Equality
written by P val , August 24, 2008 (08:34:36 AM)

What about the boys that want a longer softball and/or soccer unit. Are they allowed to or are they discrimnated against and made play football and wrestle ? Just curious.

Bias?
written by D.K. Ross , August 25, 2008 (12:03:28 PM)

Although my days of suiting up for Gym class are stone-aged memories at best, it seemed to me that once the students hit the upper grades, it was an endless cycle of volleyball, gymnastics and health ed. Maybe it was because the class was 70% girls but the other 30% of us (and some of the ladies) just wanted to play floor hockey... My point is that if you want to excel in sports, you have to grab the bull by the horns and make it happen for yourself. You must remember that our education system is geared toward the lowest common denominator: get them in, get them through and breathe a big sigh of relief when they are gone. I wish you all the best in your future athletic endeavors!

The Boys
written by BCat , August 26, 2008 (02:11:17 PM)

Yes, the boys are kept from the longer soccer/softball unit just the same as the girls are kept from the football and wrestling. It is unfair to both sexes.

Thanks
written by P val , August 26, 2008 (09:16:09 PM)

Thanks for the info BCat. So I guess we can look at the initial letter posted by Ms Miller as sexist as she only shows concern for females but does not show the same concern for males in the same situation....?

...
written by D.K. Ross , August 27, 2008 (05:47:23 PM)

We would have loved to wrassle with our female classmates (being 16 and all) but our teachers kept us apart for some reason or other... As I said before, Britney, if you want to play those sports you have to make it happen for yourself. Check out the classes at other area schools. My Step-Daughter was on the rugby team at P.G.S.S ten years ago so don't give up hope! I am sure there is a school in this district that will give you a chance to fulfill your hopes. Once again, all the best!

...
written by BCat , August 27, 2008 (08:15:30 PM)

The original letter was longer, and did include the situation from a boy's perspective, but was cut down for the newspaper. Also, I played on the rugby team for four years, so yes, I do know about people 'making it happen for themselves' and it is a very valid point. However... without an introduction to say, football or wrestling, many girls would never get a chance to decide whether or not it is a sport worth pursuing. Perhaps the staff at KRSS should stop letting a certain P.E. teacher have his way...

...
written by BCat , August 27, 2008 (08:43:49 PM)

http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/e1cedaw.htm

Bullies
written by D.K. Ross , August 28, 2008 (01:29:41 AM)

I am sorry dear but you will have to put up with a few bullies throughout your life. There will be arseholes running left and right of you and you will have no control over them! That Arsehole P.E. Teacher will fade away and you will have no more use for the rest of them once you grow a little older. You have lots more sports to play!

...
written by SensGirl , August 28, 2008 (07:48:16 AM)

Girls shouldn't HAVE TO make it happen for themselves. They should get the same opportunities as the boys and vice versa. Plus, some girls want a chance to try these sports but are not necessarily athletically gifted to qualify for team sports. You would think we would be past sexism in this day and age and it is quite sad we are not. There will always be men and women who believe girls can't do what the boys can.

I know how Britney feels. When I was in grade 7 we had a different gym teacher than we did for all other subjects. He was very sexist. He would divide the class into boys and girls and for sports he would give the boys 2-3 times as much time playing the sports (we would switch off, and whoever was not playing would sit and watch). The girls finally got fed up and just played badminton on the stage and our teacher couldn't have been happier cause he didn't have to deal with the girls anymore. But it was really unfair. Especially for the girls who really enjoyed playing sports.

Make it happen
written by P val , August 30, 2008 (08:37:10 AM)

So then Sensgirl.. everyone should get whatever they want handed to them..just need to use the excuse of being sexist.. I weep for our future.....

...
written by BCat , August 30, 2008 (06:41:42 PM)

I'm pretty sure, P val, that something sexist should be changed with no regard to personal feelings. I am not a fan of soccer and yet had to play an extra long unit of it. That is not, however, the reason that I want the PE programs to be changed. I don't even like gym class. There is no other class in high school that sets a different curriculum for girls and boys. What if one of either of the sexes was denied the use of a scalpel in biology class?

...
written by D.K. Ross , August 31, 2008 (01:14:03 AM)

The original poster thought that she was being treated unfairly. I, and many of the rest agreed with her. Sometimes life is unfair and there isn't much you can do about it.