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Vellup I have balls. from America Since: Mar, 2011 Relationship Status: The Skitty to my Wailord
I have balls.
#201: Sep 28th 2011 at 7:08:48 PM

Make PE about general fitness and you lose kids in the interest department. Make it about team sports and the non-athletic kids get left in the cold. Damned if you do...

...or, just make P.E. optional. You don't lose anything important, and everyone's happy. Honestly, I've always found it ridiculous that (In the U.S.) you can't just prove you're already fit enough to just skip PE (Run a start of the year P.E. "final exam" that consists of running laps or something.), kind of like testing out of low tier math and foreign language courses. When I was in high school, I weighed 110 lbs (about 50 kg) and could have easily passed any kind of stamina test the school cared to throw at me. In any case, I sure as hell wasn't suffering from any "obesity epidemic."

They never travel alone.
Erock Proud Canadian from Toronto Since: Jul, 2009
Proud Canadian
#202: Sep 28th 2011 at 7:24:46 PM

[up]But why would you make PE optional is you aren't having enough of it.

If you don't like a single Frank Ocean song, you have no soul.
Culex Since: Dec, 1969
#203: Sep 28th 2011 at 7:36:58 PM

[up][up] Literature and chemistry and biology etc should be able to be tested out of or just optional too then :P

USAF713 I changed accounts. from the United States Since: Sep, 2010
I changed accounts.
#204: Sep 28th 2011 at 8:03:19 PM

I would say to do it how we do it at my school: two credits of PE, and then it's optional...

I am now known as Flyboy.
Vellup I have balls. from America Since: Mar, 2011 Relationship Status: The Skitty to my Wailord
I have balls.
#205: Sep 28th 2011 at 8:47:36 PM

[up][up][up] Not having enough of it? I made it clear that I had no need for P.E. in high school and that I could have proven it.

[up][up] Technically, you can. There are a bunch of ways to get credit for courses without taking them, from AP tests, to CLEP. The GED (which grants the equivalent of a high school diploma) by the way, does not include P.E. in its curriculum.

They never travel alone.
KitsuneInferno Jackass Detector from East Tennessee Since: Apr, 2009
Jackass Detector
#206: Sep 28th 2011 at 10:47:40 PM

I had no need for English classes in high school because I was already familiar with the basic rules of grammar.

"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt." - Some guy with a snazzy hat.
fanty Since: Dec, 2009
#207: Sep 29th 2011 at 2:02:13 AM

I remember some time ago I heard one scientist on BBC talk about how exercise had next to no effect on children's weight, and it was all mostly about their diet. I especially found it interesting that children in India who grow up in the countryside, eating a rural diet, suddenly start gaining weight after their families move to the city and the diet completely changes. Same children, being as active as ever, gain weight just because the diet changed! Which is why focusing on PE will hardly make any difference at all. Yes, sure, maybe you COULD burn that fat, but doesn't it make more sense to prevent that fat from accumulating in the first place?

edited 29th Sep '11 2:03:32 AM by fanty

Talby Since: Jun, 2009
#208: Sep 29th 2011 at 2:30:19 AM

Exercise isn't just about weight loss, it's also about you general state of health, and your level of energy and endurance.

Kino Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: Californicating
#209: Sep 29th 2011 at 4:14:55 AM

@Barkey: That's kind off ironic; as much as I hated math back in school, I just recently found an application fro trig and geometry.

Erock Proud Canadian from Toronto Since: Jul, 2009
Proud Canadian
#210: Sep 29th 2011 at 6:37:39 AM

@vellup: I found you did not prove it.

The any guy who can do complex algebra has more balls then a footall player is not only wrong it's amusing.

If you don't like a single Frank Ocean song, you have no soul.
dRoy Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar from Most likely from my study Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just high on the world
Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar
#211: Sep 29th 2011 at 7:01:03 AM

Thread Hop:

There were a couple of fat teachers back when I went to American school. You know, those who are so fat they look literally round? I mean, Jesus Christ, before seeing them I didn't even realize people could be that fat. I was surprised that those people could even walk.

Continuously reading, studying, and (hopefully) growing.
TotemicHero No longer a forum herald from the next level Since: Dec, 2009
No longer a forum herald
#212: Sep 29th 2011 at 7:31:34 AM

Thread Hop also.

I'm surprised that this discussion went so far without bringing this up (unless it did come up, in which case I apologize):

That transformation disturbs me to this day. I think it would definitely scare some kids, if you wanted to take the Scare 'Em Straight route.

Keep in mind this was made back in 1988. Clearly Weird Al is quite prescient...then again, what were the numbers like back then?

