Tuesday, November 24, 2009

PA UNIVERSITY: HEY FATTY, ONLY YOU HAVE TO TAKE THIS CLASS

Lincoln University is concerned about the growing rates of obesity among its students. To combat the problem they are requiring all students with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or more to take an additional fitness course, according to this AP story. They do not require this class for the skinny people, just the fats ones, to the tune of denying graduation to the BMI-enhanced.

I respect education and the educational process but it appears the university has been very shortsighted in its attempt to address the health of the students. A BMI score is not the only indicator of health and a university should be educated enough to understand that fact. Many  people – fatties and skinnies – use C-pap machines, have diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart attacks.

Again, I reiterate that America needs to view obesity and all the related complications in a comprehensive manner and not simply jerk the knee. A health and exercise class would benefit all students not just those who are currently overweight. To single out one group is discriminatory. To require the class for all students is much better health policy, assuming the class is well designed. 

It boggles my mind why we choose to single out particular groups for special rules or regulations. For some reason Americans love to point fingers at some persons and not everyone. We only want heterosexuals to marry;  only whites can use that water fountain; only fatties have to take this class. I am dumbfounded at the obvious choice of increasing everyone's health by making the class a general requirement for all students.

But that would not garner headlines.


Keystroke to the prodigal son for blogging about this.

1 comment:

ceebee said...

Unreal. The rules/requirements should be for everyone. Not for a specific class or target. That's discrimination.

Schools in general are just a joke and a waste of money. Schools are nothing but broken promises and dreams. They teach people nothing of real value. The only thing schools teach is how to be subservient under a "one world government". No free thinking, no creativity, no independence in schools.

Better off using the internet for learning and education. You learn a lot more than being inside the box. A degree/diploma is nothing but a piece of paper.