College’s too-fat-to graduate rule under fire

Most college students when completing their time and receive their grades expect to graduate, well in a school located in Pennsylvania school physical fitness matters just as much if not more than grades. Lincoln University has criteria that students with a body mass of 30 percent or more must take a fitness course that meets three hours per week and pass this class in order to graduate. The first class of this requirement is almost coming to an end there are several students and outside persons that require input in regards to this fitness class policy. A current student named, Tiana Lawson, 21 years of age recently wrote an editorial in the school paper regarding this new fitness policy and received national attention. She feels this policy would not be as much of a problem if it applied to all students not just those with high BMI. David Kairys, a professor of law at Temple University Law School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania states, “The part that seems excessive is forcing them to take this course or to exercise three hours a week, which isn’t a bad idea for them, but should be their choice.” David goes on saying the requirement of the students is, “paternalistic and intrusive.” James DeBoy, chairman of the school’s Department of Health and Physical Education, says the requirements are no different than other courses as math and communications. DeBoy said 620 students have either tested out or taken the course, with only eighty remaining to get their BMI evaluated. An estimated number of students 12-15 will need to take the class in January. DeBoy states, “This is one university’s –granted it’s radical and it’s upsetting—approach to try to begin to directly address obesity.”

Interesting, I was not happy reading what I thought was hopefully a misprint in regards to this university doing such a thing. I was as upset finishing this article as I was starting to read this article. Shocked and astounded as to the audacity of some people thinking they have a right to affect someone’s education as such in regards to their size. This personally is no different than racism. The article that got my writing juices flowing so heavy is found at http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/30/lincoln.fitness.overweight/index.html.

A person goes to college to learn not to be judged, who are they to say who can graduate due to the size of the student? I always thought it was what was in the brain and how the student uses the knowledge that allows them the ability to graduate or not. Hmm maybe I have been understanding this process wrong, maybe just maybe I shouldn’t be in college because this 42 year old woman won’t be able to pass a physically education class either. "When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself." -- Wayne Dyer (Psychotherapist, Author and Speaker) Well said I think.

I feel this article to be interesting and very debatable as to what our schools are teaching their students. My naïve thoughts of always being concerned what the school is feeding our children, really wasn’t the main issue was it? It doesn’t just stop there; the problems escalate to higher grades. Funny, how society blames mom and dad for the obesity of children today when the school has just as much to blame. How? Have you checked the food that your children eat at school? This problem of schools labeling our children has made it to college, so now the college will decide if your child can graduate or not, it doesn’t matter how smart he or she is, what matters is how much BMI they register at. There is no wonder America isn’t the Top Dog any longer; who are you to judge me or anyone else by their size, and who are you to think you have a right to make me be a certain size? If this so called land of the free is so free then it is my decision as well as those before and after me to decide how big I wish to be, or not to be. My thoughts are those of my own, but consider this in my closing; If you allow people to kill themselves by smoking, then how are we any different, don’t you think you should worry about what we have to offer not what we weigh? Just a thought to make you go, Hmmm?