Should Sports be Optional in School?

omnicorp

Should PE be an optional subject?

Many Schools, mine, Colaiste Eanna, among them, are without PE facilities such as a sports hall or teachers.

Obesity is rising.

The Government has realised that ignoring this problem won’t solve it.

Then why are many schools, in many areas not only without PE, they also don’t provide decent information on healthy eating and fitness.
In all my years at secondary school, we have had TWO lessons on Healthy Eating and Fitness!

This is, of course, unacceptable.

And, to make matters worse, unhealthy food is readily available at lunch time.

But it’s nice to see the Corporate Boat is sailing on time, Coca Cola is present in science books, Tesco and other shops are running “Box Tops for Education” offers.
Arial is providing Student “science packs”, where students place some ketchup on a piece of cloth, and wash it in a machine with arial washing powder.
No Science involved whatsoever.

And, in the PE region, in my Primary school, McDonalds was providing Footballs and Bibs, coincidentaly, with their logo on them.

I got an email from a Politician who shall remain nameless who said that he thinks PE is not optional and every school should be able to have it.
Needless to say he is not in power for whatever reason but I hope he tries to do something about it.

Just because us Secondary Students Can’t vote does not mean that we should have to go to under funded and poorly facilitated schools. You wouldn’t catch Socialist Bertie sending his kids to a state school, that’s for sure.

gimmick

I, for one, cannot believe that PE is not an essential part of school. And by PE, i dont mean just playing soccer for 2 hours a week, I mean tough physical excersize that gets the heart pumping,a nd the lungs open.

As mentioned above, obesity is rising, and schools are doing nada to combat it. They seem to reckon that sports are only for those who are good at them, and acamdemics are fine for others. They will have canteens filled with crap, and will not educate about high cholesterol etc, as that a problem for older peope, apparently.

Physical fitness should be every bit as important as being mentally agile. In fact, one goes hand in hand with the other. Those who have regular excersize generally do very well in school/college/workplace.

In fact, it makes me sick to think my folks gave my sister a note out of PE week in week out throughout her school going years. She is lucky in that she keeps slim anyways, but others are not so lucky. Reason they gave her the note? She hates gym/pe. Well I hated maths. Somehow I doubt a note every other day would have got me away from that.

So to answer omnicorps Q, no sports shouldnt be optional, they should be essential, and the same punishments/measures should be in place for people who are crap a PE as there is for those who are crap at maths/science etc. The same help should be available to those bad a PE, as there is to those bad at maths.

Fact of the matter is that ireland (the world) is getting fatter, and there is F all being done about it.

chill

Individual sports should be optional.

A general 'activity' period each day should be compulsory.

seamus

I would like to see compulsory PE, right up to 6th year, with three one-hour sessions a week. And not just kicking a football around either.

As gimmick says, people wouldn't get out of doing other subjects due to inability, so I really don't think PE should be any different. When you're in school, PE seems to be the trivial subject, but certainly the thing that shook me into action, was hearing about guys who were my weight or maybe a stone heavier, dropping like flies from heart attacks and other weight-related problems in their late twenties/early thirties. Not far off it at 22, it made me cop on. Exercise is essential to our overall health. It has definite, everyday and lasting effects in a person's real life. What's the biggest complaint when kids are in school? "When the hell will I ever use algebra/poetry/French?". We use our bodies every day. PE should be the honing of those skills.

In fact, it makes me sad now, that I only realised that fact 4 years after I left school, where I'd spent years dodging PE to go and sit on my arse.

rob1891

In Poland they must do a PE/sport module in University as well!! [disclaimer: in a university possibily not all, and I don't know if it continues for all 5 years, but certainly for the first three.] We should take sport and exercise a lot more seriously, how do you think all them Eastern women got so attractive

Xterminator

Yes i think physical education to combat the inactivity of todays youth, along with education on health eating is essential. Perhaps more can be done to address what school kids are eating for lunch, but then the older they get, (eg secondary kids), like to be treated like adults, and not told what they can and cant eat, or bring to school etc.

