Are they still allowed to require?

[Journey/Survivor]

Are they still allowed to require kids to shower after gym classes in school?

A friend of mine's daughter starts high school next week, and she's upset that during orientation they were told that they have to shower after every gym class. She said that she's not opposed to showering if there were stalls, but that the showers are completely out in the open.

It's the same school district that I was in when I was in school, and we weren't made to shower back then, it was up to you. And that was back in the 80's.

Can they legally make you shower after gym classes? I would think you could sue the school boards ass off over it?

[StevePerryHair]

Hmmm..I don't know! We had big open showers too, but the only time they MADE us shower was before we got in their swimming pool for gym class. So we all showered with our swimsuits on! They don't require that at my kids schools I don't think. They barely have PE by high school level here in FL. One semester the whole 4 years, and some is classroom time.

[Journey/Survivor]

Hmmm..I don't know! We had big open showers too, but the only time they MADE us shower was before we got in their swimming pool for gym class. So we all showered with our swimsuits on! They don't require that at my kids schools I don't think. They barely have PE by high school level here in FL. One semester the whole 4 years, and some is classroom time.

My high school allowed the kids to decide whether they wanted to shower or not. None of us guys ever showered after gym class. I know that a lot of the girls were allowed to go to their locker room 5 or 10 minutes earlier than the boys because they chose to shower.

[G.I.Jim]

We had a guy who refused to shower when I went through Basic Training... we were told by the Drill Sergeant that if he wasn't showered by the next morning, we were going to have a really bad day... Needless to say, we helped him get that shower!

[steveo777]

I used to think it was funny as shit how a couple black guys would fluff themselves, while dressed, for a couple minutes before they got in the showers, like they had a complex or something. Everyone noticed it, even the coach.

[Don]

They can not force her to shower. I'm sure she won't be alone in refusing to and if the principal pushes it, then you just have to get involved. The ACLU got called in for a case a few years back and since then schools have even went as far as disuading students from showering because of the potential for lawsuits. Though, you might want to give her sanitary wipes to use after Gym so she's not totally funky.
Bottom line is, If she doesn't want to shower , make sure you will support her if it becomes an issue where the school staff try to bully her into it..

[Behshad]

We had a guy who refused to shower when I went through Basic Training... we were told by the Drill Sergeant that if he wasn't showered by the next morning, we were going to have a really bad day... Needless to say, we helped him get that shower!

Was his name Steve , last name o777 ?!

[steveo777]

We had a guy who refused to shower when I went through Basic Training... we were told by the Drill Sergeant that if he wasn't showered by the next morning, we were going to have a really bad day... Needless to say, we helped him get that shower!

Was his name Steve , last name o777 ?!

I'm not one of those smelly euros. Go find Parfait.

[No Surprize]

Hmmm..I don't know! We had big open showers too, but the only time they MADE us shower was before we got in their swimming pool for gym class. So we all showered with our swimsuits on! They don't require that at my kids schools I don't think. They barely have PE by high school level here in FL. One semester the whole 4 years, and some is classroom time.

Sad, isn't it? (only having one semester of PE)

They cannot make your kid shower, period! Now they might want to bring a washcloth and rinse off a little in the sink to get the funk off. I never had a problem with showering, but then gain I played sports throughout school from jr. high on and it was just part of it.

[StevePerryHair]

Hmmm..I don't know! We had big open showers too, but the only time they MADE us shower was before we got in their swimming pool for gym class. So we all showered with our swimsuits on! They don't require that at my kids schools I don't think. They barely have PE by high school level here in FL. One semester the whole 4 years, and some is classroom time.

Sad, isn't it? (only having one semester of PE)

They cannot make your kid shower, period! Now they might want to bring a washcloth and rinse off a little in the sink to get the funk off. I never had a problem with showering, but then gain I played sports throughout school from jr. high on and it was just part of it.

The thing that bugs me about FL PE it defeats the entire purpose of what PE was created for! It's to give the kids excersize during their school day, I would guess to help their brains too. So if you are only doing it 1 semester in high school, why bother at all!! They've turned it into almost like a health class now instead. My daughter is doing hers now, and it's with virtual school. So it's not even during school. I'm not concerned about my kids at all. They are very active and get plenty of exercise and don't need it. What about those kids who can't or don't though?

