Is cutting gym really a solution?

Is cutting gym class really a good solution to solving poor standardize test scores and budget problems? Gym classes are one of the "Specials" being cut in many schools today for a couple of reasons. One of these reasons is poor standardize test scores and the other is school funding. There are big debates about standardized test scores and how they need to be raised. Many people's solution for this problem is cutting gym classes. However, I do not believe that this is a valid solution. Having students sit in a classroom with no real relief from learning for 7 hours a day is not going to help their test scores improve that much. Kids need to get up and move around throughout the day and gym class is one of those times they get to run around and not really have to think. I strongly believe that children need at least a short amount of time everyday or every other day that they can have a structured time to release their energy. Cutting gym class is not a viable solution to fixing budget problems or standardize test scores. Often times I think that people have lost site that kids are still kids and they need some time to just have fun, taking "specials" out of their school days does not necessarily benefit them but instead harms them. Keeping gym classes in schools despite test scores and budget problems is essential to keeping our kids healthy and productive.

Cutting Art Classes

In today's society it is not a hidden fact that money has become a problem. This problem has led to budget cuts everywhere including the education systems. This is a huge problem because when you cut the funding for schools, the first things that are cut are the extra classes that are not mandatory by law, such as "Specials". Specials are the classes such as music, gym and art. By cutting these classes out of the curriculum we are harming our students. Not only are these the classes that the students look forward to the most but they are also very beneficial to them as well.

Art classes are one of the first "Speicals" to go when a budget crisis arises, especially at the elementary level. What people do not realize is that when these art classes are eleminated from the schools we are robbing the students of something very valuable. Art is a way that children express themselves. It is a creative outlet for them and for many young students art class is their only outlet they have in school. When we take art classes out of school we are significantly limitingthe creativeness of our students. If they do not have the opportunitiy to have a time and place to be creative they will eventually lose that desire to even try to be creative and this can be harmful later on in their schooling and life. Keeping art classes in schools even during budget crunches is a necessary thing in order for our students to become well rounded and creative people in our future society.