College's too-fat-to-graduate rule under fire

Shannon023

Most college students expect to receive their diplomas on the basis of grades, but at a Pennsylvania school, physical fitness matters too.

Students at Lincoln University with a body mass index of 30 or above, reflective of obesity, must take a fitness course that meets three hours per week. Those who are assigned to the class but do not complete it cannot graduate.


Now that the first class to have this requirement imposed is nearing graduation day -- students who entered in the fall of 2006 -- the school faces criticism from both students and outsiders about the fitness class policy.

One of those students is Tiana Lawson, 21, whose recent editorial in the student paper has drawn national attention to the issue. Lawson wrote in The Lincolnian that she would be more understanding if the requirement applied to everyone. She thinks all students, not just those with a high BMI, should have to take the class.

"I didn't come to Lincoln to be told that my weight is not in an acceptable range," Lawson wrote. "I came here to get an education which, as a three-time honor student, is something I have been doing quite well, despite the fact that I have a slightly high Body Mass Index."

Lawson, who told CNN she had been putting off getting her BMI tested until this year, recently found out she would have to take the class. At first angry, Lawson said she is now more "confused" about the requirement.

"I don't know why they would want some people to be more healthy than others," she said.

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Read rest of article here: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/30/lincoln.fitness.overweight/index.html


Your thoughts???

savvystephy

They should make all students take the class, really. Just because someone is at a healthy BMI doesn't mean they are healthy either. There are plenty of thin individuals who are not physically fit. It would be beneficial for all of the students.

That's my opinion on it. Interesting though.

LauraKate

i think it's good to encourage healthiness, but this is to much!! who are they to tell the students how they have to be? it should be a personal choice. duh!

BetterVersion

I think it's ridiculous. Last time I checked, Americans were still paying for their own college (in one form or another) so what the hell gives these people the right to judge that students who have paid their fees and earned their grades cannot graduate because they don't meet society's expectations of what is considered healthy and (most likely the real reason) attractive?! It turns my stomach.

Phoenix_Rising

I was required to take a phys ed course or a health course.
No where was I required to be a certain weight, shape, or BMI to graduate.
I'd say it's a form of discrimination.

cmriverside

hmmm. Interesting. (I didn't read the article...)

I can see both sides. I don't know how they are going to enforce it, even a third year law student should be able to blow some holes the size of Pennsylvania in that policy.

This should make for a lively discussion!

savvystephy

My university had a physical education requirement to graduate. I believe it is pretty common. My guess is that Lincoln University is a private university - which allows them to make such decisions. The thing about students paying for their education also, is that they choose the university - so in theory they could choose a university without such requirements which would reduce the amount of consumers (students) attending Lincoln and make Lincoln rethink the requirement. A student could transfer if they really didn't want to deal with that requirement, that is the reality of it being a chosen location.

That's just my 2 cents.

savvystephy

I was required to take a phys ed course or a health course.
No where was I required to be a certain weight, shape, or BMI to graduate.
I'd say it's a form of discrimination.

I don't think it is saying they have to be a certain BMI to graduate. It is saying that if they are above a certain BMI, they must take a complete a physical education requirement to graduate. It would be better if they just made all students complete the requirements.

Shannon023

I think it's ridiculous. Last time I checked, Americans were still paying for their own college (in one form or another) so what the hell gives these people the right to judge that students who have paid their fees and earned their grades cannot graduate because they don't meet society's expectations of what is considered healthy and (most likely the real reason) attractive?! It turns my stomach.

I wondered about the cost of that too. Doesn't seem right that a "healthy" person could graduate with say 260 credits and a overweight person would be required to have 263 credits to graduate.

Leigh14

The "too-thin" students should have to gain weight, the smokers should have to stop smoking, the drinkers should have to stop drinking, the cutters should have to stop cutting, the aggressive drivers should have to stop driving aggressively, the nail biters should have to stop nail biting, the stressed should have to stop stressing ... and on and on and on.

But, alas, a private institution has rights, too!

squoozyq

Education is not based on physical appearance or health. Period. In this fight for equality, how could something so ridiculous be going on? They let GW Bush into Harvard, and then graduate with a C average...so I guess it's not the first stupid thing American schools have done.

CasperO

Discrimination, plain and simple. And open to interpretation...

What about me? I exercise 5-6-7 hours a week and watch my diet like a hawk. My bodyfat percentage is 14-ish, my BP is 110/65 and my resting pulse is 55. I can count my abs (8, btw :happy: ),

I'm 5'8 tall, and I weigh 209 pounds. My BMI is 31.8, and I'm technically obese. Do I have to take your silly class?

byHisgrace

Discrimination, plain and simple. And open to interpretation...

What about me? I exercise 5-6-7 hours a week and watch my diet like a hawk. My bodyfat percentage is 14-ish, my BP is 110/65 and my resting pulse is 55. I can count my abs (8, btw :happy: ),

I'm 5'8 tall, and I weigh 209 pounds. My BMI is 31.8, and I'm technically obese. Do I have to take your silly class?

I agree with this post. BMI is not a fair measure of fit. My DH used to have to always have a "tape test" aka measurements takes during PT tests in the army. He's 6'1" and always been in incredible shape but his BMI has always been higher than it seemingly should be, if that were an accurate measure, which it is not.

As far as it being discrimination. Don't go to school there. Sorry but I am really tired of hearing about how everything has to be equal. Nope. It does not. People choose to apply to attend this school, they pay for their education at this school. I LOATHE the idea that people can join an organization (school, ect) and then expect the rules to be changed because they don't like them. This is a dumb rule, I agree 100% but so are lots of rules, and as stated, that is all open to interpetation. I don't like their rules, I am going to go to school somewhere else. This is America, we have that freedom, just as the school has the freedom to create rules that we don't agree with.