I'm sure part of the reason it's being cut is because academics have grown so much since we were in school. There is just no room for PE in their schedules. So theyre leaving it up to parents to keep their kids active. And there are more organized sports today that 25-30 years ago. I can't believe the curriculum offered to high school kids today! Their course books looks college level! They have so many options and classes they can take, it's unreal! Mine was so simple in comparison in the 80's. We only had basic courses.

[No Surprize]

Hmmm..I don't know! We had big open showers too, but the only time they MADE us shower was before we got in their swimming pool for gym class. So we all showered with our swimsuits on! They don't require that at my kids schools I don't think. They barely have PE by high school level here in FL. One semester the whole 4 years, and some is classroom time.

Sad, isn't it? (only having one semester of PE)

They cannot make your kid shower, period! Now they might want to bring a washcloth and rinse off a little in the sink to get the funk off. I never had a problem with showering, but then gain I played sports throughout school from jr. high on and it was just part of it.

The thing that bugs me about FL PE it defeats the entire purpose of what PE was created for! It's to give the kids excersize during their school day, I would guess to help their brains too. So if you are only doing it 1 semester in high school, why bother at all!! They've turned it into almost like a health class now instead. My daughter is doing hers now, and it's with virtual school. So it's not even during school. I'm not concerned about my kids at all. They are very active and get plenty of exercise and don't need it. What about those kids who can't or don't though?

I'm sure part of the reason it's being cut is because academics have grown so much since we were in school. There is just no room for PE in their schedules. So theyre leaving it up to parents to keep their kids active. And there are more organized sports today that 25-30 years ago. I can't believe the curriculum offered to high school kids today! Their course books looks college level! They have so many options and classes they can take, it's unreal! Mine was so simple in comparison in the 80's. We only had basic courses.

You can thank the FCAT for this bullshit. So many overweight obese kids now who sit on their ass playing video games while eating a 12 pack of doughnuts, texting24/7 like the end of the world is happening. They should go back to the way school use to be, being able to take a vocational course to learn a trade, having to take PE to keep in some semblance of shape doing jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-up, running, if nothing else for your health. Like your kids, mine keeps his self in shape taking Aikido 3 times a week over this summer, running to get ready for football(which they started practicing 2 weeks ago). I told him also he could just take the virtual PE course online but he declined that notion after he found out it was 30 something weeks of it.

[StevePerryHair]

Hmmm..I don't know! We had big open showers too, but the only time they MADE us shower was before we got in their swimming pool for gym class. So we all showered with our swimsuits on! They don't require that at my kids schools I don't think. They barely have PE by high school level here in FL. One semester the whole 4 years, and some is classroom time.

Sad, isn't it? (only having one semester of PE)

They cannot make your kid shower, period! Now they might want to bring a washcloth and rinse off a little in the sink to get the funk off. I never had a problem with showering, but then gain I played sports throughout school from jr. high on and it was just part of it.

The thing that bugs me about FL PE it defeats the entire purpose of what PE was created for! It's to give the kids excersize during their school day, I would guess to help their brains too. So if you are only doing it 1 semester in high school, why bother at all!! They've turned it into almost like a health class now instead. My daughter is doing hers now, and it's with virtual school. So it's not even during school. I'm not concerned about my kids at all. They are very active and get plenty of exercise and don't need it. What about those kids who can't or don't though?

I'm sure part of the reason it's being cut is because academics have grown so much since we were in school. There is just no room for PE in their schedules. So theyre leaving it up to parents to keep their kids active. And there are more organized sports today that 25-30 years ago. I can't believe the curriculum offered to high school kids today! Their course books looks college level! They have so many options and classes they can take, it's unreal! Mine was so simple in comparison in the 80's. We only had basic courses.

You can thank the FCAT for this bullshit. So many overweight obese kids now who sit on their ass playing video games while eating a 12 pack of doughnuts, texting24/7 like the end of the world is happening. They should go back to the way school use to be, being able to take a vocational course to learn a trade, having to take PE to keep in some semblance of shape doing jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-up, running, if nothing else for your health. Like your kids, mine keeps his self in shape taking Aikido 3 times a week over this summer, running to get ready for football(which they started practicing 2 weeks ago). I told him also he could just take the virtual PE course online but he declined that notion after he found out it was 30 something weeks of it.

