools.org… http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/upperarlington/stories/2010/10/13/students-allowed-to-opt-out-of-bmi-tests.html?sid=104
