In some interesting school furniture news from across the pond, the Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA), a British non-profit, has announced plans to introduce standards for making classroom furniture more ergonomic and comfortable. We’ve known for awhile that kids in the U.S. are getting bigger and apparently kids in the UK have a similar issue. As a result, older school furniture doesn’t quite fit like it used to, leading to potential discomfort, pain and health hazards for the modern student. The advent of video games and expanding electronic entertainment options makes it tougher to follow a diet and exercise program, so it makes sense for the furniture to make a change for the better.

What does this mean for educators in this country? As far as I know, the U.S. doesn’t have many school furniture standards besides eco-oriented certifications such as GREENGUARD for Children and Schools™. Ergonomic standards certainly make sense, although American educators might see them as conceding defeat in the face of expanding waistlines. For now, based on recent domestic responses to the issue, I’m guessing we’ll keep trying to get kids outside or make them play DDR in gym class. Only time will tell where we pin the responsibility and how we respond to a problem that’s not going away anytime soon.