Expergiscēre cras, medior quam hodie. (Awaken tomorrow, better than today.)
Barkey Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#214: Sep 29th 2011 at 9:31:46 AM

Exercise gets you muscle tissue, which is useful in every day life.. It also gives you a clearer mental state, improves blood flow, and a host of other things.

Hiking has always been my favorite exercise because I really like to talk to people and I enjoy exploring, so I'll take a few friends and we'll get a map of a national park so we can just go buck wild and see how far we can get.

Vellup I have balls. from America Since: Mar, 2011 Relationship Status: The Skitty to my Wailord
I have balls.
#215: Sep 29th 2011 at 12:26:14 PM

@vellup: I found you did not prove it.

That was my point. The school board doesn't care to give you the opportunity to prove that you don't need to take PE.

The any guy who can do complex algebra has more balls then a footall player is not only wrong it's amusing.

First of all, that was calculus. And I stand by that claim. The amount of thinking that goes into football games pales in comparison to the effort needed to master even the most basic mathematical exercises, like performing differential equations or measuring volume by integration.

edited 29th Sep '11 12:26:43 PM by Vellup

They never travel alone.
JosefBugman Since: Nov, 2009
#216: Sep 29th 2011 at 12:30:06 PM

Both are important. Arguing which side is more important makes both of them look stupid.

So stop it and try to at least know a bit about each, otherwise it's going to make you look daft.

Penguin4Senate Since: Aug, 2009
#217: Sep 29th 2011 at 12:37:43 PM

The amount of thinking that goes into football games pales in comparison to the effort needed to master even the most basic mathematical exercises, like performing differential equations or measuring volume by integration.

What the hell kind of middle/high school did you attend where that's the simplest math?

Erock Proud Canadian from Toronto Since: Jul, 2009
Proud Canadian
#218: Sep 29th 2011 at 1:08:25 PM

The amount of thinking that goes into football games pales in comparison to the effort needed to master even the most basic mathematical exercises, like performing differential equations or measuring volume by integration

So what if it takes thinking, it's not risky or ballsy.

You would also be surprised by the complexity of football.

edited 29th Sep '11 1:09:00 PM by Erock

If you don't like a single Frank Ocean song, you have no soul.
Kino Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: Californicating
#219: Sep 29th 2011 at 1:20:38 PM

First of all, that was calculus. And I stand by that claim. The amount of thinking that goes into football games pales in comparison to the effort needed to master even the most basic mathematical exercises, like performing differential equations or measuring volume by integration.

Unless you have career as a mathematician how often will you use calc in life? Now ask yourself, how often you'll have to run quickly, follow directions under duress, or lift something heavy?

Barkey Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#220: Sep 29th 2011 at 1:36:52 PM

Not that much for people with a sedentary lifestyle in a safe environment, but the need to do such things can often save someones life and happen on short notice.

Kino Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: Californicating
#221: Sep 29th 2011 at 1:38:37 PM

Good thing safety is relative.

AllanAssiduity Since: Dec, 1969
#222: Sep 29th 2011 at 1:41:23 PM

Unless you have career as a mathematician how often will you use calc in life? Now ask yourself, how often you'll have to run quickly, follow directions under duress, or lift something heavy?
The arguments are not equal; you're taking specific applications of Mathematics and applying it against very general applications of Physical Education. Of course the latter will win out.

But how often am I going to be doing cross-country against a handful of professional athletes (and a group of not-so-professional people), compared to basic multiplication?

*

edited 29th Sep '11 1:41:52 PM by AllanAssiduity

Barkey Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#223: Sep 29th 2011 at 1:46:23 PM

Meh, I use basic arithmetic, which is hugely important and everyone should know.

Calc and trig? I don't know anybody who uses that for every day non work/hobby related activities, but every human needs to walk and pick things up.

AllanAssiduity Since: Dec, 1969
#224: Sep 29th 2011 at 2:24:12 PM

Precisely my point; the basics of each subject are essential and important in everyday life. The "higher" the subject is, the less use it is in "every day life" (outside of specialised areas).

johnnyfog Actual Wrestling Legend from the Zocalo Since: Apr, 2010 Relationship Status: They can't hide forever. We've got satellites.
Actual Wrestling Legend
#225: Sep 29th 2011 at 4:29:18 PM

Perhaps thing have changed since I was in school, but we all sensed on some level that the Food Pyramid and those movies they showed us about balanced diets were, well.. disingenuous. Our mathbooks were sponsored by Mcdonald's, there was an ice cream bar next to the cafeteria turnstiles, and everybody chugging Sunny Delight like it was mineral water.

I'm a skeptical squirrel

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