Changing clothes for P.E. should not always be necessary
People work out in a gym wearing proper attire for their activity.
The bell rings and it is time for me to leave math class and head to P.E. I speed walk to the locker room, dodging anyone in my way. Getting into my change of clothes and making it to class on time is my priority. I arrive, change into a whole new outfit, and make my way to where my class is meeting only to find out that I rushed to change for ping-pong: a game that I know does not require athletic wear. When class ends, I repeat this grueling process once again and hope I arrive to my next class on time.
Having to change into more “athletic” clothing for P.E. class is a common inconvenience that students experience throughout the school. These outfit changes that usually take at least 5 minutes often cause students to arrive late to their classes, which can result in their grade being lowered.
To make matters worse, sometimes the outfit switch is completely unnecessary in the first place. For example, many P.E. classes have been participating in activities such as table tennis and archery, leaving students infuriated that they are still given no choice but to change.
Because classes normally focus on one activity for at least a few days, it would benefit students if teachers informed their classes when they are doing activities that should not require a change in clothes. A few days with a little less stress means more to high schoolers than one would think.
While I am bothered by the obligatory changing of clothes for P.E., I do understand why I have to change when the activities planned for class involve running, extensive movement or when the activity is outdoors. I also recognize that it could be frustrating for teachers to have to tell their classes if they need to change when it is easier for them to have their classes do it every time.
However, I find it completely unreasonable that students should have to change for activities that require little to no movement. The stress that comes along with changing for P.E. class generates additional anxiety for students, so having some days off from this once in a while could benefit them.
Chelsea Strober ’21, a Vampire Diaries enthusiast, is a new addition to the Inklings team. Strober has spent the past seven springs playing lacrosse...
mom • Oct 3, 2019 at 2:16 pm
Discipline problem and gross. If doing PE or activities kids and adults should change and then change back into street clothes! some people sweat more than others and I’m tired of smelly sticky people sitting in my children’s classes and seeing them at the grocery store. What happened to good hygiene and consideration of others around you??
Venessa • May 4, 2022 at 12:05 am
I agree that if the Physical Education activity will cause the student to sweat such as running then the student should change, but if they do not they can not participate and given a written activity for less points.
If the activity is Ping pong then as long as the student is dressed in attire to play then ok not to change out and allowed to participate.
We stopped requiring students to take showers and now considering to not require them to dress out what is next, not having them go to locker rooms to put away belongings and roaming around while teachers supervise locker rooms for the students who want to dress out? Safety and supervision will come into play. Also wasted space of locker rooms not being used is such a waste.
Next thing you know we will tell Math teachers that they can not mark work down for not showing the process ( the work) . We know students will just get the answer from a peer and have no idea how to work out the problem!
I say allow the teachers to set the standards as they are the ones that are there daily dealing with the issues.
ur mom • May 13, 2022 at 2:15 pm
exactly. SOME people. this is why it should be optional to have to change. some kids hardly sweat at all while others sweat more than most.