My boys are curently in primary, where the teachers monitor the contents of lunch boxes, and wont let the children eat chocolate, or drink fizzy drinks crisps etc. However it is left to the individual teacher, and somethines they have personal quirks about what is or isnt allowed. For instance no popcorn? Tis a healthy enough food! I buy the perri multipacks as they are a good crisp replacement product!

PS i dont see what omnicorp, (original poster) has against 'the corporate boat'?
I reckon offers like Tesco's computers for Schools, and various books for schools offers etc. have helpded Irish schools become better equipped and have a positive effect. IBM kitted out a local school or two, while i worked with them, and i'm sure other corporations do other things the help a little.

Sure they get publicity, and brand loyalty back in return, but not all corporate involvment is bad.

Perhaps if house builders offered tokens for school buildings when people buy their houses off them, it might address some of the schools waiing for buildings to be repaired/built eh?


X

gimmick

seamus wrote:

In fact, it makes me sad now, that I only realised that fact 4 years after I left school, where I'd spent years dodging PE to go and sit on my arse.

Its the same here. Im 26 in a few weeks (theres a sobering thought ), and only really discovered that physical fitness is essential about 18 months ago. I was fit at aschool, very much so, but once I left, and went to college, where i had sex, drugs and rock n roll, fitness was walking up the stairs.

In fact, at one point, i went about 2 years without any excersize, my weight was ballooning, and i went and played a 5 a side game of ball. I was not only stiff for 5-6 days after, i was in pain. I was then I decided that this will never happen again. Now, i try to go to the gym at least once a week, and play at least one hour of 6 a side football.

Im nowhere near what one would term 'fit', but I am getting there, and I swear to God, I am feeling so much better. Appetite has improved, I sleep way better, and I have more confidence in myself. Not to mention the once growing belly is now shrinking!

Its very important, and it should be thought to kids from a young age.

The Sweeper

Many kids try to dodge PE when it's compulsory. I know girls try dodging it for a number of reasons.

• Communal changing rooms. Girls are more body conscious than teenage boys.
• Not wanting to exercise during their period.
• No shower facilities at the school.
• Having - no laughing now - geniune discomfort and self consciousness about the all new bouncing bits on their bodies - sport without a sport bra is BAD.

I went to one of the biggest girl's schools on the East Coast, which now apparently has waiting lists as long as your arm, and when I was there we used to do a 30 minute run around the school grounds in PE, up hills, down dales, the lot. You'd come out the other end of it puffing and sweating, and have to make do with smothering yourself in bloody MUM spray deoderant and sit festering for the rest of the day's classes.

omnicorp

I find it disgrace that shops are allowed to sell junk to people in school uniform aswell.
And why learn Quadratic Graphs and not PE or Food knowledge?

rainbow kirby

When I was in 6th year (Sancta Maria, next door to you Omnicorp!) we had the choice between honours maths and PE... Wonderful.

daveirl

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omnicorp

New principal in Sancta Maria.
Now we're in trouble for "walking through school grounds"

Anyway.
I don't like PE or sports for that matter but I would do them if they were compulsary.
If they're voluntary I wouldn't. (excpet for that maths thing)
I have never been part of a school sports team (or any other sports team).

Seraphina

Minesajackdaniels wrote:

Many kids try to dodge PE when it's compulsory. I know girls try dodging it for a number of reasons.

• Communal changing rooms. Girls are more body conscious than teenage boys.
• Not wanting to exercise during their period.
• No shower facilities at the school.
• Having - no laughing now - geniune discomfort and self consciousness about the all new bouncing bits on their bodies - sport without a sport bra is BAD.

