In elementary school, gym is the time to be out of control, let out energy, and take a break from playing games inside, to just playing games outside. In middle school, gym is the time to socialize with friends and complain about the amount of homework you weren’t expecting. But, in high school physical education is the worst part of my day. Fifth period Activities for Lifetime Fitness is like reliving the end of the world every single day. Being forced to work out and sweat should be a choice.

The Illinois State Board of Education’s most recent plan is the enhancement of physical education in all Illinois schools; they believe that physical activity should be increased in order to reduce the risks of developing chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. While all these points are correct, it should be a student’s choice to participate in the rigorous physical activity that is required in high school P.E. classes.

Many students, like me, engage in physical activities outside of school for ten or more hours during the week. The high school P.E. programs have a motto: “help kids make healthy choices and lead them into a healthy lifestyle.” This frustrates students who are already healthy and work out outside of school because they don’t need help with that aspect of their lives. Therefore, I propose that all students should be able to test out of the regular activities gym class offered our high school.

All students are required to fitness test in the beginning and end of each semester. These tests are sent to the Illinois School Board of Education, so that they can make sure student health is improving. This is understandable, but only for the kids who are overweight or unhealthy. Students who are active daily should be able to use their fitness test as a way to test out of gym.

If the fitness tests were used to test kids out of gym, then students would have an extra class period to have a study hall, or take an elective. This would be extremely beneficial for those students because they are busy enough outside of school. Thus, they could have an extra period in school to take more classes or have time to finish homework, projects, and essays.

“I work out every evening, and having another hour of physical fitness is not needed in my schedule. I don’t have a study hall because I have work release in order to nanny after school. Exempting from gym would be very helpful, because I can continue to be healthy and get my school work done,” said Sloan Petereit (12).

Varsity athletes shouldn’t be the only students who have the privilege of exempting from gym class. In most high schools upperclassman who participate in varsity sports are allowed to exempt from their gym class and have a study hall. I completely agree with this policy, although other students should also have that privilege too.

Danielle Comitor (12) , varsity basketball player, adds that, “Exempting from gym takes a huge weight off my shoulders while I’m in sports. If students should have the choice to exempt out of gym they should because it helps with schoolwork.”

In my experience, I dance fifteen hours a week outside of school and that is near the same amount of hours a varsity athlete spends a week practicing and playing games. If I’m getting the same amount of physical activity and keeping my body in shape just like varsity athletes then I should be able to exempt from gym as well. Just because I chose to dance in the city, instead of at the school, doesn’t mean I’m not qualified to exempt from gym.

Other athletes on the Freshman, Sophomore, and JV-levels should also have the privilege of exempting. They are working just as hard as varsity athletes and should have the same benefits.

“I dance for about 20 hours a week, and with so much time spent on this activity outside of school, it makes it extremely difficult to stay on top of school work. Exempting from gym and having a study hall would help tremendously because that is about one hour of homework I could get done during school rather than being forced to stay up into the early hours of the morning trying to finish it all,” said Gretchen Vanderbloomer (10).

Sitting in class after getting twenty five minutes of TZ (heart rate above 140 bpms) by running around a hot and sweaty gym is dreadful—said every student in high school. So why are we forced to do something we don’t need? Why don’t we have the choice to exempt from gym? I guess that’s something the ISBE needs to work out.