Is The End in Sight for High School Physical Education?

Is The End in Sight for High School Physical Education?

Will high school physical education continue to exist as a class at Exeter High School or any high schools around the globe within the next couple years? As we pass through new years of classes, the freshmen who are required to take gym to graduate take the easy way out and join a VLACS, also known as Virtual Learning Academy Charter School, gym class to earn the credit. When students learn that there are opportunities such as VLACS classes or other possible ways to avoid attending class physically, it piques their interest. Physical Education has been a graduation requirement for years, but as teachers and school boards start to invent and allow new ways of learning, the class becomes irrelevant to most who search for ways to complete it without having to exert any physical energy.

Every student goes through a PE class one way or another; but as the years continue on, people start to speculate on why this is a forced requirement. States such as Alaska, Arizona, and Colorado do not require the class for graduation; and the way some schools are going, it seems like more may follow in suit to join them. When people start to challenge the gym class requirement, the consistent defense involves a student's well-rounded education.

Many kids this year in the class of 2027 chose to join a VLACS physical education course rather than attending the class in person. Many members of the current freshmen class dislike the PE department’s requirements and have opted out of completing the in-person class for school. For example, the “forced” participation to earn a good grade and required block day mile run contributes to the aversion to the in-person class.   

I asked a freshman here at EHS who chose to partake in a VLACS physical education class what it is like to take this online gym class and she said “It's easy, kind of like an English class, it's a lot easier than a physical gym class here because there is not as much work, and you learn to become healthier.” I further asked why she takes VLACS rather than an in-person class and she replied “Because of anxiety.” This one student's answer can represent so many students who take VLACS because of their concern for other students' opinions on their athletic abilities. 

However, you don't have to be a varsity athlete to do well in gym. As long as you're putting in effort and trying new things, even if it's hard, the class is an easy grade to maintain. Not participating in this class will cause your grade to drop, which also leads lots of VLACS students to fail due to their lack of motivation to do anything for that course. By physically participating in a PE class you can find out new things about yourself and maybe join a sport if you excel or enjoy a specific unit covered in the class. 

Freshman Physical Education classes consist of units such as basketball, volleyball, pickleball, tennis, track and field, soccer, softball, and more. The diverse variety of sports benefits students who want to engage in a physical class and partake in a sport they like or want to try out but not on such a major level. 

Once you continue into your sophomore year, the PE classes offered at Exeter High School defer from Team Sports, Weight Training, Outdoor Education, Lifetime Sports, Wellness/Fitness, Unified Physical Education, and Grade 10 Physical Education. These classes are paired with a semester-long health class. These opportunities are endless options for athletic enthusiasts within the school, who may aspire to continue in a career of physical wellness or athletics. With the addition of a health class alongside a unique physical education class, the exploration of your physical well-being starts to stand out more to you than it did as a freshman. However, at the sophomore level, many students are exempt from a gym class because they play two sports each year and miss out on this.  

In a VLACS gym class students will do things such as write essays, do home workouts and log any exercise done such as running, lifting, or any physical exertion. Unfortunately, the option for choosing a VLACS physical education class may make it easy for students to avoid participating in certain activities. Additionally, they may grow up with a loose understanding of the rules and fundamentals of the games. By State law high school students must complete a PE curriculum to graduate from high school. The whole point is to keep students physically active to promote how to increase lifespans and deflect disease, but when students have the tempting option to not participate physically in a class then most will complete essays and likely lie about completing a proper workout each day with no real accountability to their physical exertion.

Physical Education classes have come a long way since they started, from uniforms and separate gender classes to wearing whatever you want and being in a class with anyone. Teachers are starting to see less and less student participation in the activities, with at least one person in every gym class sitting out of something. PE classes have been around for years; and even with student backlash, the class still remains a strong part of the high school experience for thousands of students. These classes serve as a reminder on how to live a full healthy life starting at a young age to keep with you as you grow.