I went to one of the biggest girl's schools on the East Coast, which now apparently has waiting lists as long as your arm, and when I was there we used to do a 30 minute run around the school grounds in PE, up hills, down dales, the lot. You'd come out the other end of it puffing and sweating, and have to make do with smothering yourself in bloody MUM spray deoderant and sit festering for the rest of the day's classes.

this was the biggest problem i had with sports in school. we were required to do fitness training for the hockey team as well, which i wouldn't have had a problem with, but it was during our lunchtime (which was only 40 mins anyway)
the worst part was, we had showers, but we weren't allowed use them! it was ridiculous. nobody wants to do a decent bit of exercise, followed by rushing to get changed for the next class, spraying deodrant, and like MADJ said, sitting stinking up the place for the rest of the day. it feels disgusting and its not fair on teenagers who are all becoming increasingly self conscious.

but then some people are just lazy. there was one girl in my year who rarely did PE. there was always some excuse or note, or missing piece of PE uniform, but nothing was ever done about it. if you repeatedly turn up unprepared for another class you'd get into trouble, but with PE anyone who didn;t want to participate just needed to stay in their uniform and they'd be sent to the library.
i didn't like PE myself, but often because it involved games netball, volleyball etc all stupid sports that i hated. however i will now happily spend an hour or two in the gym maybe three times a week because i can do it when it suits me, i can do what i want, and there are showering facilities.

omnicorp

the reason nothing was done about someone skipping PE is that it is FUN.
it's not seen as education or a school subject. In primary school we were punsihed by skipping PE, not maths, geography aor even art.
People have this nstrange idea that just because school wasn't fun in their day it shouldn't be fun at all. Having Fun, thats no way to learn(!)

simu

They should have a bigger choice of sports on offer. I hate team sports but that's all we ever got to do at school, for example.

Tiriel

simu wrote:

They should have a bigger choice of sports on offer. I hate team sports but that's all we ever got to do at school, for example.

I agree with simu here, I wasn't much for team sports, but would've like badminton etc if it was available!!

daveirl

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simu

daveirl wrote:

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What other way is there besides sport to get fit???

omnicorp

excersize. eg) Gym etc.

I did get a phone call from a TD, (name with me) who was a PE teacher and was very surpised that my school didn't do any sports at all.
proving that it isn't the Parlaiments fault but it's the Department of Education's fault.
I think there should be a seperate Givernment department for Sports & PE in school.
That might help.

Nasty_Girl

I think PE should be optional in secondary school. I personally didn't see the educational value of standing on a freezing basket ball with a bunch of stick insect stuck up bitches screeching abuse at me and glowering at me for a week because their precious team lost a f*cking friendly game. God there's a bout 3 years of fake sick notes sittin in a file somewhere in my old school. Thankfully they made PE optional in my school after third year. PE in my mind is in the same boat as music and art. I think PE only encourages peer pressure, its hard enough being a teenager without having to don PE kit or swimsuit and make an ass of yourself physically.
And before ye start on about obesity and health and exercise that's all me b*llix tis no one business only our own and I don't see how an hour and a half of being put in goal and verbally belittled by classmates is gona help. If anything it encouraged me to eat more.

dudara

Originally Posted by Minesajackdaniels
Many kids try to dodge PE when it's compulsory. I know girls try dodging it for a number of reasons.

* Communal changing rooms. Girls are more body conscious than teenage boys.
* Not wanting to exercise during their period.
* No shower facilities at the school.
* Having - no laughing now - geniune discomfort and self consciousness about the all new bouncing bits on their bodies - sport without a sport bra is BAD.

That's pretty true for us ladies. I avoided PE (which was optional) all the way through as I was just too self-concious for such changing room activity. Theses days however, I'm reasonably fit and have lost all such hang-ups, but we do have to realise that they exist and are a serious concern for teenagers.

As to Nasty Girl, I have to disagree with you in the sense, that while PE itself need not be compulsory, some form of healthy eathing/living education should be.

