Should showers be required after physical education in school?

No

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by Bob Zimmerman

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Having showers at school is a luxury some students enjoy, however there is a portion of the student population that would rather wait till they get home to clean up. I do not believe that students should be forced to strip down in front of other students and faculty, and made to shower. The decision should be up to the student and the parents.

I would like to share a personal experience which has brought me to having my opinion. When I was in the 8th grade I lived in a small town in Washington state called Davenport. Having been mostly raised in southern California, this was like stepping into an episode of Lassie or the Andy Griffith show. The way that people approached life was a few decades behind California. I had gym class the very last period of the day. I wanted to be able to shower at home, and for some strange reason my gym teacher didn't like that idea. I remember him telling me that if I didn't take my showers like the rest of the class he would give me detention. I have never been one to give in so needless to say I wound up in detention.

I have always felt that it is a persons right to choose not to reveal his or her private parts in a public shower. That teacher had no right to tell me to get naked in front of other students. Kids have enough pressure in school without having to worry about awkward shower scenes. I never did give in to that teacher and I will stand by my children should they choose not to take a shower in public. My children have the right to clean themselves in the privacy of their own home.

As a parent I ask you this, will you back your child when they decide that exposing themselves in public is not their thing? Will you march into their principals office and tell them that you back your child's right to choose? Or will you bow down to a corrupt society that doesn't care about individuality? Stand by your children. Tell them to exercise their rights in a respectful way. I would not encourage them to mouth off to their teacher but instead have them say my parents said I have a choice, maybe you should talk to them. It's your choice as a parent but do the right thing.

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