Throughout the school year, students have many requirements that come up throughout the day. Some of these obligations include required school field trips, like for a music class competition. Moreover, students are required or highly recommended to attend these field trips, so why should students have to make up work when they are doing the right thing by going in the first place?
During the school year, students have anxiety due to all the classes they have to take. If a student has to use one of their free periods to make up a gym class, time is being taken away from all the work the student has to do during the day. Students need to study for tests, go to extra help, and complete assignments.
In addition, missing school is already stressful enough because of the classwork or exams that need to be made up. With this laundry list of responsibilities for absent students, why should they have to add even more to their plate by making up a gym class? Instead, the student could be making up all the work they missed on the day of their absence, especially for a school-required event.
“Students should not have to make up gym classes if they are going on a school field trip or school sanctioned event,” said freshman Chase Tam.
In addition, many students are student athletes and they are already putting in immense work at home because they are dealing with the struggle of doing homework late at night due to games and practices. If students have to use one of their free periods to make up a gym class, they are being unproductive because now when they get home they have extra homework to do. Instead, students should be able to get some of this work done so they can be in bed at a reasonable hour.
“I think that students should not have to make up gym classes if it is a school sanctioned class event and not for a club event,” said junior Ian Golden-Appleton.
Moreover, a student’s mental and physical health is being tested when a student has to make up a gym class. This is because major stress and anxiety can result when a student is apprehensive that they are not being productive enough to complete all of the work they have. A student may not be giving their full effort in gym class if they are worrying about something else. There is also a social aspect of being in a gym with people you do not know, and having to play sports with them which can be a vulnerable place for many students.
Furthermore, students should receive a break or relief in their daily life. If a student receives a break by not having to make up a gym class, they will feel relieved since they don’t have to worry about finishing all of their work. The work will also be of higher quality because the student will have more time to deeply answer the question without being pressed for time late at night.
“Students should not have to make up gym classes because they are doing the right thing by attending the school event, instead students should attend school events and not stress about making up gym classes,” said sophomore Eli Gehl.
Students will be more motivated to participate in school-sanctioned events and trips if they don’t have to worry about making up classes including gym. These field trips can cause students to make more friends because they will be able to interact with many people they may not on a daily basis. It is important for everyone to make new friends and have new experiences, and school trips can be a great way to do so.