Question

Letter to the editor on importance of girls health

Answer 1

To the Editor:

Schools all across the nation are now considering making student athletes exempt from physical education. Physical Education has been a part of the curriculum in schools for many years. I believe there is only one right answer to the issue, which is that student athletes should be allowed to skip Physical Education.

The main reason for physical education being part of schools today is to keep students in shape during the year. If the students have sports to keep them in shape, then what is the point of physical education? After school sports usually take up around two to three hours a day after school. This is why being exempt from physical education could really help. Instead of having a class that doesnt help them, the student could have an extra study hall to finish their homework. Most physical education classes consist of mediocre activities such as wiffle ball or basic sports training skills. I would be very surprised if Physical Education helped a former student out later in life. The argument always comes back to the main point of it being a waste of a class period. An example of this takes place in my own school. Many students complained of not being able to get their homework done or staying up too late doing it because of sports. The school then issued the exemption program, which allows students participating in JV or Varsity sports to be exempt from physical education one day each week. The exemption would only count during the season in which the student plays the sport. After the season ends, the student goes back to taking physical education. In some other schools, student athletes are exempt from physical education altogether. Certain criteria such as good grades and participating in seasonal sports guarantee them credit for physical education. I believe this is fair because then the school will know for sure that the student is getting the proper physical activity each week. There is simply too much work to warrant a true need for physical education. High school has become very dependent on grades. This isnt a bad thing, but students will need the extra time to catch up.

Physical education has always been the backbone of most schools. Students are taking very rigorous course loads, often including many honors and advanced placement classes. An extra study hall would be most beneficial to a student athletes future, since they already get their daily exercise outside of school. While many schools across the nation are taking votes on physical education exemption, the correct outcome is already known. Student athletes should definitely be exempt from physical education.

LUKE HALPER Summit