Do you think they should make PE a manitory class?

Question

I'm just curious about other peoples views on this...i was watching shaqa big challenge on Tv, and there are so many obiese kids in this world, health is very important, do you think pe class shoud be a requirment...i do, i think it would be great, what do you think about this?

It is not manditory here where i live....if it's not how could i bring it up to the school that it should be?

Answer 1

I have very strong opinions on this subject and I'm sure most people will disagree with them. PE is mandatory in our state schools and has been for over 30 years. We still have tons of obese children in these schools even with PE. PE is the worst thing for social and emotional growth the way that it is organized in public schools. What happens is that the obese kids have to put on clothing that shows more of their problem, they have difficulty keeping up with the more physically fit children, and they don't enjoy the class, therefore they are treated poorly by the other children and that leads to depression and usually more unhealthy behavior that exacerbates the obeisity. The only true way to run a physical education program would be to offer physical activities that each child enjoys. If a school offered a PE program that then gave you electives of what physical activities you chose to participate in the children would discover activities that gave them the physical part of the activity but was also something that they enjoyed and were capable of doing well at. This won't happen in schools because they are not capable of funding so many choices in a PE program. At this time all PE programs are run as a one shoe fits all program and that does not benefit anyone. Girls are worse than boys and in the locker rooms that is where our children are given their clique that they are shuffled into for their entire elementary education. My children had issues in PE class as I did when I was younger. Neither of my children are obese. One is very thin and isn't interested in any physical activity except swimming. My other daughter is extremely physically fit, a great athlete, but also very developed for a girl her age and is ridiculed in PE class for that by the other girls. I have taken my girls out of public school due to this and other issues with cliques and put them into private homeschool program. The school that they go to now does not have a formal PE program, but my children pick what physical activities they participate in. My daughter who loves to swim is on a local swim team. My other daughter plays tennis, swims on swim team, bowls on a youth bowling league, plays on a volleyball team, and plays on a youth soccer league. I think that parents have to take control of their children's physical activity and not let the schools dictate this and jeapordize the children. I have yet to see a child in our school district that has participated in PE class lose any weight and change from obese to physically fit! As the programs are run now, PE is a place for the most popular and thin kids to tease and ridicule the other kids and the PE teachers are just as bad as the students half the time. My physically fit daughter is not in the popular clique and that is because although she is prettier, more athletic, wears nicer clothes, etc. than these popular kids, she won't act like them and she always sides with the kids being picked on. So the gym teacher lumps her with those kids and treats her poorly just as she does with the obese kids in the PE class. The only way to get the kids of any group to really benefit from activities is to let them find ones that they are capable of doing, enjoy and will continue to participate in after they are adults. The PE class has never helped these kids lose weight. Lets make financial classes and healthy cooking classes mandatory too!! These would benefit much more. Especially financial classes because if you want to eat healthy you better make money. The healthier the food is, the more it costs. What percentage of obese families are poor compared to what percentage of althletic families are rich! It comes down to what can you afford to eat!!!

Answer 2

YES!! I was surprised when watching Shaq's show that PE is NOT mandatory in other states. I guess my state is super duper awesome in that respect. Physical well-being is just as important as mental well-being. People don't automatically stop having a need for exercise when they enter middle school. In all honesty, I think it'd be great if actual businesses implemented exercise programs as well. Don't they do that in Japan? Anyway, I'm with you all the way. I think PE should be mandatory for all schools. It doesn't have to be every day, but it SHOULD be incorporated.

Answer 3

In Canada it is mandatory in ever school public & private. Only exceptions are children with medical conditions that their doctor feels it is not safe for their health. You need a letter from your childs pedrician, if your child is unable to take PE.
I think PE is good. I also think gym is a healthy place for both kids and adults.

Answer 4

IN a perfect world P.E. would be mandatory and available daily for every student. Sadly with all the testing that is required in my own state schools place the focus mainly on the academics required to pass these tests. Means by which P.E. can be an every day occurrence for every student depends on both the financial standing of the school and number of students the school serves. Elementary students here receive P.E. once or twice a week. Not enough, I know. However, there are simple ways that gen. ed. teachers can implement movement in the classroom. Since many schools cannot afford mandatory P.E, especially up into middle/high school, we really need to get parents more involved in their children's physical activity and health. We all need to work together and stop placing the responsibility and blame on each other.

Answer 5

It's mandatory in my hometown to pass PE or you don't graduate and yes I agree with it but I think more should be done at a young age. I think parents who don't teach their kids to eat right and stay active should be fined and/or have their children removed - it's not right to set a child up for the teasing and humiliation they will no doubt face in school if they become obese.

Answer 6

PE, or another physical equivalent, should be mandatory until one graduates from high school. I understand the desire to open schedules up to make room for other electives, but quite frankly, if a child isn't healthy enough to experience these electives, what's the point?

By physical equivalent, I mean marching band, pep squad/dance team/cheerleading, sports, etc.

Answer 7

I believe that kids are getting lazy with all the tv and vidieo games. Some of the parents are not educated on how important health issues are to keeping their children healthy.By all means PE should be mandatory in the school system. And also educate the parents as well !!

Answer 8

It is here in deleware county NY. I think it shouldn't be though. I have found so many ways to not participate because I'm lazy, and the kids at your school will too. But I'm not obese, in fact I have an eating disorder. And the obese kids found ways out of it too. If they want to stay obese let them, if they want to be healthier they can without the help of PE

Answer 9

Absolutely. If it isn't, it should be; from Kindergarten to grade 12.

And, it shouldn't be like PE was when I was a kid (we would do our 2 mile runs, with the teacher driving behind us in his car), but rather exposing kids to a variety of physical activities that will hopefully become of the young people's lifestyles..

Answer 10

It's mandatory here where I live (Maryland). I don't think it's a bad thing. My only complaint is mild, I think it's a good idea to teach them dance moves and that is good physical activity but I wish they would focus more on fun activities that really gets them and keeps them motivated.

As far as the arts goes I have huge complaints because I don't think they get enough of it and I personally think they should put more effort into ensuring kids have a broader range of things.