Public schools around the US are actually banning the mile run for gym class because it is too "demanding" for the students. Even for the Presidential fitness test, there is a new option that takes the place of the mile for a "pacer test" which basically involves running back and forth in a gym about 10 times with REST inbetween. This is so pathetic!
P.E. used to be mandatory nearly everywhere in the U.S. for a long time, until the past few years when most states have made it optional and many school districts have actually cut PE. The fattening of America is great isn't it?!?
that, if true, is ridiculous. But the pacer test is by no means easy if you actually put some effort into it
Pathetic, but not surprising. We're a nation of fat-asses. Especially the kids. Fat little buggers everywhere. PE is getting removed from elementary schools everywhere, the PE requirements for hs graduation are constantly being diluted. This is no surprise. It is, as you stated, quite pathetic and a big shame on our society.
They dumped the mile for the Presidential Fitness Test back when I was in middle school in the early 80s and went with the 600m. There was still many kids that had to walk even a 600!?!?!
Its 600y, not 600m.
While some areas are actually banning the run, many are just taking advantage of the fact that the pacer test is so much friggin easier and makes your P.E. program look better. Its like dumbing down the SATs and saying everyone is smarter because they all did well.
P.E. Teacher wrote:
While some areas are actually banning the run, many are just taking advantage of the fact that the pacer test is so much friggin easier and makes your P.E. program look better. Its like dumbing down the SATs and saying everyone is smarter because they all did well.
The dumbing down of the SAT is called a GED that thing is a joke.
I actually see this as kind of scary for US distance running.. didn't Webb decide to become a miler because he was so good at it in elementary school?!
Isn't that why most of us started running? We realized that we were skinny kids who would get our backs broken if we played football.
In middle school we had to do BOTH the pacer test and mile run. Along with a sit-up, push-up, and stretching tests.
I started running because my basketball coach was a retard, and running was flexible. In my school it was 3 times around the square ft. area of our school, making it 1 mile. The rule was that you had to complete it in 15 minutes.
One problem is (fat) parents think their (fat) kids shouldn't be put through the rigors of the Mile Run. I'd be embarrassed if my kids was like that. What kind of parent sets his/her own child up to be an unhealthy adult?
The end wrote:
Public schools around the US are actually banning the mile run for gym class because it is too "demanding" for the students.
i for one, blame the metric system.
fine, they dont run the mile, but do the 1600 meters. the kid saves all of about 9 yards of running.
make them go the full 1609.
Well, it's true that I am ancient, but the longest I ever ran in a gym class was 600 yards.
Zoltan wrote:
Well, it's true that I am ancient, but the longest I ever ran in a gym class was 600 yards.
when i was in school 600 yards was the longest we ran as well. as i recall 600 yards was the distance you ran for the presidential fitness stuff.
I find this so odd. Not only did (and I presume still do) have the mile at our middleschool, but a sizeable number of us actually petitioned the PE teacher to let us run longer time trials - first 2 then 3 miles.
The local junior high PE teacher really tried to bring a "fitness" component into PE. One of the components was the mile run. The kids had to get through it in something like 16 minutes (might have been 20). Numerous whiny parents called the principal to complain that Mr. X was being too demanding toward poor little Junior. The principal, who might have weighed 110, actually made Mr. X drop the requirement. He took early retirement. :(
We might as well surrender to al-Qaeda now and save time.
Get your prayer rugs.
We had the "12 minute run" in junior high PE. We ran it around the school track, and bragging rights went to anyone who could pull off 1.5 miles or better. We had one guy, a hockey player, who could bang out 2 1/4, I could do 2.0. Most guys got in a little over a mile. But even the fat asses had to run it as a test of fitness.
What's wrong with the world? We test for drugs, we test for math skills but not physical fitness.