While I do have some issues with the FCAT and the way things are taught, I don't really blame that for the PE issue. Our elementary school, which are the years the FCAT is most prominent, still have PE classes. Normal, regular, go outside and do physical things, PE. So at an elementary level, in Orange County, they are still getting their PE.

By high school, most kids are done with the FCAT by 10th grade.

I talked to my daughter's virtual teacher the other day, and she told me that course can be done within 6 weeks, if the child keeps up and does the work. My daughter was getting lazy with it, so we had to work on a plan to get her done with it. She's still on that plan. My daughter is a great student, but she needs something more structured and virtual school is really not for her I can see! It's too easy to get distracted at home. But by doing it virtually, she has more room for academic classes.

These kids have SO many different sciences, history/geography classes, psych, maths, etc to choose from, they can almost do much of their college in high school these days, if they work hard enough. It was not like that when we were in school.

In our county there are still options for trade/tech schools. Orange county has a tech school. I'm not sure how that works, since my kids are not going that direction. But that does exist.

I really see it as a partially parental issue if kids are getting heavy and sitting in front of a tv. My kids enjoy their video games, and aren't super athletes by any means. 2 of them are not really the athletic types. But they are in marching band, and it's treated like boot camp at practices, so I know they are getting their work outs. My daughter will get on the treadmill on her own doing at times, when she feels like she's being too much of a lump. And my kids eat. Yet none of them are obese. I really think a lot of that is diet and parents teaching their kids bad eating habits. Not the demise of PE!!!

I think that PE should be an elective in high school, if it's not going to be mandatory. So that the kids that need/want it, can have it!

[parfait]

Hmmm..I don't know! We had big open showers too, but the only time they MADE us shower was before we got in their swimming pool for gym class. So we all showered with our swimsuits on! They don't require that at my kids schools I don't think. They barely have PE by high school level here in FL. One semester the whole 4 years, and some is classroom time.

Sad, isn't it? (only having one semester of PE)

They cannot make your kid shower, period! Now they might want to bring a washcloth and rinse off a little in the sink to get the funk off. I never had a problem with showering, but then gain I played sports throughout school from jr. high on and it was just part of it.

The thing that bugs me about FL PE it defeats the entire purpose of what PE was created for! It's to give the kids excersize during their school day, I would guess to help their brains too. So if you are only doing it 1 semester in high school, why bother at all!! They've turned it into almost like a health class now instead. My daughter is doing hers now, and it's with virtual school. So it's not even during school. I'm not concerned about my kids at all. They are very active and get plenty of exercise and don't need it. What about those kids who can't or don't though?

I'm sure part of the reason it's being cut is because academics have grown so much since we were in school. There is just no room for PE in their schedules. So theyre leaving it up to parents to keep their kids active. And there are more organized sports today that 25-30 years ago. I can't believe the curriculum offered to high school kids today! Their course books looks college level! They have so many options and classes they can take, it's unreal! Mine was so simple in comparison in the 80's. We only had basic courses.

You can thank the FCAT for this bullshit. So many overweight obese kids now who sit on their ass playing video games while eating a 12 pack of doughnuts, texting24/7 like the end of the world is happening. They should go back to the way school use to be, being able to take a vocational course to learn a trade, having to take PE to keep in some semblance of shape doing jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-up, running, if nothing else for your health. Like your kids, mine keeps his self in shape taking Aikido 3 times a week over this summer, running to get ready for football(which they started practicing 2 weeks ago). I told him also he could just take the virtual PE course online but he declined that notion after he found out it was 30 something weeks of it.

While I do have some issues with the FCAT and the way things are taught, I don't really blame that for the PE issue. Our elementary school, which are the years the FCAT is most prominent, still have PE classes. Normal, regular, go outside and do physical things, PE. So at an elementary level, in Orange County, they are still getting their PE.

By high school, most kids are done with the FCAT by 10th grade.

I talked to my daughter's virtual teacher the other day, and she told me that course can be done within 6 weeks, if the child keeps up and does the work. My daughter was getting lazy with it, so we had to work on a plan to get her done with it. She's still on that plan. My daughter is a great student, but she needs something more structured and virtual school is really not for her I can see! It's too easy to get distracted at home. But by doing it virtually, she has more room for academic classes.

