Should PE Classes be Mandatory?

[3Dani]

Physical Education is something that is required for every student at Harlan Community to take every single year in high school, but is it really necessary? The CDC explains that taking some sort of physically educating class provides cognitive content and helps develop motor skills. There are so many benefits to taking a PE class, but there are also a few disadvantages. For example, some students want to take more academic classes and have an academic waiver, excluding them from PE, so that they can take far more classes. But in order to get that academic waiver, a student cannot have any study halls throughout the school day.

 

Benefits to having a PE class include: increasing every student's level of physical activity, improving their overall focus abilities in classes, and enhancing their grades and even standardized test scores, all according to the CDC. Taking a physical education class does not affect a student’s academic achievement negatively in any way. On the other hand, students who do not want to partake in a PE class, who are in other sports, find it ridiculous that they don’t have the choice whether they want to take that class or not.

 

Personally I think that PE is a nice class to take when you have a busy schedule and need a break, but I don’t think it should be forced upon all students. It’s important for everyone to be somewhat physically active for their health, but enforcing that in schools and not allowing students to opt out, unless they choose to have absolutely no study halls, gets to be a little over the board crazy. I think a physical education class should be very highly recommended to everyone, but it should not be mandatory in schools.

 

Do you think PE should be mandatory?

Do you have an academic waiver?

Do you like PE?

 

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/physical-education.htm#:~:text=Physical%20education%20provides%20cognitive%20content,physical%20activity%20and%20physical%20fitness.&text=Supporting%20schools%20to%20establish%20physical,physically%20active%20for%20a%20lifetime. 

[2Kaelyn]

I think PE classes should be optional, but if a student has time in their schedule then I think they should take PE because it gives them a break from their academic classes. I don't like how PE is mandatory because some students want to take more classes and some students just simply don't enjoy PE.

[7 Angie]

Personally, I think that PE shouldn't be mandatory for students that are doing a sport during a semester. Because those students are getting physical activity already. they shouldn't have to take a PE class. Students that don't do sports or don't do one during a certain semester, should be required to take PE. That way, everyone is getting some form of physical activity every day. 

[4Claire]

I don't think that PE should be mandatory for people who are taking a sport because then that gives them time to take classes that are academic.  Also if people are both in choir and band that does not leave much time for academic classes that you want to take. I do not have an academic waiver but I also already don't have a study hall during the day anyways.  

[3Dani]

There are so many class options, and not enough hours in the school day to take them all. Some people would really like to have that open slot to use for a different class instead of PE, and they should be able to do so without an academic waiver.

[4Emily]

I think that PE classes should be optional. For example, I think students should have a choice between a study hall or PE. Physical education is a great class to take but some students don't have time to finish their homework at home, so being able to have a study hall would be easier for them.

[3Dani]

With having PE my first semester and also cross country, I had no time to complete any of my homework and I always felt so behind. It would've been so nice to have that study hall in the day to work on my classwork.

[4-Mariah]

I think it should be because everyone needs exersise to be healthy. I do not have a waiver but if i did i would still do something like walking to get exersise. I hate pe but ik its good for me to get exersise and I feel better after a good work out.

[3Dani]

I think having it strongly recommened would do the same for people who know the benefits of taking a PE class, but many people also workout on their own time.

[4Braydin]

I definitely think PE classes should be mandatory because a lot of kids are either obese or don't get enough exercise. Fitness teaches kids who don't know how to exercise now to lead healthier, more active lives, helping them lead happier lives in the future.

[5Aubrey]

I like pe class, its a good class to get people moving and socializing. But I don't think it should be mandatory it should be strongly reccomended. There are many options for pe classes that fit everyones needs, but in the future a pe class is not going to affect us.