Sleepy

Nasty_Girl wrote:

I think PE should be optional in secondary school. I personally didn't see the educational value of standing on a freezing basket ball with a bunch of stick insect stuck up bitches screeching abuse at me and glowering at me for a week because their precious team lost a f*cking friendly game. God there's a bout 3 years of fake sick notes sittin in a file somewhere in my old school. Thankfully they made PE optional in my school after third year. PE in my mind is in the same boat as music and art. I think PE only encourages peer pressure, its hard enough being a teenager without having to don PE kit or swimsuit and make an ass of yourself physically.
And before ye start on about obesity and health and exercise that's all me b*llix tis no one business only our own and I don't see how an hour and a half of being put in goal and verbally belittled by classmates is gona help. If anything it encouraged me to eat more.

And that's exactly why PROPER physical health education should me mandatory in school. In my opinion PE should be done in proper gyms where you get a good cardiovascular work out and are given enough time to shower afterwards instead of just playing sports.

And Nasty Girl, you're wrong, health and obesity aren't your own business because we have a publicly funded health system and obese people are far more in need of health care than healthy people so either people need to be taught to take care of their health from an early age. Otherwise the only fair thing to do is to levy an extra tax on obese people (similar to the current levy on smokers) to make the tax system more equitable.

rob1891

Nasty_Girl wrote:

I think PE should be optional in secondary school. I personally didn't see the educational value of standing on a freezing basket ball with a bunch of stick insect stuck up bitches screeching abuse at me and glowering at me for a week because their precious team lost a f*cking friendly game. God there's a bout 3 years of fake sick notes sittin in a file somewhere in my old school. Thankfully they made PE optional in my school after third year. PE in my mind is in the same boat as music and art. I think PE only encourages peer pressure, its hard enough being a teenager without having to don PE kit or swimsuit and make an ass of yourself physically.
And before ye start on about obesity and health and exercise that's all me b*llix tis no one business only our own and I don't see how an hour and a half of being put in goal and verbally belittled by classmates is gona help. If anything it encouraged me to eat more.

when your bypass is paid for with my taxes, then it is my business!

Nasty_Girl

well I have in insurance so get off your high horse.
the PE that I did does not help ANYONE. By your logic we should have to do PE into our old f*cking age then shouldn't we...?

omnicorp

And they're the same people complaining cbout the Health Service

Nasty_Girl

dudara wrote:

As to Nasty Girl, I have to disagree with you in the sense, that while PE itself need not be compulsory, some form of healthy eathing/living education should be.

How is that disagreeing with me? I've no problem with a healthy eating thing as such, all I'm sayin is that sports aren't for everyone and in fact a hazzard for some as I girl I knew purposely made her self throw up to get out of it, This thread is called "SHOULD SPORTS BE OPTIONAL IN SCHOOL" and I would say yes. SPORT should.

omnicorp

PE isn't sports, it's PHYSICAL EDUCATION.
It involves learning how to keep healthy physicaly.
To keep track of your physical health.
To learn how to do excersizes such as stretches and jogging on the spot.
It involves sport as part of it but it isn't SPORT itself.
If you don't like maths you can't get ou of that.
Why should Physical EDUCATION be any different?

simu

Oh, so there's a distinction? I considered jogging, walking, doing excercises to be sport too. That clears things up a bit.

Thinking about it, they should get rid of those uber-butch, US marine-type trainer PE teachers you get in most schools. I always found them very annoying.

omnicorp

I mean Team Sports and Excersizes.
And I would count those "warm-ups" as excersizes rather than sports.

But maybe jogging and walking are sport but I was talking about jogging-on-the-spot

rob1891

Nasty_Girl wrote:

How is that disagreeing with me? I've no problem with a healthy eating thing as such, all I'm sayin is that sports aren't for everyone and in fact a hazzard for some as I girl I knew purposely made her self throw up to get out of it, This thread is called "SHOULD SPORTS BE OPTIONAL IN SCHOOL" and I would say yes. SPORT should.

I think the girl you knew was a hazard to herself. If it mattered so much, a trip to a therapist and a little recounting of the idiocy she achieved in avoiding P.E. would have earned her a real exemption and perhaps a little treatment for a problem that sounds a lot bigger than P.E. You don't take a kid with dyslexia and excuse him from English because he's embaressed about his affliction? You show him how to deal with it and send him back to class.

