We all know physical education is important for young people. But this important?
Though Isabel Gottlieb is a good student, a trumpet player in the school band and holds varsity letters in three sports, she discovered last fall she was one gym class shy of having enough credits to graduate next month. She asked for a waiver, but the school wouldn't budge, telling her instead she had to drop a class to take gym."Why would I drop an AP biology class to take P.E.?" the 18-year-old said. "It's just not on my priority list."
The missing credit wasn't caught by the school last spring when Gottlieb's schedule was set. The class in question is called BEST, or Building Essential Skills for Tomorrow, and is required for all Bow students to graduate. At the Seattle high school Gottlieb attended before moving to Bow before her junior year, gym requirements often were waived for students in varsity sports. But those waivers aren't something Bow High School is willing to accept.
Do I think the school should have denied the diploma because a varsity sports player didn't take PE? No, but Gottlieb knew the rules and decided to do what she felt was best for her. She probably thought the school would eventually bend the rules, but it hasn't. Luckily, her college of choice will admit her with a GED.
Posted by kswygert at May 9, 2005 12:19 PM