Make physical education a requirement in schools
The importance of physical activity is vital to children’s health as well as cognitive function. However, schools no longer require PE class to be taken; it is now offered as an elective.
This is concerning seeing as how a third of children in the U.S. are overweight or obese. Kids spend eight hours out of their day at school, and schools should take advantage of that time to help reduce childhood obesity.
I think schools should require physical education as a core class as opposed to an elective course. The Institute of Medicine stated on a report that students should be doing at least 60 minutes of vigorous or moderate-intensity physical activity at school.
The Center for Disease Control and the American Heart Association both recommend 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day. These recommendations will help to control weight, reduce blood pressure and decrease the likelihood of diseases such as diabetes.
Physical activity is beneficial to students in a cognitive aspect as well. Physical education should remain in schools because it is shown from a study by the University of Illinois that students in the top 30 percent of their age group for aerobic fitness were better able to learn and recall the fictitious names and locations than those in the lowest 30 percent for aerobic fitness.
Implementation of physical activity as a core class in schools should be looked at as a priority, because it helps the children’s longevity in a physical and cognitive standpoint.
Cassie Delgado,
McAllen
Help put an end to global warming
Global warming is becoming a serious issue in our world today, and it is something that most people constantly look past. It is important that we become aware of the situation and the effects that it can have, not only to our planet, but the people and economy.
Global warming has caused an increase in our sea levels, which have caused more natural disasters from occurring in our world. This includes flooding along the U.S east coast and Gulf of Mexico. Hurricanes, which are caused by warmer waters in our oceans, are also a result of climate change.
The rise in our climate has not only caused floods and hurricanes but also wildfires, especially in the dryer parts of the world. Natural disasters that occur in our nation not only affect our planet but also our people, because recovering from these natural disasters is costly to our economy.
A few things we can do to help stop global warming are to reduce water waste, which reduces carbon pollution, recycle and reduce the amount of heat emissions that we are putting into our atmosphere. Some of the things that I do to help the environment include recycling; I separate glass, plastics, papers and cardboards and take them to my local recycling department.
I also try and conserve energy as much as I can by unplugging appliances that are not in use in my home. Make a change and help our planet for a better future.
Erica Borrego,
Edinburg
It may not be a good idea to arm educators
I don’t believe training teachers to carry guns is the solution in protecting our kids in future shootings. President Trump even wants to give incentives to the teachers that bring their guns to school. Instead of misusing the funds in training teachers, they should see other options, be more prepared and rethink if that training falls with the wrong teacher.
Instead of using funds to get the teachers trained to use a gun, they should use those funds to make schools bullet proof, and have police stations closer to schools. In case those choices go over their budgets, they can implement better drills and practice them monthly, not only when something has happened, or install a button for the cops like the banks have.
At my son’s school, they do the drill when another shooting happens. They say Sharyland ISD sends a text saying, “Parents, do not be alarmed, our school has been practicing the drill in case a situation arises.” I ask my son, “Have you been practicing a drill in case of a shooting?” He says, “What? No, what drill? We pay a good amount of taxes for them not to be prepared.”
Another concern of mine is if the teachers are trained to carry a gun, will our kids really be protected? We all have heard in the past how students would get sexually assaulted by teachers, and have used their position to intimidate students. My concern is what if the teacher snaps and has been trained to use a gun by the school and turns out to be a shooter?
The shootings have left us wounded, angry, and made us assume arming teachers is the solution. Is it?
Rosa Coronado,
Alton
