Photograph by Valerie Ramos
Gym class, or Physical Education (PE) has been a staple in depictions of pre-twenty-first century high school experiences. From movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High to TV shows like Freaks and Geeks, PE is often used as a way to remind people of the uncomfortable, sweaty, and the somewhat nostalgic culture of the PE locker room (for some people).
In any high school related movie, gym class is almost synonymous with the high school experience. Now however, anyone at Berkeley High School (BHS) knows that this could not be further from the truth.
With the current program, students can obtain their four semesters in a variety of ways. In the previous physical education system, PE class was a mandatory part of students’ schedules nationwide.
PE is now a class that many BHS students will never take. Any student athlete on a Berkeley High sports team will never have to take PE, nor will any athletes who play for club teams outside of BHS for at least four seasons. BHS also allows students to get PE credits through activities like yoga classes, and other various fitness classes.
Students can now stay in shape and stay active without worrying about getting sweaty during the school day. This freedom is a blessing for many. Yet as a result, PE class is quite simply a joke, an afterthought for seniors as a last resort to make sure they get the four semesters to graduate in most cases.
While the current system is a good thing, it can be taken advantage of. From faking hours at the YMCA to playing five weeks of a sport, it’s extremely easy to get credits that are supposed to be attained through something equivalent to the difficulty of a semester of PE class. This is not to say that all people take advantage of this system, but it definitely happens, and parents and educators are concerned by the lack of physical activity students are doing. Many even believe that PE should be mandatory in high schools again.
This, however, would not be a smart course of action. While it is crucial for students to be active and healthy, the prototypical gym class was not a good way to keep students in shape. Physical activity should not be a source of dread or fear. Rather, it should be something that is enjoyed and leads to growth. There are many students who do not like to exercise, but the range of physical activity is so broad that many people forget it doesn’t have to be limited to the classics. There are a wide variety of ways to stay active.
The key is to hold students accountable, because the mixture of PE as an optional course and easily earned credits is not working. PE does not have to go away and students don’t have to be forced into taking it, but high schools need to do a better job making sure students genuinely do something. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but students should want to and be able to find joy in physical activity.