These kids have SO many different sciences, history/geography classes, psych, maths, etc to choose from, they can almost do much of their college in high school these days, if they work hard enough. It was not like that when we were in school.

In our county there are still options for trade/tech schools. Orange county has a tech school. I'm not sure how that works, since my kids are not going that direction. But that does exist.

I really see it as a partially parental issue if kids are getting heavy and sitting in front of a tv. My kids enjoy their video games, and aren't super athletes by any means. 2 of them are not really the athletic types. But they are in marching band, and it's treated like boot camp at practices, so I know they are getting their work outs. My daughter will get on the treadmill on her own doing at times, when she feels like she's being too much of a lump. And my kids eat. Yet none of them are obese. I really think a lot of that is diet and parents teaching their kids bad eating habits. Not the demise of PE!!!

I think that PE should be an elective in high school, if it's not going to be mandatory. So that the kids that need/want it, can have it!

With the rampant obesity epidemic, as well as kids being uninterested in physical activity, then PE is really important. I'm all for being able to decide over their own body, but people are unfortunately too fucking stupid to understand that they need to eat healthy and work out.

Get all those blubbery wimps into a gym. Lets not forget to mention the importance of competition either.

[Melissa]

Another thing that's changed so much in school, and NOT for the better IMO, is lunch times. At my kids' open house this week I found out my 6 year old's lunch time is "10:51- 11:14" First of all, too early, and second, 23 stinking minutes to get 6 year old's to eat their lunch? That's why I pack my kids' lunches because how the hell are the "hot lunch" kids supposed to have time to eat like a normal human being without cramming their lunch down their throats? It's ridiculous.

And there isn't enough P.E. anymore IMO. But taking that time away, as well as decent lunch times, I guess is how they figure they will fit in all those supposed higher standard "academics".

[Journey/Survivor]

They can not force her to shower. I'm sure she won't be alone in refusing to and if the principal pushes it, then you just have to get involved. The ACLU got called in for a case a few years back and since then schools have even went as far as disuading students from showering because of the potential for lawsuits. Though, you might want to give her sanitary wipes to use after Gym so she's not totally funky.
Bottom line is, If she doesn't want to shower , make sure you will support her if it becomes an issue where the school staff try to bully her into it..

Thanks for the advice/info. She's not my daughter, she's a friend of mine's daughter, so I won't be involved. But I'll pass on the info to my friend and his daughter.

My buddy is willing to tell the school that it's up to his daughter if she wants to shower in gym or not. But he says that his wife doesn't find anything wrong with the school making kids shower after gym, and that she just wants their daughter to go along with the rules.

[Journey/Survivor]

Hmmm..I don't know! We had big open showers too, but the only time they MADE us shower was before we got in their swimming pool for gym class. So we all showered with our swimsuits on! They don't require that at my kids schools I don't think. They barely have PE by high school level here in FL. One semester the whole 4 years, and some is classroom time.

Sad, isn't it? (only having one semester of PE)

They cannot make your kid shower, period! Now they might want to bring a washcloth and rinse off a little in the sink to get the funk off. I never had a problem with showering, but then gain I played sports throughout school from jr. high on and it was just part of it.

The thing that bugs me about FL PE it defeats the entire purpose of what PE was created for! It's to give the kids excersize during their school day, I would guess to help their brains too. So if you are only doing it 1 semester in high school, why bother at all!! They've turned it into almost like a health class now instead. My daughter is doing hers now, and it's with virtual school. So it's not even during school. I'm not concerned about my kids at all. They are very active and get plenty of exercise and don't need it. What about those kids who can't or don't though?

I'm sure part of the reason it's being cut is because academics have grown so much since we were in school. There is just no room for PE in their schedules. So theyre leaving it up to parents to keep their kids active. And there are more organized sports today that 25-30 years ago. I can't believe the curriculum offered to high school kids today! Their course books looks college level! They have so many options and classes they can take, it's unreal! Mine was so simple in comparison in the 80's. We only had basic courses.

I do think that gym classes should be all 5 days of the school week, and kids should have them every school-year.