You are being forced to run on the tennis courts for gym class, but probably should be resting your legs for your big game after school. In some schools, you’d be allowed to opt out of Phys. Ed class if you participate in a sport, but not at VHS. Every student here is required to take four years of Phys. Ed.
“The Board directs the establishment, in accordance with law… (of) a program of physical education and the enrollment… of every pupil in attendance in the schools of this district…” states the board of education’s website. This is part of the wording of a board policy that mandates any VHS student seeking graduation take Phys. Ed every year he or she is in school, assuming he or she is physically capable.
“An issue about replacing (the policy) came up once, but the superintendent and I decided to keep the policy,” said Athletic Director Gary Farishian when asked if the policy had ever been reconsidered. The policy has been in place for many years, and it seems as though the board of education continues to feel as though mandating gym class, even for those who do a sport, is important for students.
“Phys. Ed gives students a chance to sample lifetime activities. If you did a spring sport and opted out of gym you might be missing badminton. That’s a life skill that you’d be missing,” says Mr. Farishian. “The successive courses of physical education will be so designed as to provide pupils with exposure to a variety of athletic and physical activities,” claims the board’s website.
“The purpose of gym is to keep people in shape, so if they do a sport then they’re probably already in shape and could opt out of gym,” says VHS senior, Jake Facey, expressing a sentiment common among VHS students. While some feel one should only be eligible to skip gym only if involved in a varsity sport, others were more inclusive and felt that any level of participation in a sport was a valid reason to excuse one from gym.
“You should only be exempt from gym for the season you are playing in a sport, so it should go by marking period. And then when you aren’t doing gym you can take an elective, or a study or something,” says VHS Senior Lauren Smith. This was a common belief found among students – that one only needs to be excused from gym for the marking period(s) of your sport’s season.
Other schools have implemented such policies excusing athletes from gym class, and it seems as though VHS students are open to such an idea.
