ORU Is Basing Grades on Faulty Technology

FOSTER CITY, Calif. - April 7, 2016 - PRLog -- NAAFA, a civil rights organization working for Equality At Every Size, was appalled to learn that Oral Roberts University's (ORU) new requirement for their "Whole Person Education" includes the purchase and wearing of a Fitbit, a wearable fitness tracker. Information from this device will be fed to the school and factored into their academic grade. Basing a portion of a student's grade on technology which has been proven faulty, sounds like a violation of the student rights. It certainly is morally questionable.

Some are promoting this concept as a technological advancement that will help their student body's bodies battle the "Freshman 15". The major problem with this is that a new paper published in JAMA Internal Medicine shows that these devices are not even correctly performing their most basic function, which is to accurately measure physical activity and estimate energy expenditure.

The defective devices are not the only problem with this new development. What kind of concessions does this new policy make for students who are differently abled? Or is diversity not part of the "Whole Person Education" at ORU?

In a 2013 study published in the Canadian Journal of Diabetes, educators admitted to their own significant weight bias and endorsement of negative stereotypes. Weight bias and discrimination has been shown to impact negatively on student self-esteem, perception of safety, academic success, and opportunities in higher education. What kind of treatment do students of larger body size receive at ORU? Or must you meet a BMI, another faulty measure of fitness and health, requirement to be admitted to ORU?

ORU's requirement of tracking students' physical activity and monitoring their whereabouts also has the potential to trigger a number of emotional, psychological and physiological disorders in young adults who are away from home for the first time and already vulnerable.

NAAFA strongly urges ORU to look at the Health at Every Size Curriculum as an alternative to Fitbit tracking. The HAES Curriculum takes weight, size, and appearance out of the nutrition-fitness equation. The HAES Curriculum may be found under the "Education" tab of NAAFA's website.

If you wish to take action, feel free to read and sign a change.org petition against ORU's new practice started by Kaitlin Irwin of Drexel Hill, PA at: http://tinyurl.com/zt33a4q

Founded in 1969, NAAFA is a non-profit human rights organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for fat people. NAAFA works to eliminate discrimination based on body size and provide fat people with the tools for self-empowerment through public education, advocacy, and member support.

On the web: www.naafa.org