Should Your Grade in Gym Affect Your Gpa

Gym grades affecting your grade point average is a very debated topic. I believe that is should be graded and here’s why. Imagine having to do all the work to get a good grade in gym, and then finding out its not even being graded. You would probably not see a need to try anymore. That means no more effort, no more showing up in uniforms, and then eventually simply skipping it entirely. Two decades ago, 42 percent of public school children attended gym classes daily. Today, gym has been reduced to once a week in many schools. Nationally, only 4 percent of elementary schools, 8 percent of middle schools, and 2 percent of high schools in the U.S. provide daily gym classes. The department of Education is required to create district plans for PE. Their last report was written in 1982. Since then childhood and adult obesity has been recognized as a significant public health issue. In 2002, a team of public health scientists and nurses found that over 50 percent of kindergarteners through fifth graders were overweight or obese. All of this is going on, yet schools are still getting rid of gym class. They find it a waste of money since nobody shows up or even tries; all because it’s not counted for a grade. Getting rid of gym class will just make obesity rates rise. Daily physical education has been found to increase kid’s abilities to learn and focus. Over 50 studies have confirmed the following academic benefits of physical education:
Increased PE time increases student’s ability to focus and stay on task.
Short PE breaks of only 20 minutes can help students pay attention in class and even score better on tests.
Physical activity releases endorphins that make us feel happier.
Countless sources have all verified the positive effects of physical education on school performance; no studies have shown a negative

effect. Clearly, physical education has been helping us learn better, and should be kept in schools.