As for insurance, you have some, well done. As you pay for it, I assume you know how it works ... it's a bit like how taxes contribute to healthcare, everybody pays the premium and the sick people cash them in. The less sick people around the less peoplel cashing in and the lower the premuims, got it? So, I'm on VHI too and it would be nice to think our schools are doing something to prevent children growing up and needlessly suffering health problems in later life, cashing my premium in to pay for their bypass.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Nasty_Girl

yeah but who's responsibility is it to educate kids on this matter? The parents or the school?
For the record, because no one seems to read this when I write it,
I think pe can be comp in Primary school and at a stretch til junior cert like it was in my school, and by the way I did healthy eating stuff and yoga in school in a class called "Health Ed" so I guess that's why I associate pe directly with sport and don't really see the need for it.

Venom

Nasty_Girl wrote:

I think PE should be optional in secondary school. I personally didn't see the educational value of standing on a freezing basket ball with a bunch of stick insect stuck up bitches screeching abuse at me and glowering at me for a week because their precious team lost a f*cking friendly game. God there's a bout 3 years of fake sick notes sittin in a file somewhere in my old school. Thankfully they made PE optional in my school after third year. PE in my mind is in the same boat as music and art. I think PE only encourages peer pressure, its hard enough being a teenager without having to don PE kit or swimsuit and make an ass of yourself physically.
And before ye start on about obesity and health and exercise that's all me b*llix tis no one business only our own and I don't see how an hour and a half of being put in goal and verbally belittled by classmates is gona help. If anything it encouraged me to eat more.

Some very valid points here. I hated PE in school for the exact same reasons. Teachers had there pets and they were the ones who were ment to win and if they didn't the teachers helped them win aka cheated. PE should be taught like a proper class and not just a kickabout with a foot ball.


PE is not the issue here tho folks, it parents. It up to them to take the time to check how there kids are doing and not just letting them stick every type of sugary treat into their little butterball like mouths. I'm tired of hearing how little Pete and little Jill are miniature butter mountains due to lack of PE in schools or TV or video games. None of the above are the problem its the lack of interest by a child's parents who would rather let the child do as they wish rather spend some time with their brat and say "no, you cant have a burger and chips for breakfast" once in a while.

omnicorp

It's down to every one to make sure we keep healthy.
Would we tell parents "it's your responsibility to teach your little Johnny maths."
no, we wouldn't.
Parents cannot be expected to teach everything to their children, BUT, many parents show a lack of interest in thier kids health.
Also, it is down to the confectionary companies and food manufacturers, whose advertising is cruel and manipulant.
The governmnet should impose Strict Regulations on food content.
It should ban outright advertising of unhealthy produce and toys.
This, and compulsary PE in scdools will do more for health than A cabinet reshuffle ever will

neuro-praxis

I loved sports at school, but I was lucky enough to be naturally athletic and tall, both advantages for basketball (about the only sport we did at my school...and then there was absolutely no PE for fifth and sixth year students. At that point I took up coaching the juniors which made me lazy and fat - great example to them, I know! I'd blow my whistle and make them run for thirty minutes every day. ). But then I was team captain etc. and didn't suffer much with bad periods.

However, a close friend of mine suffers humiliation to this day about her PE-days at school. She spent six years at a posh private school in Dublin (where sports are mandatory daily) and could never get into it. She was always last picked for any team, always left paddling around awkwardly in the shallow end of the pool. She's just not a physical person. We go swimming together in college several times a week now, but she's in her mid-twenties and its the first proper and non-embarassing exercise she's ever had. She's not constantly under the spotlight, and she's not with a group of skinny, model-esque chicks who exist solely on diet Coke and salad.

Should Physical Education be compulsary? I say yes. Should physical exercise be enforced? I say no. The most you can do with people is try to create a culture that makes people desire to be fit and healthy, but forcing people to do things is never the answer.

