Getting dd out of PE

[mom57]

My daughter (12) attends public school and gym is required. It is only one day a week. Her gym teacher is something else (long story). After she had healed from a hip flexor injury that kept her out of a summer intensive last summer and after doctor's notes saying that she could not run and should not play soccer, he had her play goalie with three (??!!) ###### in action.While she was retrieving one ball, the gym teacher kicked in another ball in the goal and she dove for that and had terrible pain which she concealed. (He was so busy celebrating his goal with his 6th grade team he didn't notice). She had an avulsion fracture (hip) and then later in the week fell and fractured her foot, which kept her out of the Nutcracker and out of dance for several months. I really really complained and her doctor wrote a note that kept her out of gym for the rest of the year. He is tenured so they can't get rid of him.

 

She has made amazing progress and is doing so well with ballet right now. I'd really like to get her out of gym again this year. Ordinarily, we could just have restricted gym but the gym teacher does not follow instructions and my daughter will not speak up because he is intimidating. There are a variety of things I can pursue here, but I'm wondering if anyone out there in Illinois has a doctor's note for their ballet students in public school getting them out of gym for ballet training reasons? II'm pretty sure our doctor won't sign off again). If so, could you pm me? Thanks!

[Clara 76]

I have started this post for a parent who accidentally added her post in a restricted forum

[tzbutterfly]

http://law.onecle.com/illinois/105ilcs5/27-6.html

 

" (105 ILCS 5/27-6) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-6)

Sec. 27-6. Courses in physical education required; special activities

 

(a) Pupils enrolled in the public schools and State universities engaged in preparing teachers shall be required to engage daily during the school day, except on block scheduled days for those public schools engaged in block scheduling, in courses of physical education for such periods as are compatible with the optimum growth and developmental needs of individuals at the various age levels except when appropriate excuses are submitted to the school by a pupil's parent or guardian or by a person licensed under the Medical Practice Act of 1987 and except as provided in subsection ( of this Section.

 

Special activities in physical education shall be provided for pupils whose physical or emotional condition, as determined by a person licensed under the Medical Practice Act of 1987, prevents their participation in the courses provided for normal children.

 

A school board is authorized to excuse pupils enrolled in grades 11 and 12 from engaging in physical education courses if those pupils request to be excused for any of the following reasons: (1) for ongoing participation in an interscholastic athletic program; (2) to enroll in academic classes which are required for admission to an institution of higher learning, provided that failure to take such classes will result in the pupil being denied admission to the institution of his or her choice; or (3) to enroll in academic classes which are required for graduation from high school, provided that failure to take such classes will result in the pupil being unable to graduate. A school board may also excuse pupils in grades 9 through 12 enrolled in a marching band program for credit from engaging in physical education courses if those pupils request to be excused for ongoing participation in such marching band program. In addition, a pupil in any of grades 3 through 12 who is eligible for special education may be excused if the pupil's parent or guardian agrees that the pupil must utilize the time set aside for physical education to receive special education support and services or, if there is no agreement, the individualized education program team for the pupil determines that the pupil must utilize the time set aside for physical education to receive special education support and services, which agreement or determination must be made a part of the individualized education program. However, a pupil requiring adapted physical education must receive that service in accordance with the individualized education program developed for the pupil. A school board may also excuse pupils in grades 9 through 12 enrolled in a Reserve Officer's Training Corps (ROTC) program sponsored by the school district from engaging in physical education courses. School boards which choose to exercise this authority shall establish a policy to excuse pupils on an individual basis. "

 

Looks like you have to petition to the school board for one of above reasons.

[Guest Christier57]

At the junior high level (in an Illinois public school), I was able to work out a special schedule with the school administration for my daughter to leave school early. They considered that she was homeschooled for PE and social studies, since they could not put PE last period for her grade, and there was another boy who also left early who was a serious musician. I started the schedule discussion in April, and went in with a rather complete schedule for the upcoming year. Since your PE is not every day, that might not work so well, but I suspect you might have better luck with the principal than you ever will with the gym teacher.

 

When dd called from her summer intensive the year before 9th grade to say that the physical therapist told her not to wear shoes with backs because of a "pump bump" type of growth on the back of one heel, a light bulb went off, and I was able to get a doctor's note for the year (she still had to do swimming) because she was not to wear sneakers, which are, naturally, required for gym class.

 

After ninth grade, dance class at school was an option for PE and, while not challenging, at least was not harmful. As a senior, she and one boy were able to successfully petition for a gym waiver based on demonstrating that their class, rehearsal, and performance schedule was comparable to varsity level athletics. Varsity team members are excused from gym class during their "season" only. The department chairman (football coach) was not nice about it, but these two kids had the support of the dance teachers, once they saw their schedules. The school does not publicize the availability of the waivers, so most people never find out it is even an option. They still had to be registered for dance at school, and go to class once each quarter to make a presentation to the class, and they had to have their schedule signed for every single class, rehearsal, and performance all year long. Their report cards showed a "pass" for gym instead of a letter grade. Glad to have that over with, for one child, at least!

[Dance_dad]

We have the same issue out here in California. The state mandates 4 semesters of PE during high school. The curriculum includes nutrition, health etc.

[mom57]

Just a follow up. I just received an email from our pediatrician saying she is more than happy to write a note excusing her from gym. She doesnt want to see her injured again and 12-15 hours of dance a week is more than enough physical activity. What a relief!

[trythis]

How about restrictive gym and a restraining order from the courts that the pe teacher comply?

[Clara 76]

!!!!!!! My kind of solution!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Seriously though- what is it with these gym teachers and schools??? Would they rather lose these kids to homeschooling? Talk about biting the hand that feeds you- if parents get fed up and take their kids out of school to homeschool because schools can't seem to grasp that concept, then the schools will lose their federal funding for each and every one.

 

Seems to make more sense to work things out and cooperate.

[mom57]

I don`t think he`s the norm. When she had a cast and crutches and was sitting out the Nutcracker, he told her to close the door during health and told her not to get hurt on the way. I was furious. He also told the class that someone`s mom was trying to get him fired and yes, he is a food nazi, and calls kids fat, which infurated the principal.. A student supposedly saw him smoking which caused quite a buzz. It takes a lot to get fired and he`s not there yet so it`s easiest to go to the library and sit out weekly gym. Both my kids dive for ###### which increases the danger. I ducked when ###### came at me.

[mom57]

Pretty funny that the noun describing round objects that are thrown, kicked., and hit are edited out of this computer program.

[dancemaven]

mom57, we had a spammer a few years back that created some quite graphic, disgusting, and horrific posts at all hours of the day and night. It became necessary to place some 'help' into the computer program so as to thwart the obnoxious.

[tzbutterfly]

mom57, how come your DD's school only has one PE per week? The Illinois law requires daily PE class. Maybe the school has "resource" issue? I'd say the state government has gone too far to mandate this without waiver choice. Why government has to govern how parents should allocate their children's time on their education? Society "elite" can always go to private schools for better choice, while "middle and poor" do have to suck it up.

[mom57]

Money issue. It's fine with me. My son is in high school and has it every day.

[Clara 76]

mom57-

just place a space in between each letter: b a l l s