Public Schools

[TKDKid]

So why aren't the martial arts taught in public schools? I think it would be great for a High School PE credit. It's a sport both genders could particiapte in, you could have inter-scholastic tournaments similar to the way track meets are done. It's no more dangerous than football. I wish we'd had martial arts when I was in highschool.

 

[Marginal]

Because it'd generate bullies and too many kids would get hurt. (Not really, but that is the typical response.)

 

[rutherford]

There have been some threads about this in the last couple months.

http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22742

http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23056

http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22103

 

[arnisador]

What are the odds of getting a P.E. teacher who can teach Judo and coach basketball? I'd think that that would be a big problem.

 

[Randy Strausbaugh]

School administrators might be impressed by the eight foot tall monstrosities which are given out as trophies at tournaments. You can picture their eyes mist over at the thought of the new trophy cases they'd have to get just to house all the glitter.

The bottom line would be how much money the MAs could bring in for the school. How many butts would it put in the bleachers, how much could they charge for tickets, how many programs could they sell, how much junk with the school name on it could they hawk, could the kids go door-to-door selling "karate kandy", would the parents start up a booster's club, how much would the school have to pay in liability insurance, etc. Any benefit to the kids would be a low priority consideration.

If martial arts could bring in the green, the schools would find a PE teacher who could coach.

 

[Andrew Green]

Wrestling DOES get taught in schools

 

[silatman]

Stop teasing me

In Western Australia there is no way even the thought of doing ANY MA would ever make it to serious discussion
It seems that american schools are so much better equipt than australian ones, we just get the usual Basketball, Aussie Rules Football, Soccer, Cricket, Hockey and Tennis. A few of the braver ones do lacrosse.

I for one wouldve taken any style if it was offered. Wrestling included.

 

[kenpochad]

i live in mesa arizona the master of the m.a. school i go to does a teach

m.a. at a charder school as a PE class

 

[Grenadier]

It depends.

There are some public schools in the nearby areas that will allow a dojo's instructors to come on down, and actually teach some after-school classes, and that the dojo would pay rent to the schools.

I've seen this done mostly in elementary schools, but there are some junior high schools that do this as well.

As for offering it for school credits, that's very unusual. I've seen this done in some private schools, where they would actually offer Aikido, Karate, Judo, or other martial arts, as physical education rotations, but not in a public high school for credit.

 

[arnisador]

Wrestling DOES get taught in schools

But, it's a sport, so they can hire a P.E. teacher who also coaches wrestling. Hiring a P.E. teacher who also teaches Karate would "waste" a slot that could be used for the assistant tennis coach, administrators would argue.

 

[Drac]

I wish we'd had martial arts when I was in highschool.

Me too..But then the sadistic former jocks turned PE instructors wouldn't be able to RAM the virtues of football,baseball and basketball down the throats of us who had NO desire to participate in them..

 

[Makalakumu]

I teach science at an alternative school for disadvantaged youth. As an elective, I offer Tang Soo Do to the students. It is just a semester class and it piggy backs with the after school program that I run. Interest waxes and wanes among the students. I think that if I tried to enroll my students in some of the open tournaments of the area, it would help, but I'm not a fan of sport fighting. I don't like to teach it.

 

[searcher]

We had boxing as a P.E. class for a short time. The problem was that when the bullies saw that they were losing ground on their prey they complained and it was stopped. They put in wrestling instead of it, but not until after I was out of school.

 

[evenflow1121]

Its a good question, I think one of the main reasons is funding. When I attended elementary public school, they had a number of after school activities for children, including karate. This was great because a lot of parents can not afford private lessons, but this way their taxes were being put to good use, and their kids were doing something constructive. It was not taught for credit, but as part of your after school activities. Once I hit middle and high school, there was really nothing left, where I lived it was due to an illegal immigration problem, which has pretty much bankrupt that city and well with respect to public schools, has exhausted a lot resources.

 

[still learning]

Hello, My son does Judo in high school as a sport, they have outside Judo teachers who volunteers as coaches. Having spending time watching and listen to the coaches, I came to one conclusion. If any art is to be taught in school. Judo may be the best one for 5 years old and up. It is simple, it teaches you how to fall and roll(it will prevent a lot of injuries at home and in school). The full contact makes learning faster. Prevent bullies from being more aggressive. Lot of muscles and energy is use. (great excerise program)

They also teach you to be a good person as well. Judo throws can be done gentle and or hard.

Judo is known as the "Gentle Art" !!! It also build confidence in each person. Go to any Judo school and watch................Judo is taught to control a person (thru throws) not to destroy someone.

If a vote is taken? My vote goes to having Judo taught in all public schools................Aloha