[quote=walterwhite]no. the mind and the body go together. schools have it all wrong. PE is not just one subject among many. PE should be 50% of the curriculum, 50% should be “academic” subjects. everyone should be in top physical condition when they leave high school. of course if we did this, academic grades would rise as well, because kids would be able to think. sports are not a luxury. PE is what effects most of your health and your life. We as a society ahve a very limited and dumb idea of what education and life preparation is.[/quote]
Scaredy: Good post and right on the money. Having coached youth sports for some years now, I’ve seen the effect that participating in athletics (of any kind) can have on kids. It goes right to confidence and self-esteem. They perform better in school as a result, but you also find improved communications skills and an ability to work with others in a goal-oriented environment.
And it doesn’t have to be team sports only. My daughter rides horses competitively and the change in her personality since she began is marked. Same goes for tennis or golf.
I think the elimination of PE is a national disgrace. And I think we’re reaping the effects, and not just in diminished academic results, but in the woeful state of children’s health, including obesity and related illnesses.
