Trump is reviving an outdated and problematic practice for American school children
Everyone knows that American kids — and adults — need more exercise. If President Donald Trump’s recent decision to reinvigorate the federal Presidential Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition and reinstate the Presidential Fitness Test helps get more kids moving, as he promises, it would be a welcome step in the right direction. But what we know so far about this reboot — and Trump’s record on fitness — should make us wary of its ability to actually combat the epidemic of sedentariness that contributes to all kinds of health conditions, from obesity to mental illness.The executive order re-establishes the council, which Trump had renamed during his first term to place “sports” before “fitness,” a subtle choice that apparently prioritizes competitive athletics over recreational exercise. Much of the language of the new order echoes the...