Anonymous
07/31/2025 17:18
Subject: Why MCPS does not have swimming classes
In my MCPS ES we were bused to Gaithersburg Middle School's pool once a week for a month or so for swim lessons. I already knew how to swim, so I basically showed the teacher I could swim a lap and spent the rest of the time on the pool deck.
This was in the 1980s.
This was in the 1980s.
Anonymous
07/30/2025 09:23
Subject: Why MCPS does not have swimming classes
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I'm a little surprised at the negative comments and the argument that there isn't enough time, because it's standard for learn to swim classes to be 30 minutes. That's enough for several drills. Do that twice a week for a couple months and it could have a real impact, especially for kids whose parents can't afford private lessons? Kids with more skills could swim laps, my 3rd grader who is a good swimmer would love to do laps for PE once or twice a week, she hates running but loves swimming. Great full body workout, really refreshing during warmer months.
I would rather the county subsidize lessons at our indoor aquatic centers for any children or teens who can't afford it, than to add yet another task onto the plate of our school system, which already has enough trouble delivering on its core mission: academics.
They do. It’s not the schools job to teach swimming. It’s exhausting listening to parents expectations. If you want swim lessons take your child. The county, city of Rockville and others offer low cost options and have low income assistance.
The cost is only one barrier. Many low income parents work during the hours that swim classes are available.
What are you talking about? They are nights and weekends. You are making excuses for your parenting and blaming others.
What do you mean my parenting? All of my kids swim.
However, you clearly have no idea what life is like for some low income people. Poor people often work evenings and weekends. They may work 6-7 days a week because they’re working multiple part-time jobs or two FT jobs.
On demand scheduling means that retail workers may have a different schedule every week, making it impossible to commit to a weekly class at a specific time.
Stop using low income as your talking point as this isn't what this is about. Yes, I do. You don't. Our swim team is mostly minorities and lower income with the county. Not all of us live in your bubble.
Anonymous
07/30/2025 08:55
Subject: Why MCPS does not have swimming classes
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Its unfair to girls who have just started their periods, which in 2024 includes 4th graders and up.
There are options for swimming on your period, even for girls.
Right. Because learning to use a tampon for the first time isn’t stressful at all.
Anonymous
07/30/2025 08:49
Subject: Why MCPS does not have swimming classes
Anonymous wrote:I'm a little surprised at the negative comments and the argument that there isn't enough time, because it's standard for learn to swim classes to be 30 minutes. That's enough for several drills. Do that twice a week for a couple months and it could have a real impact, especially for kids whose parents can't afford private lessons? Kids with more skills could swim laps, my 3rd grader who is a good swimmer would love to do laps for PE once or twice a week, she hates running but loves swimming. Great full body workout, really refreshing during warmer months.
How big are learn to swim classes vs a PE class?
Anonymous
07/30/2025 08:13
Subject: Why MCPS does not have swimming classes
Swim can only be taught in districts that have schools with pools.
How can you bus high school kids to a pool, have them get changed, get a decent lesson; get changed again; bussed back, all without missing other classes. It just can’t happen.
How can you bus high school kids to a pool, have them get changed, get a decent lesson; get changed again; bussed back, all without missing other classes. It just can’t happen.
Anonymous
07/30/2025 07:51
Subject: Why MCPS does not have swimming classes
Anonymous wrote:When I was growing up swimming was a PE requirement in NYS once a year starting in 4th until you earned your Red Cross Intermediate card. The difference was that all the High Schools had indoor swimming pools. Even so, you had to take a bus from ES or MS to HS. Also, school issued bathing suits, color coded by size - ewww!
The logistics of getting to a pool during school hours are not workable. Swim class as a MCPS requirement is also not a good idea in general.
We had swimming as an optional part of our public HS PE program only because we had an indoor pool. I don’t think anyone learned anything from it. People are at all different levels, a PE teacher is not usually a good swim teacher, and I would not want to learn how to not drown in this sort of class.
Anonymous
07/30/2025 07:42
Subject: Why MCPS does not have swimming classes
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I'm a little surprised at the negative comments and the argument that there isn't enough time, because it's standard for learn to swim classes to be 30 minutes. That's enough for several drills. Do that twice a week for a couple months and it could have a real impact, especially for kids whose parents can't afford private lessons? Kids with more skills could swim laps, my 3rd grader who is a good swimmer would love to do laps for PE once or twice a week, she hates running but loves swimming. Great full body workout, really refreshing during warmer months.
I would rather the county subsidize lessons at our indoor aquatic centers for any children or teens who can't afford it, than to add yet another task onto the plate of our school system, which already has enough trouble delivering on its core mission: academics.
They do. It’s not the schools job to teach swimming. It’s exhausting listening to parents expectations. If you want swim lessons take your child. The county, city of Rockville and others offer low cost options and have low income assistance.
The cost is only one barrier. Many low income parents work during the hours that swim classes are available.
What are you talking about? They are nights and weekends. You are making excuses for your parenting and blaming others.
What do you mean my parenting? All of my kids swim.
However, you clearly have no idea what life is like for some low income people. Poor people often work evenings and weekends. They may work 6-7 days a week because they’re working multiple part-time jobs or two FT jobs.
On demand scheduling means that retail workers may have a different schedule every week, making it impossible to commit to a weekly class at a specific time.