J Phys Act Health. 2018 Oct 1;15(10):721-729. doi: 10.1123/jpah.2017-0307. Epub 2018 Jun 6.
School physical education (PE) is one of the most effective public health tools to increase youth physical activity, yet compliance with PE mandates is low. In an effort to ensure adherence to state PE law, a 2013 lawsuit was filed against 37 California school districts that were found to be noncompliant. This study sought to assess school personnel's perceptions of the lawsuit's impact on PE mandate compliance, understand barriers and facilitators to lawsuit compliance, and identify potential unintended consequences of the lawsuit.
Phone interviews (n = 97) were conducted with personnel in districts/schools that were parties to the lawsuit and in matched control districts/schools that were not parties to the lawsuit.
Interviewees reported that PE minutes increased in schools that were parties to the lawsuit, primarily due to settlement requirements mandating PE tracking and reporting, thereby increasing accountability for PE. Time lost on paperwork was the most often cited barrier to compliance. Unwillingness to participate in PE-related research for fear of incrimination was the primary unintended consequence.
When existing PE minute laws are not implemented or enforced, greater accountability is needed. In this case, litigation appears to be an effective accountability mechanism to increase compliance with law.
学校体育（PE）是增加青少年身体活动的最有效公共卫生工具之一，但遵守体育教学大纲的情况却很低。为了确保遵守州立体育法，2013 年对 37 个被发现不遵守规定的加利福尼亚学区提起诉讼。本研究旨在评估诉讼对体育教学大纲遵守情况的影响，了解遵守诉讼的障碍和促进因素，并确定诉讼的潜在意外后果。
对参与诉讼的地区/学校和未参与诉讼的匹配对照地区/学校的人员进行了电话采访（n=97）。
受访者报告说，参与诉讼的学校的体育教学时间增加了，主要是因为和解要求规定了体育教学跟踪和报告，从而增加了对体育教学的问责制。因文书工作而浪费的时间是最常被提及的遵守障碍。由于担心被牵连而不愿意参与与体育相关的研究，这是主要的意外后果。
当现有的体育教学大纲法律未得到执行或执行不力时，需要加强问责制。在这种情况下，诉讼似乎是一种有效的问责机制，可以提高法律的遵守程度。
