Athletes allowed to miss gym

I don't think there's anyone in the country alive today who doesn't know that student athletes don't have to follow the same rigorous standards as their schoolmates. It happened in my day, and it's worse now.

Thanks to a law passed in Ohio 2 years ago, it's gotten worse still in the Buckeye State.

This new law says school districts may allow some high school athletes to opt out of gym class entirely - while everyone else has to slog through this state-mandated course. Numerous public and private schools around Cincinnati have taken advantage of the new law.

I remember phys ed consisting primarily of students being humiliated or harassed for their poor athletic skills - not exactly my idea of a serious academic endeavor. But as long as the state thinks it's so important for this torment to be mandatory, why should athletes get a free pass? (Of course, they're usually not the ones who have to worry about being humiliated anyway.)

This new policy actually favors students of higher economic groups: Kids who can afford sports camp are certainly more likely to make their school team than those who cannot.

The free passes continue - now with lawmakers' blessing.

(Source: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090410/NEWS0102/904130303/1055/NEWS)