DENVER-
Gov. Bill Ritter vetoed his second bill of the session on Monday, a measure that would have required larger public schools to hire a licensed physical education instructor.
Ritter said the measure (House Bill 1122) went too far. He said it would have created disparities between smaller and larger schools.
“Though I agree with proponents’ interest in creating healthier and safer environments for children, I disagree that House Bill 1122 effectively addresses these issues,” Ritter said in his veto letter to lawmakers.
Ritter said the bill would require a school like Archuleta High School with 54 students to hire a licensed instructor or cancel those courses because the district enrolls more than 1,500 students, the threshold set by the bill.
Ritter said the school districts could voluntarily implement the proposal.
He said if statistics on the growing problem of childhood obesity are correct, school boards should seriously consider ways to broaden physical education courses such as healthy eating, anatomy and stress management.
![[prison 19] Caption: This is Cellhouse 1, Pod A, from ground level inside the Sterling Correctional Facility which is located outside of Sterling, Colorado Thursday afternoon. Photographer: LEW SHERMAN Title: FREELANCE Credit: SPECIAL TO THE POST City: Sterling State: CO Country: USA Date: 19990617 ObjectName: prison 19 Keyword: PUBDATE____1999_06_22](/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/20151207__denverpostp1.jpg?w=538 "20151207__denverpost~p1.jpg")
