Jade Gentry
Jesse Manley
English 101
October 8, 2017
Mandatory Physical Education in Schools
Dancing, exercising, and dodgeball are just a few things you might see in a typical
P.E. class. However, many public schools are eliminating or decreasing physical
education programs in schools. Approximately 92% of elementary students and 66% of
high school students do not have daily physical education classes throughout the year
(Crothers, Kehle, Bray, and Theodore, 787). Contributing factors for this include the
potential for bullying, interference with academics, and the cost of such programs.
Unfortunately, without physical education in schools, childhood obesity and the overall
health of the children is at stake. Physical education has also proven to benefit a child’s
brain development and promotes equity. There should be no question on the
advantages of physical education programs. It is time that we dedicate the time and
resources necessary to make sure physical education programs are not only available,
but mandatory, in schools everywhere.
Most people remember their time in P.E. class. It was either the most anticipated
or the most hated part of the day. When someone thinks of bullying in schools, most of
the time it seems to be set during P.E. class, most specifically the dreaded locker room.
I can see how a student who may not be the most fit or the most athletic might feel like
an outsider during this class. However, we do not tell a student who struggles
Gentry 2
academically that they do not have to attend math or English class. A fairly developed
and heavily supervised physical education program could actually effect the student who
feels left out more positively in both the present and future, by teaching them a healthy
way of life.
Childhood obesity has become a significant issue in our country. While schools
have taken the necessary precaution in the lunchroom by providing a healthier and
more balanced lunch, they seem to have forgotten about the role P.E. classes play.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Several weight-related
conditions that were observed primarily among adults have been increasingly diagnosed
in young people. For example, 10 years ago type 2 diabetes was almost unknown among
young people, but in some communities it now accounts for nearly 50 percent of new
