Mandatory swimming in middle school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they are in private school, you can enroll them in another school OP.

My child doesn’t mind the requirement and actually likes swimming. It’s not something I would switch schools over. It’s just a bit strange to us, coming from a landlocked state and, I guess, holding false assumptions that all kids at this age at these schools know enough basic swimming to be water safe. This conversation has been enlightening.

No pools in Kansas? Kids can drown in pools as well as in lakes and oceans, FYI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I went to ncs they required swimming in lower school. Even into high school whenever we had racial sensitivity days or town halls etc many of the African American girls would argue that they should have been allowed to skip swimming because of their hair. They said it was racist of the school to make them go swimming.

It is racist. And also racist to have a mandatory class that excludes them.

A history of segregated pools in the US is real racism, and it has lead to much lower swimming rates among African Americans, and much higher risk of drowning for African Americans. This is also true for other underrepresented minorities. We minorities drown at a much higher rate that white people. Mandatory swim class for everyone is not racism.

Thank you for your important reply. I am white + used to be a lifeguard/swim teacher in a black neighborhood. It is almost criminal to have so many black folks who never learn to swim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they are in private school, you can enroll them in another school OP.

My child doesn’t mind the requirement and actually likes swimming. It’s not something I would switch schools over. It’s just a bit strange to us, coming from a landlocked state and, I guess, holding false assumptions that all kids at this age at these schools know enough basic swimming to be water safe. This conversation has been enlightening.

No pools in Kansas? Kids can drown in pools as well as in lakes and oceans, FYI.

Again, my kid can already swim. I assumed his classmates could also swim, given the general lifestyle vibe of the school. I guess I might have been mistaken? But despite growing up in the Midwest, I understand how water works and that pools, lakes, rivers, ponds, oceans, bathtubs, and Jacuzzis can all the site of accidental drowning. The reference to landlocked was in response to a poster who said that mandatory school swimming was important in states like CA, TX, and FL where there are lots of backyard pools and beaches. Growing up in a place where (despite being an affluent community) I didn't know a single family who had a pool, and swimming wasn't a school activity, this is all interesting. Even in communities like ours growing up, most families joined a community pool and/or sent their kids to swim classes. I think there might be some mild regional differences in the assumptions at work in this thread, but overall I think we all agree that ideally everyone should learn to swim, and the younger one learns, the better (for safety reasons). I think any disagreement lies in whether middle school is right moment of intervention and whether that intervention is necessary and/or constructive given the demographics of the student body and the circumstances of the class offering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lowell has mandatory swim in primary school. Optional in middle school.

It's true that it's part of the PE curriculum in primary school, but kids can opt out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I went to ncs they required swimming in lower school. Even into high school whenever we had racial sensitivity days or town halls etc many of the African American girls would argue that they should have been allowed to skip swimming because of their hair. They said it was racist of the school to make them go swimming.

It is racist. And also racist to have a mandatory class that excludes them.

A history of segregated pools in the US is real racism, and it has lead to much lower swimming rates among African Americans, and much higher risk of drowning for African Americans. This is also true for other underrepresented minorities. We minorities drown at a much higher rate that white people. Mandatory swim class for everyone is not racism.

Thank you for your important reply. I am white + used to be a lifeguard/swim teacher in a black neighborhood. It is almost criminal to have so many black folks who never learn to swim.

I agree wholeheartedly with this reply. *And* ideally, school systems would start in elementary school before puberty so the concerns of exposure, hair, etc., would be less pronounced. At the same time, the risk of drowning would be reduced at an earlier age, and our students would be more likely to enjoy swimming and its many benefits, recreationally and perhaps even competitively.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A school could mandate a student pass a swim safety test that is administered outside of school or school hours. This could be a graduation requirement or an annual requirement that kids upload to their portals like other health and safety documents. There is zero need to have enforced swimming at school if the sole aim is to make sure all kids are able to swim enough to avoid drowning.

And who will pay for the swimming classes? Why not do the same with PE or any other skill for that matter?

Lack of ability shoot a free throw generally does not result in death.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I went to ncs they required swimming in lower school. Even into high school whenever we had racial sensitivity days or town halls etc many of the African American girls would argue that they should have been allowed to skip swimming because of their hair. They said it was racist of the school to make them go swimming.

It is racist. And also racist to have a mandatory class that excludes them.

A history of segregated pools in the US is real racism, and it has lead to much lower swimming rates among African Americans, and much higher risk of drowning for African Americans. This is also true for other underrepresented minorities. We minorities drown at a much higher rate that white people. Mandatory swim class for everyone is not racism.

Thank you for your important reply. I am white + used to be a lifeguard/swim teacher in a black neighborhood. It is almost criminal to have so many black folks who never learn to swim.

+1

We're a black family. My boys are lifeguards and DH and I are good swimmers, but weren't until later in life. (Thank you US Navy)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know of a school where swimming is mandatory. Is this Lowell? They are the only school I can think if with a pool. While I am sure it is miserable (especially at that age) it is really good for everyone to know how to swim just in case.

Holton Arms.

Is taking a swimming class mandatory at Holton or there is a swimming requirement for graduation that can be satisfied by passing a swimming test?

Passing a swimming competency test is mandatory to graduate from the Upper School. The test is usually at the end of 8th grade for returning students and during end of summer orientation for new students to the US.
There is also a swimming component to the mandatory Fundamentals of PE class that must be taken in 9th or 10th grade. For students that don't pass the test, there is a class that is offered.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

I think its great. If you dont learn as a kids its unlikely you ever will. Drowning is pretty horrible.

[Anonymous]

It's now racist to prioritize a life-saving skill over a bad hair day?

Thats's racist? Seriously?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's really short sighted for AAs to opt out of swim class. Swimming is a life skill. AAs are far more likely to drown than their white peers. In the case of private school AAs, it's less due to historical and racist lack of access to pools than cultural norms. In the end, what is more important--having to wear a swim cap or preventing accidental drowning?

“Cultural norms?” What cultural norms are these exactly?

Reading this, I’m reminded of the “cultural norms” that created racially segregated swimming pools — among other things, and closed many pools instead of integrating them. Ever wonder why there are so many swimming clubs in the suburbs— instead of public pools?


The PP that I’m replying to doesn’t seem to be aware that many swim caps don’t fit over all hair styles (linking to an article on an Olympic level swimmer who had difficulty competing due to this very issue), and most won’t protect hair styles that require heat to style, or that have been chemically relaxed. ( Yes, after having my hair stylist describe in graphic and gruesome detail what swimming would do to my hair, we developed our schedule around my non-negotiable summer swimming habit.)

I’m in the camp that believes that everyone should learn to swim — or at least be exposed to basic water safety skills.

I like another PP’s idea of shifting the swim requirements to younger grades, and being flexible about what the kids can wear to swim. I’ve worked with kids in swimming programs in two cities — with many non-swimmers and easy access to open water. I view it as an essential life skill, at least for people living in similar communities. It would be great if there were swimming modules for kids in public schools as well.


https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-57687096