PE credit if a HS athlete?

[Anonymous]

Along the lines of "Make Health a one-semester class again," has anyone heard anything at all about this? My third kid is now a sophomore in an MCPS high school and back before Covid, I remember hearing during my first kid's HS years that there was a discussion on the school board about allowing students who participate in a JV or varsity sport through their high school to get credit for that so they didn't need to also take PE. Which is a completely logical idea. All three of my kids were athletes (both JV and varsity) and the number of hours spent--and the amount of physical energy exerted--in their MCPS sports far exceeded what a student will experience in a physical education class. It's ludicrous for HS athletes to have to also take PE. Is PE a state requirement? Has there been any resurrection, to your knowledge, of a conversation about this?

(And I know, if you are a HS club athlete, e.g. crew, or do something athletic outside of HS, e.g. dance, you would feel that this sort of exemption isn't fair. What can I say-- that's a tiny minority compared with the hundreds of kids who get lots of exercise as athletes in MCPS-sponsored programs.)

[Anonymous]

So hey, my kid is still in middle school. But I’m imagining that PE could be a good break in the middle of the day in high school? Or am I totally off base?

[Anonymous]

OP here. In theory, middle school parent--sure. But in fact, my kids were going to get that break at the end of the day when, instead of going home to do homework, they were going to spend 2-4 hours outside with their teammates, working out. And they were also in magnet programs with very little space in their schedules for the cool elective options that the school offered; having to do a year of PE meant missing out on the rare opportunities to take academic electives that really interested them.

[Anonymous]

Have they allowed students in the past to take PE only one quarter each year of HS and the other quarter Health to make it half year (one semester)? The student then takes a half credit/one semester elective (e.g. Micro Econ, or if they offer a half Sem Financial literacy course).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have they allowed students in the past to take PE only one quarter each year of HS and the other quarter Health to make it half year (one semester)? The student then takes a half credit/one semester elective (e.g. Micro Econ, or if they offer a half Sem Financial literacy course).

Every class is a full semester long.

[Anonymous]

Just have your athlete take weight training as their PE class, helpful for all sports. Of all the things for MCPS to spend time and energy on, this is not one.

[Anonymous]

It would be nice as mine is in year round sports. Go with what the PP suggested and do weightlifting. My kid actually liked it.

[Anonymous]

PE is a state requirement. I do think it's silly to require it for kids who are student-athletes, but current state requirements don't allow for school athletics to serve as a substitute for the PE requirement.

[Anonymous]

Most students would benefit from PE every year if they are not a student athlete. They should offer it as a quarter class, 11:11. Same with health offer it on a quarter basis so students get it each year. But scheduling is probably the reason they don't.

[Anonymous]

My kid told me that one of his friends got PE credit for his out of school sport which he competes in at a national level. I have no way to verify this but my child was convinced it was true. It’s a sport that isn’t available through MCPS, I believe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Along the lines of "Make Health a one-semester class again," has anyone heard anything at all about this? My third kid is now a sophomore in an MCPS high school and back before Covid, I remember hearing during my first kid's HS years that there was a discussion on the school board about allowing students who participate in a JV or varsity sport through their high school to get credit for that so they didn't need to also take PE. Which is a completely logical idea. All three of my kids were athletes (both JV and varsity) and the number of hours spent--and the amount of physical energy exerted--in their MCPS sports far exceeded what a student will experience in a physical education class. It's ludicrous for HS athletes to have to also take PE. Is PE a state requirement? Has there been any resurrection, to your knowledge, of a conversation about this?

(And I know, if you are a HS club athlete, e.g. crew, or do something athletic outside of HS, e.g. dance, you would feel that this sort of exemption isn't fair. What can I say-- that's a tiny minority compared with the hundreds of kids who get lots of exercise as athletes in MCPS-sponsored programs.)

You are right, not fair. The schools are too big for everyone to participate in school sponsored sports so they should offer the exemption to anyone who plays on a club team as well or not at all.

[Anonymous]

We don’t allow talented artists to skip the arts credit. We don’t allow kids who are multiple years ahead of the on-grade level curriculum in math to skip math. We don’t allow kids who are excelling in robotics to skip the tech credit. Why should PE be any different?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It would be nice as mine is in year round sports. Go with what the PP suggested and do weightlifting. My kid actually liked it.

Amen - as a parent with multiple three sport athletes taking over 4 AP classes each I welcome a break like PE. Frankly, I am hoping they take it more than one year just to avoid a class with more work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We don’t allow talented artists to skip the arts credit. We don’t allow kids who are multiple years ahead of the on-grade level curriculum in math to skip math. We don’t allow kids who are excelling in robotics to skip the tech credit. Why should PE be any different?

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most students would benefit from PE every year if they are not a student athlete. They should offer it as a quarter class, 11:11. Same with health offer it on a quarter basis so students get it each year. But scheduling is probably the reason they don't.

No thanks, get PE over with freshman year and health ed in summer school.