Physical education at North Allegheny is taught by passionate teachers who make the classes fun and engaging; however, I do not believe taking four years of PE class should be mandatory for graduation for all students.

If I am not required to take math or science my senior year, I do not understand why I have to take PE. I appreciate the importance of physical health, but my academic workload is significantly more important in helping me achieve my post-graduation educational goals. 

Personally, I believe students should only have to take gym their freshmen and sophomore year, and only one credit of gym should be required for graduation (a half-credit each year).  Students would have the option to take PE their junior and senior year if they would like. This would allow students at NASH to focus on things such as college applications and their future aspirations. 

If the previous idea would not be feasible, there should be an option for students to test out of PE. Over the summer students, could come to NASH and complete a physical fitness test. The test could include a 10-minute run and a 50-meter swim, for instance. These are two essential life skills. Students could take the test prior to their junior year, and if they pass, they would not be required to take gym junior and senior year. 

Some may argue that gym has many benefits, from physical strength to mental well-being, and although I believe physical activity does in fact have those benefits, I also believe many students are already physically active outside of school. Others may argue that physical education teaches life skills such as swimming and cardio health, and that is exactly why the fitness test would include swimming and running. I also think that skills like teaching children to swim or developing cardiovascular health, while important, fall outside the core responsibilities of the school.

North Allegheny, as many people know, takes great pride in our athletics. The Athletics website indicates that NA offers 46 varsity sports programs to students. Taking into account that some students play on teams outside of school, it is reasonable to conclude that a significantly large number of NASH juniors and seniors take part in intense practices for hours upon hours every week. Students in these sports are getting significantly more physical activity than they get in a one class period of PE a couple times a week. Additionally, these student-athletes are often overwhelmed when trying to manage school, work, and sports. 

If students did not have to take part in gym, they could use time for other academic interests or for a study hall to catch up on work, which will improve productivity and emotional well-being. I would love to use an extra period for another elective, specifically one that relates to something I would like to do later in life. I feel that having this opportunity will lead to more success in my future. 

And if physical education was optional or students could test out, it would create a better experience for those participating. This way, the students who elect to take gym class would be surrounded by classmates who genuinely want to participate, creating a more positive and productive environment. 

My experiences with North Allegheny’s physical education teachers have been great, but not having to take gym junior and senior year would have immense benefits for me as a student and individual. 

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Editors’ note: All opinions expressed on The Uproar are a reflection solely of the beliefs of the bylined author and not the journalism program at NASH.  We continue to welcome school-appropriate comments and guest articles.