Is Show Choir and Band Physical Education?

Physical Education class, better known as PE, is a mandatory credit requirement to graduate in high schools all across the United States. Most school districts view PE only to include sports and physical activity through athletics. These activities traditionally are team or individual related sports. There are many other classes that include the same amount of physical education but are mixed with creativity and performing arts, such as show choir and band. They do not, however, count as a PE credit.  

At Carolina Forest, many teachers and students believe it is unfair that show choir and band do not count as a unit of physical education. Requirements for both classes involve daily exercise as they learn routines. Many of the practices even extend to outside of the classroom hours. Sometimes these practices extend until late evenings.

Tanner Jemison,  a member of Carolina Forest  Showcase, added, “I think that show choir should be counted as a PE credit along with a fine arts credit because it’s very similar to the dance class with the addition of the performing arts piece to it.”

Students are required to take a semester of PE while balancing their performing arts schedule. This can be exhausting for the students because a lot of their school day becomes spent exercising. All this exercising  can  take a toll on a student’s physical and mental health. Students can become physically exhausted with this grueling schedule of exercise. These young people are working hard during PE and then even harder during their performing arts classes. 

Timber Dietrich,  a member of Carolina Forest  Band  stated , “Marching Band should count as a PE credit because we are out there three- four days a week for three hours practicing, running back and forth everywhere in between our sets. There’s a lot of physical activity involved, but you also don’t have to be incredibly in shape, which is basically like PE. Also, marching at high speeds is basically jogging, while having to play an instrument at the same time, so you are getting some cardio.”

Other schools in Horry County count non-traditional exercise classes as a PE credit. For example, one of Carolina Forest High School’s feeder schools is Black Water Middle. It counts dance class as a physical education credit for its students, knowing the rigor and physical demand dance puts on the body. This allows students to learn the value of physical education while being able to express themselves creatively. Not everyone wants to play a sport. It can be frustrating and unfair to the students to know schools in Horry County do take other performing art classes as PE credits. Carolina Forest High School does not accept show choir or band as a PE credit, and it is disheartening. 

The show choir practices take a lot of breathing conditioning, movement, and physical practice to put on a great show throughout the year. Also, the band practices take a lot of movement, breathing conditioning, and coordination to perform at many events. PE should not only be viewed as a sports-related class. Districts should broaden their thinking and come up with new criteria or guidelines for defining a physical education class. The district could start by taking a closer look at the heart rate of a show choir or band student, and it might change its mind.