Physical Education: Costly Sacred Cow

* If the problems of money and quality of instruction in our public schools are to be solved, the first step should be to slaughter some sacred cows. The first is physical education. It should be offered as an elective rather than compulsory.

P.E. is no more than a fun-and-games interlude between important studies. The average student can match the physical fitness claimed for physical education by walking a mile to and from school each day. This would cost nothing. As an elective, physical education could be scheduled after school along with competitive sports. This would reduce a student’s schedule to four hours daily for serious instruction in the basics. An hour of physical education costs as much as an hour of instruction in math and science.

If only four hours daily are needed for serious study in English, history, math, science and vocations, it is a simple step to the creation of two student bodies. One school would meet from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and the other from 1 to 5 p.m.

Athletes and those who elect to enroll in physical education would attend the early school, and do their drills while the second school is in session. Conversely, band and orchestra students would enroll in the second school and practice before school while the first school is in session. A teacher would work six hours daily and earn extra pay.

The present physical facilities would accommodate double the present enrollment and save billions of dollars to build new schools. A student’s time would not be wasted on an activity that most of them would not voluntarily choose.

Education dollars should be spent on the essentials, not on an activity to guarantee employment for jocks. Think about it. Physical education is a very expensive sacred cow.

JOLLY F. GRIGGS

Ventura

Jolly Griggs is a retired Ventura College teacher.