Should Martial Arts Be Taught in High Schools?
In the United States, martial arts aren’t usually taught in high school. While some private boarding schools offer martial arts classes, most high schools stick to the conventional sports. Some researchers believe that offering martial arts in high school could help combat obesity in America. It’s not that martial arts offers more health benefits than any other physical activity, but rather that the more opportunities there are for youths to engage in a physical activity, the healthier they will be.
Some school officials at high schools and private boarding schools are concerned that martial arts classes might be dangerous. Martial arts is the art of hitting people, isn’t it? Not really — the truth is, when taught properly martial arts classes can be safe and uplifting. In a controlled environment, martial arts is educational and no more dangerous than football, basketball or any other contact sport.
Many also argue that martial arts could lead students to be more violent. Just the thought of kids learning to hit one another makes most parents cringe. Some view martial arts classes as a way to teach students techniques in violence; however this is not the case. One of the fundamental teachings in martial arts is humility and self-control.
As you know, the obesity problem in America isn’t just because of a lack of exercise among young people, but also because of their unhealthy diets. Martial arts at high schools or private boarding schools will not only be a good physical exercise for students, but it will teach them good self-control.
The truth is, there aren’t enough opportunities for children to get exercise in today’s society. Schools across the country are experiencing budget cuts — and as a result lots of smaller clubs are getting cut. Students don’t have as many options anymore. Martial arts classes don’t have to be expensive; they can take the place of any P.E. class. Martial arts classes don’t have to be competitive either, thus avoiding the travel expenses that other sports often require.
Many students attending high schools or private boarding schools don’t do sports because they aren’t interested in the sports offered. Not every boy dreams of being the star quarterback and not every girl dreams of being a cheerleader or dancer. At the very least, schools should offer martial arts as a form of variety: a middle ground for those students who don’t want to fit into gendered high school stereotypes.
Joshua Valdivia is an academic writer for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Wasatch Academy. Follow on Twitter.
