The Pros And Cons Of Physical Education

27th in mathematics, 17th in reading, 20th in science. I am of course referring to our United States of America, a country that prides itself on greatness and excellence, excellence in the purest sense of the word. 27th in mathematics, 17th in reading, 20th in science, and we act as if there is even a question as to where the budget should go in our educational system.

America’s greatness relies on an educated populace, a populace equipped with the knowledge to guarantee justice for Americans, preserve the rights of Americans, make decisions that effect the lives of all Americans, and, ultimately, govern together as Americans. The modern educational system’s inapposite prioritization of physical education and athletics is irrefutably incongruous

Proponents of physical education often contend their case with these and other similar arguments, but upon closer examination of the physical education system, its true use and effectiveness are highly questionable. Those who argue that physical education is integral to the nation’s health must reexamine the nation in which we live, a nation in which more than one-third of adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pennsylvanian legislation has mandated physical education since 1999, but since 1999, the adult obesity rate has risen by 11%. Regardless of the proponents’ claims, physical education is not having its intended effect on public health. (Note: I am not trying to suggest that physical education is deleterious to public health. I am just showing that physical education has done a negligible job promoting health). Furthermore, physical education consumes an entire class period of a student’s day, a class period which could be spent learning one of many highly important, pertinent 21st century subjects that the Common Core has inexplicably ignored: micro and macro economics, U.S.

Physical education allows students to relax and replenish their energy, while athletics teaches the intangibles of discipline, effort, and grit. Neither, however, has a place in school. We do not need an economic expert to predict that America will soon lose its ground as the greatest economy in the world. China is in rapid pursuit, and India is not far behind. There is no need to panic, though, for as Dr. Carson says, “All we need to do is remember what our real responsibilities are so that we can solve the problems [that plague our nation].” This is all I suggest, nothing radical, nothing illogical; let’s just keep schools a place for learning. Let’s teach our students that their main responsibility is to become educated citizens of the nation. Let’s work collectively to bring America back to its place of unparalleled success and progress, and the first, most foundational step to doing this is to reevaluate, refocus, and recharge our educational