The answer is OPTIONS. Dance classes, aerobics, step-classes, gym circuits, team sports, swimming, golf, brisk walking, yoga, tai-chi, running...everyone can manage something. But this is in a dream world.

You can give children strict boundaries, but I believe teenagers who are busy turning into grownups need to be able to make their own decisions, or they feel humiliated.

As for not being allowed to give up maths etc...if they introduced exams for PE then this argument might hold water. If it is an emotionally difficult thing for a teenager to exercise, then they shouldn't have to. Emotional health is more important than physical, ultimately. There are levels of difficulty for maths - foundation, ordinary and honours - why not the same for sports? You don't force a kid who can barely add to do honours maths. Everyone is different and our phsyical capacities are as different as our mental.

NastyGirl - don't give up. Try some gentle exercise a few times a week, even a walk, and break the cycle of fear of exercise that school instilled in you!

omnicorp

I don't like most team sports but I love cycling.
Sorta hard to do for School.

Bottle_of_Smoke

id say a two class a week thing

class one - nutrition\value of exercise reguarding physical and mental health

class two - gym programme

be REAL expensive but id say well worth it

with the current system id completely back what nasty girl is saying - had i been self concious\didnt enjoy PE it would have been a nightmare

Lorcan26

I really think it should be made compulsary. it'd the governments fault for not putting enough money in to proper equipment, and when they do this, i'd say kids would enjoy P.E more. It's healthy and fun!

Lorcan26

I really think it should be made compulsary. it'd the governments fault for not putting enough money in to proper equipment, and when they do this, i'd say kids would enjoy P.E more. It's healthy and fun!

growler

personally i think that exercise in school should be compulsory until 16 or so, when any natural abilities should have manifested themselves.

However it's interesting given the tangental arguments about the cost to the health service and taxation in dealing with the unhealthy members of society when they get ill , most schools don't have the money, facilities or space to have a fully equipped gym, pool, tennis / squash courts whatever. Nor do most of our councils provide enough (if any) of such facilities in our towns or cities. We'd have to spend a lot of money to bring everyone up to standard. I always considered the Irish to be quite sporty , I think there were very few in my school who did not partake in any regular sports.

Also parents probably take a large part of the blame by not making the kids take an interest in sports from an early age and for not making PE facilities a factor in choosing schools.

goin'_to_the_PS

PE should not be an hour of 100 press ups, 100 lunges ect. (like my class today) it should be the persons sport. I think they do it in high school you have a choice of rugby, cross country and cricket. But yes you should have to do the ^^^ for at least an hour a week

omnicorp

It's the Governments responsibility to provide PE facilities and teachers for schools, You don't get anywhere with talk.
Action.

Maybe some of that 14% rise in Capital Expenditure for Education could go into Sports Facilities for schools such as mine which lack them instead of some "Science Library" in the middle of now where that no one will visit and will serve little or no purpose other than looking good.

gimmick

Venom wrote:

PE should be taught like a proper class and not just a kickabout with a foot ball..

You are missing the point. Everyone has agreed that that should be the case.

Venom wrote:

PE is not the issue here tho folks, it parents.

This argument is two-fold. Childhood obesity is only becoming a problem in the last 10 years. So, it a way, it is a new problem, one which parents are not educated (really searching for a better word there) enough on the problem to deal with it.

With all the funding, every school should have proper excersizing facilties, which every pupil should be made use (with the exception of those suffering from a restrictive illness) on a weekly basis. I have no time for this rubbish, about how "it is my body, and I can treat it as I like". You are the one who is then crying because of the shame on the plane when you have to ask for a second seat belt.

Same goes for healthy eating. Schools should (and to be fair, many are) be teaching the benfits of eating an apple over a mars bar for lunch, why a sandwich is better than a bag of chips.


