How do I get my kid not to take P.E? I heard one student isn't doing gym because of gymnastics.

[Anonymous]

I think this is a very valid question, and frankly don't see the purpose of PE in high school, especially for those who are getting exercise outside of school. For those not exercising outside of school, they probably are not participating much in PE anyhow. Most of the time, it's either health class, or sitting around getting yelled at because kids are misbehaving. The intention of PE class is wonderful, the results unfortunately do not provide much benefit. This is through no fault of the teachers, they do the best they can with the curriculum, requirements and attitudes of students they are required to corral. I feel that PE is different than other subjects and should not be forced in high school. Music and art are not required past elementary school. Students should have a choice of elective. Some private schools do not require PE in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a very valid question, and frankly don't see the purpose of PE in high school, especially for those who are getting exercise outside of school. For those not exercising outside of school, they probably are not participating much in PE anyhow. Most of the time, it's either health class, or sitting around getting yelled at because kids are misbehaving. The intention of PE class is wonderful, the results unfortunately do not provide much benefit. This is through no fault of the teachers, they do the best they can with the curriculum, requirements and attitudes of students they are required to corral. I feel that PE is different than other subjects and should not be forced in high school. Music and art are not required past elementary school. Students should have a choice of elective. Some private schools do not require PE in high school.

Don't they also get the health class during PE?

Drivers' Education?

[Anonymous]

Bump

[Anonymous]

Ridiculous. This must be a private school. Cannot imagine any public middle or high school exempting a student from PE due to the rigors of travel baseball.

[Anonymous]

It is my understanding that elite athletes, the ones to practice 3 to 4 hours after school every single day are allowed to get a pass on PE. The reason is that they can use that time (PE) to do their homework and or study, because they have so little downtime after school. But we are not talking about travel baseball or travel soccer here. We are talking about students who are training for international competitions.

[Anonymous]

You don't get a "pass" on PE in FCPS. You are required to record and submit a detailed log of prescribed activities in place of attending scheduled class. This really only affects middle/high school PE classes. You need to request a PE class attendance waiver from your counselor. If it is approved, then your child has to agree to fulfill the activity log/requirements each quarter. His/her PE class will be scheduled for either the first or last period - which allows them to either sleep in or leave early on the days that they have PE. Not as easy as it used to be now with block scheduling and return periods. My DD did this for one year when she was doing gymnastics for 5 hours a day/6 days week (L10/elite). It was more hassle then it was worth. I think she might have had to attend for the health portion - not positive though.

[Anonymous]

This is a weird post.

During the fall and spring, my kid plays soccer six days a week between practices and games. She takes a dance class on the seventh day. She also takes PE 3x a week. Kids have plenty of energy and should be active.

[Anonymous]

My son is a gymnast who practices 16-20 hours a week. By 6th grade, his coaches expect he will be competing at a national level and practicing 24 hours/week. But his ES principal won't even let him leave school 10 minutes early on practice days.

I will definitely be applying for a waiver for him in MS and HS. It's not a matter of whether PE is easy for him or he has enough energy to do it, it's that I see no reason for a kid to have to do PE on top of all those hours of practicing. Muscles need a break. Plus, at least half of the kids at our gym who get injured are hurt during PE, not gymnastics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Plus, at least half of the kids at our gym who get injured are hurt during PE, not gymnastics.

I'll go ahead and call BS on this, unless everyone where you live drinks magical water that makes their bones brittle. How many people here had P.E. all through elementary school, middle school, and at least one year of high school?

Now how many kids do you remember being "so injured" during PE that if affected their ability to do other things. My answer...maybe there's one I forgot somewhere, but not usually. If half the kids in your area are hurt during PE, there's something else wrong.

[Anonymous]

I don't see the need for PE in middle school every single day. When did that become the norm?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Plus, at least half of the kids at our gym who get injured are hurt during PE, not gymnastics.

I'll go ahead and call BS on this, unless everyone where you live drinks magical water that makes their bones brittle. How many people here had P.E. all through elementary school, middle school, and at least one year of high school?

Now how many kids do you remember being "so injured" during PE that if affected their ability to do other things. My answer...maybe there's one I forgot somewhere, but not usually. If half the kids in your area are hurt during PE, there's something else wrong.

I think she's saying, of the kids on the gymnastics team who have had injuries, about half those injuries came about through PE class, not at gymnastics. She's not saying that half the kids in her area have been injured at PE. So, if four kids on the gymnastics team had injuries over the course of the past year, two of them occurred during participation in PE.