The same thing goes for agricultural/medical technological growth. Various diseases and inefficient foods (depending on the household's and not on a market/corporation) contributed to the low life expectancy of the average American. Now that we have so much technological advances, we are healthy as a horse compared to life before. And fatter, but that's beside the point ;P
Well life expectancy is going up, but does that mean smoking, cancer, AIDS/HIV, heart attacks, etc are not a big problem?
Glad you brought that up. AIDs is a problem, but heart attacks, cancer, and other health problems are not happening any sooner than they did 100 years ago. Yes, more people have cancer, but that's because people are living longer. 100 years ago, there was less cancer because everyone was already dead before they had the chance to get it.
Obesity is a problem, but the solution isn't in high school PE. If high school PE is hardly causing a dent to fix obesity rates, and it's doing nothing more than wasting people's time, it should no longer be required in high schools.
I am a strong believer that teenagers need more freedom than what they are given, which is why I dislike having so many required classes outside of basic algebra, science, English, and history. I believe every other class should be optional so that teenagers have room to experiment with what they want to learn in college or what job they would like to aim for.
Oh, so you mean to have it as an elective? Okay, that cleared up some ??'s.
Here is a link explaining how the government will begin to keep track of the size and weight of everyone 2 - 18 years old.
So does anyone know what they will do, or does the link tell us? I'm having speed trouble with sites other than google, yahoo, and AG for some strange reason.
I am a strong believer that teenagers need more freedom than what they are given, which is why I dislike having so many required classes outside of basic algebra, science, English, and history. I believe every other class should be optional so that teenagers have room to experiment with what they want to learn in college or what job they would like to aim for.
My thoughts exactly. Teenagers actually make better choices than most people give them credit for. The majority of people in my highschool take at least one AP class, and many take multiple AP classes. None of these classes are mandatory.
I did, however, have to take two mandatory classes this last year: AK studies and basic Gov. Both of these classes were filled with people who don't want to be there. These people impede the learning of others, and don't get too much of a benefit themselves.
The same is true for mandatory PE classes: people just find a way to slack off. If teenagers don't want to excercise, there isn't too much a PE teacher can do about it. And I still have to participate if I want to get a good grade (not to mention the fact that it lowers my weighted GPA). The only people who benefit are those who want to excersise during the school day, and they would take the class even if it wasn't mandatory.
We shouldn't force anybody to do anything. Whatever happened to free will? As long as it doesn't affect anyone else, why should we have any say in what someone else does?
Learning about having an active lifestyle, ways to exercise, and being exposed to different sports are useless? How do you think? Just because it isn't a Math or Science doesn't mean it won't help you get a career or lead a "good" life.
If you want to drop anything, drop Social Sciences. At least PE has a use. Plus it's so much fun... except of course if you are lazy or a whiny baby.
Learning about having an active lifestyle, ways to exercise, and being exposed to different sports are useless? How do you think? Just because it isn't a Math or Science doesn't mean it won't help you get a career or lead a "good" life.
Nobody is saying PE is useless, it just isn't nearly as useful to force high schoolers to take PE than grade schoolers.
Nobody is saying PE is useless, it just isn't nearly as useful to force high schoolers to take PE than grade schoolers.
OK, Well I still think at that age it is important to keep reinforcing physical activities and sports. High school was where we finally got to play the real fun sports, like football and table-tennis!