As Ive mentioned above, being fit is essential to live a full life. Being fit, and physically active helps people in many ways in life, and not just "looking attarctive" as Im sure many think Im on about. Take the following scaenario:

2 people, equally qualified are going for a big job in a company. One is still trying to catch the breath and sweating after walking up the stairs, is out of shape, and bordering on obese, the other is in full breath, and dry.

Who gets the job?

Nasty_Girl wrote:

I think PE only encourages peer pressure............................................................................................ ................................................. If anything it encouraged me to eat more.

While i most certainly sympathise with you if you were picked on by other kids (hate bullies), I disagree with your post. PE like all other subjects have those who are better at it than others. There were people who used be at me becasue I consistently failed Maths and Science. The teachers put me down on a daily basis, the object of ridicule many many times. other kids in the class laughed. It annoyed me, but it didnt make me want to binge, nor did it give me an excuse to skip classes. I still knew its importance to furthering myself later on. What it did do (certainly for maths) is make me want to knuckle down, and show everyone that im not that bad. I still failed miserably more often than not, but people saw I was trying to solve the problem, rather than let it fester.

Venom wrote:

Teachers had there pets and they were the ones who were ment to win and if they didn't the teachers helped them win aka cheated

Same happens in every Maths class, every Irish, science, history, accounting, whatever class. Those who are good will get more attention. Whether that is right or wrong is a completely different matter.

neuro-praxis wrote:

I
The answer is OPTIONS. Dance classes, aerobics, step-classes, gym circuits, team sports, swimming, golf, brisk walking, yoga, tai-chi, running...everyone can manage something. But this is in a dream world.

Great point.

omnicorp

One of the main problems you haven't mentilone dis that PE is not treated as a proper EDUDACTIONAL class.
It is treated as abit of fun and of no educational use in "real" life.
Sure, there's no J.C or L.C on it.
It's not as if you can learn how to spell C-A-T from it.
And most of all, students seem to Enjoy it, for God's sake, anything that they enjoy CAN'T be good!
Look at TV, what good has that ever done?
or those nasty Computer Games with all the nasty blood.
terrible stuff, teenagers.

rainbow kirby

Rofl...

Look at TV, what good has that ever done?
or those nasty Computer Games with all the nasty blood.
terrible stuff, teenagers.

Sounds like my dad...

omnicorp

Well, I'm in school so, I can't be, but I was being sarcastic.

rmacm

seamus wrote:

In fact, it makes me sad now, that I only realised that fact 4 years after I left school, where I'd spent years dodging PE to go and sit on my arse.

Same here I was a bastard for dodging PE and in 5th and 6th year I had the perfect oppurtunity (lax teacher). I am beginning to regret it now as I'm very unfit and even walking up the stairs to a lecture in college is a bit of a killer.

I think some form of PE should be mandatory although I hated some of the sports we did. Not everyone is into hurling/football which my secondary school placed a lot of emphasis on. Granted giving everyone a choice of what they wanted to do wouldn't have been very practical

Cheers
Rory

Nasty_Girl

I'd like to make a few little points, the basic conclusion being reached here is that teenagers need to be taught the right way to eat and be healthy and the right way to exercise, and that's all well and good. But unless that is on the leaving cert... will they actually listen?

Despite extensive sex education classes covering everything from pregnancy to Stds, 5 girls in my class had babies before leaving cert.

Despite shocking ad campaigns and penalty points drink driving and speeding are still at large, (source-don't know how long it'll be here for though)

Teenagers still smoke, binge drink, take drugs, have unprotected sex, and speed despite being told all the reasons why they shouldn't in schools. (well we had these programs in my school anyway)

omnicorp

well, if PE is fun won't they keep it up?

Nasty_Girl

Some might, might not. Depends on how much "fun" it is and what they can get away with, like if you'd given a girl in my leaving cert class the choice between doing PE, pretendin to be sick and dossin town (teachers strike was on!), or study, PE would've been bottom of the list! But that was just my class! Maybe things have changed since then!

omnicorp

Well, if you gave people choices.
eg) football, gaelic, hurling, running, dancing, excersizes, basketball, rounders etc...