Is Physical Education Really Counting Towards Our Averages?
Features — By Will Russo on January 8, 2012 at 3:51 pmWritten by Risha Huq, Niloy Asian, and Will Russo
The gym department has caused quite the stir among Tech students in recent weeks. The main issue is a troublesome rumor that gym report card grades will be averaged into GPAs.
A treasured feature of Tech’s longtime gym policy is that, even though you must pass the class to get credits to graduate, gym is not included in your final marking period average. A low gym grade does not bog down your report card.
As a result of several student complaints, the current gym grading policy was called into question at the beginning of this year. It was then determined that the current gym grading policy is, in fact, illegal.
The current policy, as taken from the gym contract each student signed in September, states, “For each day of non-participation, a mark is recorded on your grade sheet. The more non-participation the lower the grade.” A fixed number is subtracted from your final grade for every unprepared mark, which has been found to violate state law regarding physical education.
A new policy that is legal and incorporates the grades into final averages is to be drafted. The logic behind this decision is that students will not only work harder in gym class, but their gym grades will help raise their overall grade point averages. Students are experiencing mixed feelings about this new policy.
There are some students who believe it’s absolutely ridiculous that this policy might be passed. They believe the grade should not be averaged in on the report card until a new grading policy has been created. “Gym grades are going to be averaged in? In the middle of the school year? If anything, they should start next school year!” says Karina Peraffan ‘13. For others, however, gym is considered an easy high grade to achieve. “I’m glad that I now have a reason to try my hardest during gym. They should have enforced this policy years ago!” says Salma Haque ‘13. This policy is really causing disagreement even among Tech students.
Gym grades will not be averaged in on the report card until a new grading policy has been created. However, that new policy is expected to be complete by the second term of this year, and to give it a trial run, averaging will not actually be implemented until next school year.
The elimination of credit recovery for gym has also caused a bit of panic, especially among seniors. The Student Government had it abolished to send a message to students that cutting gym is for squares. If you expect to pass gym and receive the credits you need to graduate, then you must attend gym and be properly dressed. Many seniors have been given two gym classes in their schedules as the alternative to credit recovery over the summer. However, this may be a more difficult way for seniors to receive full gym credit by year’s end.
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